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 Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
This lady is a joy to watch!! Pretty and kind and helpful.
Love your recipes.
Makes cooking so much easier for noncooks😊
Thank you so much for this recipe! It was simple and delicious! My family prefers ham at Thanksgiving, but cleaned the platter of this turkey this year. I will never make it any other way! Plus I will make this throughout the year. I didn’t and wouldn’t change a thing.
This was absolutely the best Turkey I ever made. First time cooking just a Turkey breast. Good thing I bought two whole breasts. Every one ate plenty, it was so moist and the skin was nice and crisp. Now I’m going to make the Turkey soup. They all raved about the flavor.
Tried this recipe for the first time for Christmas dinner. Didn’t realize until I was ready to make the rub that I didnt have the rosemary and thyme. So I was forced to provise, so I sustituted with 1 tsp of poultry seasoning instead. It turned out really good –everyone LOVED IT! It did take less time to roast than the directions stated. I will definitely use this recipe again. Thank you!!!
This turkey breast recipe made the absolute best turkey I have ever eaten. That is not an exaggeration. It is so flavorful and moist. I think the combination of spices and rubbing much of it under the skin made the difference. Delicious doesn’t come close to describing it.
Just baked a turkey breast using this recipe and it was amazing. My husband said it was the best turkey he has had in a long time. So flavorful and juicy. My son was shocked at how juicy it was. The only difference I had with the recipe was the cooking time. I cooked an 8.5 lb. turkey breast and it was done in 2 hrs and 10 min. Amazing! My new Thanksgiving turkey recipe.
I came across this recipe at 4am Thanksgiving morning and decided to ditch the turkey recipe I was planning on using and use this one instead. I am so glad I did because this turkey was AMAZING! I’m planning on using this every year now. The only thing I did different was cook at 325° because that’s what my original recipe called for. I used a 7.74lb breast and it took almost 3 hours.
Juiciest tastiest Turley breast I have ever made. Got rave reviews from whole family.