Easy Oven Roasted Turkey Breast recipe - the only recipe you need to make a juicy, delicious bone-in turkey breast with perfectly crispy skin. The gravy is simple yet flavorful!
Serve this delicious turkey breast with Classic Sweet Potato Casserole and Green Bean Casserole from Scratch.
OVEN ROASTED TURKEY BREAST
Last year, I made a turkey breast for our holiday dinners and I decided right then that it's the best way to prepare the bird. You get the best meat for half the price and time of cooking. It's a win-win if you ask me. Follow my easy recipe to make the best, juicy turkey with crispy and delicious skin! While last year I cooked it in my Instant Pot, this year I will show you how to roast it perfectly in the oven.
This Oven Roasted Turkey Breast is very easy to prepare and the result is juicy meat with crispy skin. The turkey breast cooks in half the time as a whole turkey since it's usually half the size, yet you get the best meat from the bird. No need to tie the legs and struggle to fold the wings under the bird to set it on the roaster. Turkey breast is easier and faster to prepare.
How to roast turkey breast in the oven?
- Start by preheating the oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare your roaster pan.
- For the best results, wash the turkey breast and pat dry with paper towels. Do not season while it's wet. Mix oil and seasoning in a small bowl and brush all over the turkey breast. Place half the vegetables inside the turkey cavity. Arrange the rest around the breast on pan.
- Roast turkey for 20 minutes per pound. For my 7 lb turkey breast, the timing was 140 minutes (2 hours and 20 minutes). For a perfectly juicy turkey with crispy skin, baste the turkey breast with pan juices every 20 minutes or so. You can take the skin off before slicing if you want to cut down on calories.
- After the turkey is done, use the pan drippings to make the gravy: measure out 2 cups of liquid, add ¼ cup of water mixed with cornstarch and simmer the mixture together in a saucepan until it thickens.
How to thaw turkey breast?
To thaw a frozen turkey breast properly, you need to plan to pull it out of the freezer at least 24 hours before cooking. Big turkeys may take even 2 days to thaw. Place the frozen turkey breast in the bottom of your fridge and let it thaw. This is the safest way and it's recommended by the USDA.
How long to cook turkey breast in the oven?
All turkeys you buy in the store will have a guide on the back of the packaging. It's good to follow it, but you have to remember to check it before you cut it to get the turkey out. The general rule is to roast the turkey breast for 20 minutes per pound. So, if my turkey breast weighs 7 lbs, I will cook it for 140 minutes (2 hours and 20 minutes). When the time is up, check the breast in the meatiest place to make sure it reads 165 degrees F. To get the crispy skin and juicy meat, you should baste the turkey breast with pan juices every 20 minutes or so. Just carefully spoon the juices from the bottom of the pan and pour all over the turkey.
What to Serve with Turkey Breast?
Everything! Ha! Here is a list of my favorite side dishes to serve with turkey and turkey breast:
Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole From Scratch
Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Honey Roasted Butternut Squash
Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Rolls
WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVER TURKEY?
My go-to recipe is my One-Pot Turkey Tetrazzini. It's quick and the clean up afterward is minimal since the whole dish cooks in one pot. Another great way to use it is to make turkey and cranberry sauce sandwiches or sliders AND toss it in place of chicken to make my Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup.
If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀
Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 7 lb bone-in skin-on turkey breast
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon chopped poultry fresh herb mix rosemary, sage and thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 medium onion chopped into large slices
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 celery stalks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare your roaster pan.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix oil, paprika, herb mix, salt and pepper.
- Wash the turkey breast, remove gravy pocket. Wash and pat dry. Brush turkey breast with olive oil mixture. Place one chopped celery stalk, 2 garlic cloves and half of the onion inside the turkey. Place remaining veggies around the breast on pan. Add stock to the bottom of the pan.
- Place the turkey in the oven and cook for 20 minutes per pound. I cooked my 7 lb turkey breast for 140 minutes (2 hours and 20 minutes). Baste the turkey breast with pan juices every 20 minutes or so.
- If you want the skin crispier, place the turkey under broiler set to 440 degrees F. Broil until skin is golden and crispy, watching the turkey the whole time. You may have to rotate the pan during broiling.
- To make the gravy, drain the pan drippings through a sieve to catch the onions and garlic. You can also press them through it to get all the flavor into the gravy. Measure out two cups of the liquid and place in a saucepan. Add a mixture of 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with ¼ cup of cold water and whisk well. Bring the mixture to boil and simmer until thickens.
