Roasted Turkey Breast (With Herb Butter)
Juicy roasted turkey breast with garlic herb butter, perfect for small holiday dinners or a Sunday meal. Ready in about 90 minutes!
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 6 lb turkey breast bone-in skin-on is what we prefer
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
- 1 teaspoon onion powder *optional*
Instructions
- Remove the turkey breast from the refrigerator 20 to 30 minutes before cooking, leaving it wrapped to take the chill off.
- Preheat the oven to 425 °F.
- In a medium bowl, combine the softened butter, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme until well mixed.
- Remove the turkey from the packaging and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Carefully loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers, creating a pocket without completely removing the skin.
- Spread about half of the herb butter underneath the skin, covering as much of the breast as possible.
- Rub the remaining herb butter evenly over the outside of the skin.
- Sprinkle the onion powder over the butter. “Optional”
- Place the turkey breast skin-side up in a 9x13-inch baking dish or roasting pan.
- Roast uncovered at 425 °F for 20 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325 °F and continue roasting for 40 to 50 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reaches 160 °F.
- Remove the turkey from the oven and loosely tent with foil. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes before slicing. During the resting time, the internal temperature will continue to rise to approximately 165°F.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
Store leftover turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I like to reheat the turkey cut into slices with a splash of chicken broth. I do it in the oven or air fryer at 325°F until heated through.
Roast it uncovered so the skin becomes golden and crispy. If it browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil near the end of cooking.
Why cook it at two temperatures? Starting at a higher temperature helps brown and crisp the skin. Lowering the heat allows the turkey to finish cooking gently without drying out.
Turkey breast is very lean and cooks quickly. To prevent a dry, overcooked turkey, test the thickest part of the breast with a meat thermometer. It is done when it reaches 160°F. After resting for 15 minutes, carryover cooking will bring it to the USDA-recommended 165°F.
The herb butter can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Let it soften before spreading.
Nutrition
Calories: 640kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 98g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 286mg | Sodium: 1444mg | Potassium: 1121mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 630IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 3mg
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