← Back to the recipe

Print: Garlic Herb Roast Turkey Breast

Press Ctrl+P (⌘P on a Mac) to print.

Big type for easier reading on US Letter or A4; long recipes run onto a second page.

Roast Turkey · Oven-Roasted Breast

Garlic Herb Roast Turkey Breast

A bone-in turkey breast rubbed with garlic, sage and thyme butter and roasted until the skin is golden. Feeds a small crowd without a whole bird.

Scan for the recipe
Prep
15 min
Cook
1 hr 40 min
Total
2 hr 15 min
Serves
8
Level
Medium

Ingredients

Turkey

  • 1 bone-in turkey breast, skin-on, 5 to 6 lb, thawed
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • ¾ tsp black pepper
  • 1 onion, cut into thick rounds
  • 1 cup chicken broth

Herb butter

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • 1 tsp lemon zest

Cook to 165°F inside (check with a thermometer).

Steps

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the lower-middle position.
  2. Pat the turkey breast very dry with paper towels.
  3. Mash the butter, garlic, sage, thyme and lemon zest together in a small bowl.
  4. Gently loosen the skin over the meat with your fingers and spread about half the herb butter underneath it.
  5. Rub the rest of the butter over the skin and season all over with the salt and pepper.
  6. Scatter the onion rounds in a roasting pan, set the turkey on top skin side up and pour the broth into the pan.
  7. Roast until the skin is golden and the thickest part of the breast reads 165°F (74°C) without touching bone. Start checking at 75 minutes.
  8. If the skin gets dark before the meat is done, lay a loose sheet of foil over the top.
  9. Move the turkey to a cutting board and rest it before slicing.
  10. Slice the meat off the bone in one piece, then cut it crosswise into slices. Spoon the pan juices over the top.

Tip: A frozen turkey breast needs 2 to 3 days to thaw in the fridge.

Tip: Thin the pan juices with a little more broth and simmer them for a quick, light gravy.

Tip: Use a separate cutting board for raw poultry, and wash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water after handling it.

Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours, up to 4 days. Freeze sliced turkey with a splash of broth up to 3 months.

Estimated nutrition per serving: 450 calories · protein 55 g · carbohydrates 2 g · fiber 0 g · sugars <1 g · fat 24 g (saturated 8 g) · sodium 730 mg. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 10 of 10 ingredients.