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.
We have made this recipe many times and turned out the same every time, delicious….
Also I have use the rub on pork , which works very well
Oh my goodness this was just awesome!! I am really impressed. I believe this is the best turkey breast I ever made, the best turkey everything! Seriously delicious, tender, like butter. You can cut with a fork! The skin was really wonderful, crisp and full of flavor. The turkey meat, really juicy and full of flavor as well! This is my forever go to recipe from now on! I think the oven degree and timing is perfect. Wonder if I can do a whole turkey this way, everyone would go nuts! I did not stuff the breast with stuffing, but would like to next time. I would like to know how much longer to cook if I do that. Thank you for this FABULOUS recipe! I’ve already passed it on to some relatives and friends!! The best!
We had planned to take our two turkey breasts to a local restaurant where they smoke them, but that fell through. Quickly googled recipes and was drawn to this one because it uses mostly dried herbs which I had in my pantry. First of all, the house smelled wonderful! Second, the turkey was a hit and got rave reviews. Some folks said the turkey was their favorite part of the meal. The turkey is NEVER the favorite. I will definitely hold on to this recipe and use it in the future. The drippings are divine if you plan to make gravy. My one recommendation is to start checking the internal temp way before you think it will be ready…remember oven’s vary! These cooked faster than expected. My first one was a tad overdone. The second one was perfect.
This recipe was on point first time I’ve ever tried it. My turkey was the best and very juicy. Thank you for sharing.♥️
I came for the tips and the timing because I downsized this year, from a whole bird, and wanted the breast to come out a well as possible. I don’t like turkey and I even ate some.
Just home from deployment late Friday, so missed the larger family unit Thanksgiving dinner (and ZERO leftovers!). Immediately went to the store and got a breast, green bean casserole fixings, and potatoes for mashing. My wife didn’t mind the redo, and she and I thought this recipe was the best turkey EVER (including her aunts famous bird and gravy).
Used this recipe and ate the best turkey I have had in a long time. Simple to follow directions and relatively easy to do. I prepared the night before, refrigerated with semi-loose aluminum foil as suggested by one of the comments. Thank you for this recipe
I cooked this for Thanksgiving and went exactly by the recipe. It was wonderful! Flavorful, moist and tender. I did not cover in the oven or baste. It was PERFCT!
This is the best turkey recipe ever! I cooked it a bit too long, but that isn’t the recipe’s fault. Thanks for a great recipe.
I made this recipe for Thanksgiving and the turkey breast was delicious.
Thank you.