Gina says
I made this today. I threw 2 lemon halves and an onion in the crevice, and schmeared softened butter, salt, pepper, garlic & paprika all over it. I was a little scared about the high temp, but it came out delicious!!! I tented “him” with foil after the first 1/2 hour and basted every 20 minutes. 2 hours 20 minutes was perfection for a 7 lb breast. I let it rest for an hour after I took it out and it was juicy and perfect.
Melissa says
Do you put the lid on the pan, or bake it uncovered?
Jack Connolly Walker says
You don't want to fully cover the turkey. Leave it uncovered or make a foil tent to put over it. Note that a foil tent will not let the turkey brown as well so remove the foil at the end and increase the temp keeping watch to not burn or over cook .
Ann says
Do you leave the oven temperature at 425 the entire time?
Thanks
Melinda Foster says
I don’t know why some others had trouble with this recipe. I followed it exactly (was a little skeptical about the high heat for the entire time but kept it there). The turkey breast was perfectly cooked. When I took it out the internal temperature was a perfect 180 degrees. The skin was dark and crispy. The meat was moist and soft. My husband raved at how good it was.
The gravy was yummy. I cooked an organic butterball 6.75 lb. breast.
Anna says
Awesome! Thank you so much, Melinda! I am so glad the turkey breast was a success!
Kate says
Hi! I'm making this recipe for Christmas. Do you put the breast on a rack inside the roasting pan or just in the roasting pan? Thanks!
Norma Johnson says
I always use a rack to set the breast on while it roasts. This prevents turkey from setting in grease and allows skin to get crispy.
Evie says
Hi! I'm planning on making this for Christmas, what exactly is "2 tsp chopped poultry fresh herb mix rosemary, sage and thyme"? - is the mix only the rosemary, sage and thyme and is called 'chopped poultry fresh herb mix'? If so, are they equal parts? Help please! Thank you!
Kelly Parker says
I put it on a rack. It doesn’t sit well just in the pan. Plus- you need to turn down the temp while cooking to 325
I’m trying this for the first time too, but have cooked many turkeys in the past- can’t wait to see how this turns out! Don’t forget to turn down the temp or the turkey will be dry- also- I cover in tin foil for the first hour
Rosie says
Kelly!
I am totally with you regarding your thoughts and comments.
Having made oven turkeys either whole or just a breast for over 45 years, sometimes 3 or 4 times a year, got this down to the proverbial science.
We don’t eat the skin anymore so …
Bake initially for about an hour uncovered until turkey is golden brown
Then cover (tent it) with foil for the remaining 2 hours at 350 degrees based on about 7.5 pound breast/ 20 minutes per pound.
Don’t use a thermometer and never did; don’t even own one!
Still, tender, juicy and baked to perfection.
Yes, we bake our stuffing inside the turkey!
John says
This is a follow up: Although it cooked hot and we had to keep adding broth, the aroma was wonderful. In the end, the taste was very good, but dry. We'll do the recipe again, but do something to keep it moist- maybe reduce the temperature as stated previously.
John says
This is the first time for an inexperienced person to cook a Turkey breast and with this recipe. I followed it exactly and set the oven temperature for 425 degrees. I used 2 cups of broth in the pan. Within one hour all the borsht was gone and the bottom of the pan was burnt. I added more broth and continued. Within another hour all the broth was again cooked away and the bottom of the pan was black, I added more broth and will continue cooking g the seven and half pound turkey for 2 hrs and 20 minutes. At this point I have used 8 cups fo broth and I suspect that when I take it out, there will be no broth left. At this point I looked in Joy of Cooking. It said to preheat to 450 and then turn dow to 325 and cook the same time as you say. No where do you say to turn down the temperature. I have looked multiple times. Also, in reading the comments I noticed that one person put the turkey breast on a rack in the pan. Had I read all these comments I would have also used a rack (we had one), but no where in the instructions did it say to use a rack or to consider that as an option.
Thank you,
Tania says
I cook my regular turkey full size in 325....so I will use the same temperature for the breast....and check with a thermometer....I do t trust high temp for birds...but that's me.lol
Tania says
Ps... I will use a rack...so does not burn the bottom.
Kara says
Good but would not have used chicken broth for the gravy because it made the gravy taste like chicken gravy rather than turkey gravy. I would have cooked it a while longer too. Parts were not completely cooked and my oven temp was correct.
Anna says
Thank you, Kara!
Tania says
Me too, don't like to use gravy on the cooking, and since I use 325 all the way, it cooks longer ....and juicier.
