Simple Oven Roasted Turkey Breast is the perfect alternative to a full size turkey for small families. With its crispy skin and tender, juicy meat, your whole family is going to love this one!
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and dreams of cranberry sauce, pie, and turkey are dancing through our heads. Thanksgiving is the feast of all feasts, a time for family gatherings, a chance to rest and recharge, and what’s not to love about that? We know that the thought of a large Thanksgiving meal can be daunting, stressful, and, well…the opposite of restful. However, it doesn’t have to be that way.
Has anyone else ever felt pressured to roast a whole turkey just for tradition’s sake? We are here to tell you that you do NOT have to roast a whole turkey. Turkey breasts are totally satisfying and delicious with their crispy skin and juicy meat. Pair this with your favorite mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie for a Thanksgiving to remember!
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Can I use an oven bag to roast a turkey breast?
There is some debate on oven bags vs. traditional roasting. The idea behind an oven bag is that it should lock in moisture and flavor. Your turkey will also cook faster, you don’t have to worry about basting, and cleanup is a breeze! There are a lot of benefits to roasting in a bag, however if you prefer to roast a bird the traditional way sans bag, more power to you. It’s really just about personal preference.
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Turkey Skin: Optional?
We are big proponents of always cooking with bone in and skin on meat. The flavor can’t be beat, and there’s nothing quite as delicious as crispy skin. If you avoid excess fat for dietary reasons, or just aren’t a fan of the skin, you can always remove the skin before roasting.
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To Baste or Not to Baste:
Basting requires you to open the oven door repeatedly, losing a ton of heat! You do not need to baste, and we actually recommend not basting with this recipe. If you do decide to baste, you will need to plan on some additional cooking time.
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Boneless or Bone-in Turkey Breast
Turkey breasts are sold both boneless, and bone-in. Bone-in turkey breasts tend to be larger and contain both sides of the breast, while boneless turkey breasts are generally just one breast. This recipe will work with either, though a single boneless turkey breast will require a shorter cooking time.
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What should I do with leftover Oven Roasted Turkey Breast?
Leftover turkey is one of the best things about Thanksgiving! We doubt you’ll be able to stop yourself from eating this whole turkey breast with your family. However, if somehow you end up with leftovers, you should always use them in a sandwich the next day with some cranberry sauce, provolone cheese, and your favorite leafy greens. Mmmmm!
If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other delicious Thanksgiving inspired recipes:
Watch the video below where we will walk you through every step of the recipe with a video demonstration.
Wow! I don’t know what kind of magic happens in that oven with those simple ingredients, but I am floored. FLOORED. I didn’t change any of the ingredients, but I did keep it lightly tented for the majority of the cook time which turned out to be a good idea. Still came out perfect! Juicy and flavorful. I kept a wired thermometer in it which was great because I was able to set it for 160. Absolute winner recipe. Thank you!
Roast Turkey Breast is my FAVORITE. My Gout Hates it, but I freeze small pkgs after my 1st Dinner. That way I spread out the meals. Thank You for the Recipe.
There is 1tsp of salt in the entire recipe. You won’t believe it once you taste it. Perfection!
We got a new oven and had to try this out with it! The turkey came out beautiful and juicy! This is definitely the go to recipe for oven roasting turkey! Thank you so much for posting it!
Very good. Juicy and delish!!
I used a 2 1/2 lb turkey breast with bones and used the same herb paste ratio. The turkey is outstanding! The thermometer is crucial and I continued baking in 10 minute intervals to achieve 158-160 before removing from oven and tenting to rest. It was delicious and was not dried out. I have had this on my ‘try’ list and now it will be on my rotation list. Thank you 🌴
I am making this tonight, using 2 turkey breasts that I have brined, I am going to use butter instead of olive oil with the seasonings under the skin. Can’t wait!
Good but has way too much paprika. I think it would be much better with about 1/2 to 1/4 as much.
I made this yesterday. Improvised a little because I didn’t have rosemary. My husband said it was the best turkey I ever made. Thank you for sharing!!