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This Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe delivers juicy, flavorful meat with irresistibly crispy skin—no whole turkey required. Using simple ingredients and a foolproof roasting method, you’ll get perfectly cooked turkey breast. It’s an easy, stress-free option for Thanksgiving, holiday meals, or weeknight dinners.
Honestly, one of the toughest parts about hosting a holiday at your home has to be the stress of roasting the meat just right. Turkey is the Thanksgiving staple across America, and it’s a good one for Christmas Eve or Day dinner, too!
But the thought of dry, overcooked, or flavorless turkey can be enough to leave you calling your local market to pick up an already-roasted bird. That’s why I am so thrilled to share this recipe for simple roasted turkey breast that’s tender!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Making Oven Roasted Turkey Breasts
This oven-roasted turkey breast has become my answer to holiday stress and busy weeknight dinners alike. The recipe streamlines the roasting process, making prep remarkably easy—even if you’ve never roasted turkey before. Starting covered allows the turkey to steam gently for perfectly cooked meat, then removing the foil creates crispy skin everyone loves.
What really sets this apart is the flavor combination. Garlic butter tucked under the skin, plus lemon juice, apple slices, and fresh herbs in the roasting pan create incredible aromatics that keep the meat moist and delicious. An 8-pound turkey breast serves 10-12 people generously, making this practical for gatherings without the intimidation of a whole bird.
The timing works beautifully—ready in a fraction of the time compared to whole turkey. I check the internal temperature on the thickest part of the breast during the final stretch to ensure it never overcooks. The leftovers are equally exciting, perfect for sandwiches, salads, and soups throughout the week.
Recipe Ingredients
- Bone-in turkey breast – about 8 pounds
- Butter
- Garlic
- Chicken stock
- Apple
- Lemon
- Thyme – fresh is best, but dry will do!
- Parsley – I prefer fresh, but dried will work in a pinch!
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Easy Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- Bone-in turkey breast, (about 8 pounds)
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 large tablespoon minced garlic, (about 4 cloves)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup good chicken stock
- 1 large apple
- 1/2 a lemon
- 3 to 4 springs fresh thyme
- 1 small bunch flat leaf parsley
- Pepper
Instructions
- Remove the turkey from it's packaging, rinse, pat dry with paper towels, and set in a rimmed baking dish (like a 9×13-inch pan—you don't need a roasting pan for this).Bone-in turkey breast
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic, and salt. Mix to combine well.4 tablespoons butter, 1 large tablespoon minced garlic, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Using your hands, carefully separate the turkey skin from the meat when the breast meat is facing up in the pan. Getting started is a little hard, but just be careful to not rip through the skin. Work around the skin and meat to loosen the skin that is connected to the breast meat.
- When the skin is separated (but not removed—it'll still be attached on the edges), use your hands to spread half of the butter mixture and the garlic all over the turkey breast meat, under the skin.
- Spread the second half of the butter mixture all over the outside of the turkey breast, on top of the skin.
- Place 1 cup of stock in the bottom of the dish.1 cup good chicken stock
- Quarter the apple and place however much will fit under the breast in the neck cavity. Place pieces that did no fit in the bottom of the dish.1 large apple
- Cut the lemon in half, and squeeze half over the turkey breast (using your fingers to strain the seeds). Place the spent lemon half in the bottom of the dish.1/2 a lemon
- Strip the leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme and sprinkle over the turkey, and place the remaining sprigs and a “stalk” or two (large sprig pieces) of parsley in the bottom of the dish.3 to 4 springs fresh thyme, 1 small bunch flat leaf parsley
- Sprinkle the turkey with a bit of ground black pepper.Pepper
- Cover tightly with foil, and bake at 400 degrees F for 2 hours.
- Remove the foil, and bake until the turkey is cooked though, about another hour. Save the foil.
- During the last hour, check every 10 minutes or so (after about 30 minutes) for doneness. If your turkey has a pop thermometer/gauge, I have found them to be pretty accurate. If yours does not, insert an instant read thermometer into the breast until it reads 165 degrees F.
- When the turkey is done, remove from the oven. Cover with the foil that you saved and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- When the rest time is over, you can serve the turkey or carve it and serve it on a platter with additional apples or herbs for garnish on the edges.