Kerri says
I followed your recipe, and I have to say this is by far the BEST turkey I've ever eaten. It turned out perfect! I'll be cooking my turkeys this way from now on. The only thing I'm wondering is the calorie count. Turkey is low fat, so I'm assuming it's a misprint.
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe that I'll be enjoying for many years.
Anna says
Yay! That's wonderful, Kerri! I am so glad the turkey was a hit!
Vj says
I made this at Thanksgiving and it was terrific. Moist and delicious. I used dried herbs and more 400° than 425 and didn't baste.
Anna says
Thank you so much!
Melissa says
Made this for our four adults for Thanksgiving. So easy and delicious! I did tent foil over turkey breast since I noticed it was browning faster than expected. It was easy to remove to continue basting which I think is key. I had an almost 6lb turkey breast that was cooked in about 1 hour and 40 minutes. I didn't use a rack but did use some foil balls to keep the turkey breast centered and upright in the roasting pan.
Anna says
Thank you so much, Melissa!
Monica Cariker says
First time making Thanksgiving dinner and WOW. My guest loved it. Simple yet tasty. Looking forward to making this again next year. Thank you for this recipe.
Anna says
Wonderful! Thank you so much, Monica!
Patty says
Best turkey breast I’ve ever roasted. So moist and flavorful. Thanks
Anna says
Fantastic! Thank you, Patty!
Kerry says
This came out super good! I had an 8lb turkey and it took just over 2 hours. (Yes, I used a meat thermometer to be sure). Perhaps because I have an electric oven? Either way it was cooked just perfect and so flavorful! Will be using again! Thank you so much for sharing this!
Anna says
Wonderful! Thank you for trying my recipe, Kerry!
MaryAnn says
Do you just ignore the gravy packet?
Anna says
I never use the gravy packet that comes with the turkey. I always make my own gravy. Hope this helps!
Becky says
Do you put the breast on a rack or just in the roasting pan.
Jen says
I’d love to know the same! (I’m in the EU and hope we can see an answer soon-eek!) Happy Thanksgiving!
Sara Lynn says
Hi there...this looks amazing! Thank you...how long do I wait, after roasting, before carving? ...and also...first off...do you use a rack??...thanks so much!
Danae says
I’ve heard you need to wait 20 minutes to let the Turkey rest and be he juices redistributed throughout the muscle!
Courtney says
Hello! I'm a little confused when you say 2 tsp chopped poultry fresh herb mix rosemary, sage and thyme. Is it 2 tsp of each? Im a new cook and not to sure what you mean. Can you explain for me please?
Anna says
Hi Courtney! It's 2 teaspoons total of the herbs. Sorry for the confusion. I hope this helps!
Barbara says
I will be trying this recipe out for Thanksgiving! Would I need adjust this at all for a convection oven? Also, my bone-in breast is weirdly large - nearly 10lbs?! Would that also impact using this method? This is my first turkey so I'm a little nervous. Thanks in advance!
Carrie Bracken says
I would think add prob another teaspoon of seasoning and adjust cooking time, keeping it at 20 min per pound.
Stacey says
You would only need to adjust cooking time. The recipe says 20 min per pound so if you have three extra pounds of Turkey you need to cook it an extra 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of meat says 165 degrees.
joe says
Hi, was wondering you add 2tsp each of the herb mix? Or total?
Thanks!
Ashley F. says
So juicy and tender! This turkey breast came out perfect! Loved it!
Anna says
Thank you so much, Ashley!
Natalie says
This really is the best way to cook turkey!! It comes out perfect every time!
Anna says
I agree! Thanks, Natalie!
Betsy says
Wonderful spice mix! Delicious flavor palatte. 🙂 I love how crispy the skin turns out but the inside is still moist and flavorful! This will be perfect for my Thanksgiving this year!
Anna says
I am so glad! Thank you so much, Betsy!
Karissa says
Do you cover with foil?
Anna says
Hi Karissa! I did not but if your turkey breast is browning too fast (it will all depend on your oven), you can cover it lightly with foil. I hope this helps!
Emily McDuffie says
How would the cooking time be affected per your 20min/lb rule for two breasts? I have two that are each about 5lbs. Should I cook them for about 1hr40 or for 3 hours using the combined 10lbs? I’m going to assume the latter and keep an eye on the temp around the 1hr40 mark. Hopefully this turns out 🙏🏼
Kathleen says
I am hoping to make this very soon. I can't understand how the calorie content can be so high. It's turkey...white meat. That can't be correct, can it? I'm still making it. I usually cook a whole turkey because we like both white and dark meat, but with only 3 of us, it's too much.
