Roasted Bone In Turkey Breast Recipe

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Classic Roasted Turkey Breast is a wonderful alternative to roasting an entire turkey for small gatherings. With no fancy ingredients and just a few minutes prep, you can have juicy, moist, and perfectly seasoned turkey perfect for Thanksgiving or special occasions!

sliced roasted turkey breast on plate with herbs

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There are no fancy bells and whistles in this bone in turkey roast recipe. No crazy secret ingredients. No special techniques or tools. Just classically seasoned roasted turkey breast that is the perfect partner for all those delicious Thanksgiving side dishes like brown sugar brussels sprouts, cheesy mashed potatoes, or Italian sausage stuffing!

Why I love this recipe

  • only a few simple ingredients and just a few minutes of prep
  • perfectly seasoned with fresh herbs
  • perfect size for smaller groups or gatherings, so no leftover overload as with roasting the whole bird!

Ingredients

roast turkey breast ingredients
  • turkey breast (bone in turkey roast)
  • Kosher salt
  • black pepper
  • dry white wine
  • garlic
  • ground mustard
  • fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme, and sage
  • olive oil
  • lemon (optional)

Step by step

  1. Remove the breast from packaging and pat dry, place on a rack in a large roasting pan.
  2. Mix the olive oil, herbs and spices to make a thick paste.
  3. Rub the paste over the skin, placing some in between the skin and meat if desired.
raw turkey breast with seasoning on it
  1. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.
  2. Roast for 2 hours or until meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
pouring wine into roasting pan with raw turkey breast
  1. Remove from oven and wrap with foil. Allow it to rest at least 15 minutes before slicing. Make gravy with pan juices if desired or check out this turkey gravy without drippings or this cornstarch gravy as well.

FAQs

Do I need to rinse the turkey breast?

The FDA does not recommend rinsing the raw poultryDo not rinse raw meat and poultry before cooking. “Washing these foods makes it more likely for bacteria to spread to areas around the sink and countertops.”

What if my turkey breast is larger/smaller than 6 pounds?

Roasting time is just a guide. Roast until the meat reads 165 in the thickest parts. Go by temperature, not time. A smaller or boneless turkey breast may cook faster while a larger one might need to extend the roasting time.

How do I stop the skin from over-browning?

Loosely tent the turkey with foil if the skin starts to get too brown.

Why do you pour wine in the roasting pan?

The wine adds moisture to the oven while the turkey roasts and imparts a subtle flavor to the meat. You can use water or chicken broth as a substitute in a pinch.

Can I use dried herbs?

While I recommend using fresh when possible you can use dry herbs by reducing it to 1 teaspoon per dry herb rather than 1 tablespoon of fresh.

Do I have to rest the turkey before slicing? Why can’t I eat it right away?

Resting after removing it from the oven is an essential step. This time allows the meat to reabsorb the juices and makes for moist, tender meat. Don’t skip this step!

How do I prevent dry turkey meat?

Adding the wine in the roasting pan helps keep the meat moist, as does letting it rest afterward. It is also important to cook to 165 degrees and then stop roasting. If the meat cooks much higher than 165 it will begin to dry out.

If you try this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!

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sliced roasted turkey breast on plate with herbs

Classic Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe


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Description

Classic Roasted Turkey Breast is a wonderful alternative to roasting an entire turkey for small gatherings. With no fancy ingredients and just a few minutes prep, you can have juicy, moist, and perfectly seasoned turkey perfect for Thanksgiving or special occasions!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 lb. bone in turkey breast
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
  • 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 cup dry white wine (we used chardonnay)
  • 1 teaspoon each salt & pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Move oven rack to the lower third of the oven to make room for the roast.
  2. Place a rack in a large roasting pan.
  3. Pat turkey breast dry and place on the rack skin side up.
  4. Ina bowl, combine olive oil, herbs and spices. Mix to form a paste.
  5. Rub the herb paste over the surface of the turkey breast. You can also put it under the skin if you wish.
  6. Pour wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.
  7. Roast turkey for about 2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit when inserted into the thickest parts of the breast. (Test in several spots.)
  8. Remove turkey from oven and tent with foil. Allow to rest at least 15 minutes before slicing
  9. Make gravy with the drippings if desired.

Notes

  • if turkey skin is over-browning cover loosely with foil
  • add more wine to the roasting pan if needed as it evaporates

Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa

  • Prep Time: 20 min
  • Cook Time: 2 hours minutes
  • Category: main course
  • Method: roasting
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 435
  • Sugar: 0.5 g
  • Sodium: 337.3 mg
  • Fat: 7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 1.4 g
  • Protein: 86.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 227.6 mg

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13 Comments

  1. I’m always looking for an easy fast recipe-this is both! Thanks for sharing! This will definitely be on my Thanksgiving menu!!

  2. Just checking on the temperature to cook the turkey breast, is 300 degrees correct?
    Reynolds Oven Bag advises cooking turkey at 350 degrees.

    1. Hi Charlotte – Yes, 300*. Just use your thermometer to make sure the breast reaches the correct temperature internally. Thanks!

    1. Hi Lynda – I haven’t ever added veggies, but I would say that if they are not too large, they should cook just fine with the turkey breast. I would use a digital meat thermometer to ensure the turkey reaches the proper temperature just to be safe. Thanks SO much for stopping by and enjoy!

  3. I have this in the oven now! Thanks for a great recipe – this is exactly what i was looking for. My turkey breast is almost 8 lbs, so I am going to check it after 3 hrs with a thermometer. I hope the cooking time is correct since I am guessing. 🙂

    1. Sorry for the late reply, the original was:
      One 6 lb. turkey breast
      One stick (1/2 cup melted butter)
      1 – 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
      1/2 – 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
      Salt & pepper
      INSTRUCTIONS
      Preheat oven to 300*.
      In a baking dish large enough to fit your turkey breast, open a roasting bag. Make sure to leave the open end up so the liquids don’t escape.
      Place turkey breast in bag, skin side up.
      Pour chicken stock in the bottom of the roasting bag.
      Brush melted butter all over turkey breast making sure to coat all of the skin and gently pour any remaining butter over the breast.
      Sprinkle with poultry seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
      Close roasting bag with provided tie/closure.
      Place baking dish in the oven – move oven racks down if necessary to ensure that once the bag expands during cooking, it will not touch any surface of the oven.
      Bake 2 1/2 – 3 hours or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast reaches 165*.
      Remove from oven and allow turkey breast to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
      Reserve cooking liquid for gravy.

    1. One 6 lb. turkey breast
      One stick (1/2 cup melted butter)
      1 – 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
      1/2 – 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
      Salt & pepper
      INSTRUCTIONS
      Preheat oven to 300*.
      In a baking dish large enough to fit your turkey breast, open a roasting bag. Make sure to leave the open end up so the liquids don’t escape.
      Place turkey breast in bag, skin side up.
      Pour chicken stock in the bottom of the roasting bag.
      Brush melted butter all over turkey breast making sure to coat all of the skin and gently pour any remaining butter over the breast.
      Sprinkle with poultry seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
      Close roasting bag with provided tie/closure.
      Place baking dish in the oven – move oven racks down if necessary to ensure that once the bag expands during cooking, it will not touch any surface of the oven.
      Bake 2 1/2 – 3 hours or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast reaches 165*.
      Remove from oven and allow turkey breast to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
      Reserve cooking liquid for gravy.