Notes
- You can make soups, gumbo, sandwiches, salads, and more with the leftover turkey!
- A turkey breast this size can serve around 12 – 15 people, depending on how many sides you serve.
- You can prepare this meal 4 – 5 days in advance and place in the fridge, or store it for months in the freezer!
- Start checking the turkey for doneness at about the 2.5-hour mark by checking the internal temperature every 10 minutes or so. The thermometer will read 165 degrees F when the turkey is done.
Nutrition
How to Make Simple and Juicy Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Remove the turkey from packaging, rinse, pat dry, and place in a rimmed baking dish.
- Combine butter, garlic, and salt; spread half under the skin and half on top.
- Pour 1 cup of stock into the dish, and add quartered apple, lemon juice, thyme, parsley, and black pepper.
- Cover with foil and bake at 400°F for 2 hours; remove the aluminum foil and bake until the turkey reaches 165°F. Let the turkey rest for 10-15 minutes before serving and bake until the turkey rest reaches 165°F.
Substitutions &Variations
Herb Variations
Replace thyme with fresh rosemary, sage, or a combination. Try tucking fresh sage leaves under the skin alongside the garlic butter for traditional Thanksgiving flavor.
Citrus Options
Swap lemon for orange or add both for a brighter, more complex flavor profile. The citrus also helps balance the richness of the butter.
Garlic-Free Version
If avoiding garlic, increase the herbs and add 1 tablespoon of dried Italian seasoning to the butter mixture for flavor depth.
Boneless Turkey Breast
Use a 4-5 pound boneless turkey breast and reduce total cooking time to about 1.5-2 hours. Check temperature frequently starting at 1 hour.
Make It Spicy
Add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika or ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the butter mixture for a subtle kick.
Compound Butter Options
Mix in fresh herbs, lemon zest, or even honey into your butter for different flavor profiles. Herb butter with rosemary and sage is particularly delicious.
Recipe FAQs
An 8-pound turkey breast should roast for about 2.5 to 3 hours in a 400-degree F oven. For the first 2 hours, cover the baking dish with foil, and remove the foil for the last 30 minutes to an hour of baking time.
At about the 2.5-hour mark when the turkey is roasting, begin checking the internal temperature every 10 minutes or so. The thermometer will read 165 degrees F when the turkey is done. Remove the turkey from the oven, and let it rest under some foil for 10 to 15 minutes before carving and serving.
Carve the turkey for easy storage, and let it cool completely before putting it in an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days or freeze leftover for much longer, up to 3 months.
Expert Tips
- Use leftovers in turkey soups, gumbo, salads, or as a turkey taquito instead of a plain sandwich.
- If I’m only doing a few sides (more of a traditional meal and less a holiday meal) I’ll plan on a turkey breast this size serving closer to 12-15 people.
- This is a meal that you can prepare several days in advance and store in the fridge/freezer, if you don’t have the time to make it the day of!
- Working the garlic butter under the skin of the turkey breast seems fussy, but it’s the secret to incredibly flavorful, moist breast meat. Go slowly to avoid tearing the skin, and it gets easier as you work around.
- The pan juices become an amazing turkey gravy base. Strain out the solids, skim excess fat, and whisk with a roux for restaurant-quality sauce.
- Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 30-45 minutes before roasting. Room temperature turkey cooks more evenly and reaches the perfect internal temperature without drying out the exterior.
Delicious Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Here are some yummy options for your Thanksgiving (or Christmas) sides! These will pair perfectly with the roasted turkey breast.
More Holiday Recipes to Consider
Dessert Recipes
Perfect Homemade Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
Appetizer Recipes
Fresh Cranberry Salsa Recipe | Sweet & Spicy Holiday Dish
Pies, Crisps & Tarts
Healthy Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Are you able to use a pre-frozen turkey breast (thawed before prep) or do you recommend fresh? love your recipes 🧡
You for sure can use a pre-frozen and then thawed turkey, it’s so hard to find fresh!
I can’t believe how amazing this Turkey breast turned out. I hosted a small Friendsgiving this year due to COVID. This was my first ever turkey and it was a hit! It’s so flavorful and it was so easy to make. I was so nervous but everyone complimented how good it was. Thank you bless this mess!
Congratulations on your baking your first turkey! That’s a big accomplishment!