Dewi Sitton says
You mentioned making this in your Instant Pot - I tried to look for that recipe can you share?
Anna says
Hi Dewi! Here is the link to the Instant Pot recipe: https://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/instant-pot-turkey-breast-recipe/ I hope you will get a chance to try it!
Jessica says
Do you cover the turkey when cooking it or no?
Fabiana says
Came out amazing needed more broth for basting but it came out juicy and crispy! Perfection thank you for sharing
Amy says
Do I need to put the celery, onion and And garlic inside The turkey? Can I make without?
Anna says
Hi Amy! If you don't have them on hand, you can skip them. They are adding flavor to the turkey and also the gravy. Hope this helps!
suhlman says
I'm attempting this recipe this yr. I don't cook turkey often and wondered what you meant by "Prepare your roasting pan," Drag it out of the back of the cabinet and wash it out? 😉
Also, do I need to uncover it for the last bit to make it crispy?
Anna says
Haha! Basically yes. Set it up, maybe line with aluminum foil for easier cleanup. Just have it ready. Step 5 describes how to get crispy skin. Hope this helps!
Mary says
How do you freeze left overs?
Lisa says
Do you really cook at 425 the entire time? Question was never answered
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Lisa! Yes, the temperature stays the same through the cooking time. It was actually recommended on the turkey breast packaging (the back label). Hope this helps!
LISA says
thank you, trying it today just always cooked my turkey at 425 for 15 min then 300 to keep it moist but never adventure never gain:) Aslo do you recommend outing the seasoning under the skin? we dont eat the skin so will the flavor carry through to the meat? many thanks,
My entire dinner is your recipes today:) I'll let you know how it all turns out.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Oooh! That's fantastic! I can't wait for your feedback! I actually bake chicken breast the same way (high temp) and it's juicy and delicious! If you are not eating the skin, I would definitely try to get the seasoning under it, also inside the cavity. I hope you love it!
Pam says
Do you keep the oven at 425 the whole time or do you turn it down during the roasting?
Dana says
Made this for Thanksgiving this year. So delicious. Tender and moist turkey, with the crispy skin, was soooo good!
Jessica says
The recipe calls for 2 cups of broth, yet the broth is not mentioned in the steps(?).
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Jessica! So sorry! I fixed the recipe. The stock needs to be poured into the pan before roasting.
Krista says
Is the broth and stock the same thing?
Molly says
Was thinking same thing. Luckily I knew to just pour it in there. However my 4.6 on Turkey breast needed a lot more broth than recipe called for. Other than that, it turned out amazingly.
Krista says
Wow! This looks amazing! I Cannot wait to make it!
Sandra says
This is really gorgeous!! Can't wait to give this a try!
Kara says
That crunchy skin looks amazing! Our family Thanksgiving is at my house this year, so I'll have to try your method. Yum!
Connie says
I want to roast the turkey breast on top of traditional bread stuffing to enhance the flavor of the stuffing. What to do about basting when roasted this way?
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Connie! In that case, I would recommend getting turkey broth or stock, warm it up and baste with that. It will help the skin stay crispy and not dry out and become chewy. I hope this helps! Let me know if you make it.
Connie says
Thank you! I will let you know. Happy Thanksgiving.
Stella says
Has anyone cooked their turkey breast atop a tray of traditional dressing using this recipe? I'd like to do the same using the suggestion below to base it using the warmed turkey broth. Any tips? thank you
Erin says
I need to try this immediately, it looks so good!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Perfect! Let me know how it goes!
Bree says
This looks super easy! Can’t wait to try it this thanksgiving for the perfect turkey!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thank you, Bree!
Lori says
Perfect recipe for my small family!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Great! Thank you, Lori!
Katerina says
Oh yum, this looks SO delicious!! So tender and juicy!! YUMM!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thank you so much, Katerina!
Toni says
This turkey looks perfect! A great way to do turkey for Thanksgiving!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
And it's so easy too! Thanks, Toni!
Grace says
Glad I found this recipe! The outside looks amazing!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thank you, Grace!
Chrissie Baker says
Wow, this is a great idea for Thanksgiving. This looks amazing! I cannot wait to give it a try. Thank you for sharing this great recipe. YUM!
Lora says
Your oven roasted turkey bread looks so crispy and tender!!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thanks, Lora!
Erin says
Thank you so much for the tips! I will definitely try this for Thanksgiving!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thank you, Erin! I hope you love it!
Sabrina says
This looks amazing! The crisp on this skin is spot on!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thank you, Sabrina!