• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Healthy Recipes Blog
  • Subscribe
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Accessibility Statement
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Subscribe
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Accessibility Statement
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Turkey Recipes » Roasted Turkey Breast

    Roasted Turkey Breast

    Last updated: Dec 6, 2022 · Recipes developed by Vered DeLeeuw and nutritionally reviewed by Rachel Benight MS, RD · This website generates income via ads and uses cookies.

    Jump to Recipe Card

    Roasted boneless turkey breast turns out fabulously juicy and crispy-skinned when baked for a relatively short time at a high temperature.

    Well-seasoned with garlic powder, paprika, and thyme, this easy 8-ingredient recipe yields impressive results.

    Roasted boneless turkey breast served on a platter with a serving fork.

    No doubt, there's something festive about serving - and carving - an entire turkey at the table. 🦃 But for intimate Thanksgiving (or Christmas) gatherings, cooking just the breast is the ideal solution. It's the perfect size for four people.

    Another advantage of roasting just the breast: When you bake it by itself it's easier to make sure it comes out juicy. When you roast the whole bird, despite your best intentions, the white meat often turns out too dry.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Expert tip
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Variations
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storing leftovers
    • Related recipes
    • Recipe card

    Ingredients

    You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

    • Avocado oil spray: This neutral-tasting oil is very suitable for high-heat cooking.
    • To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and dried thyme.
    • Boneless turkey breast half: I typically use a boneless, skin-on, breast half because I find it easy to slice and eat. But bone-in is fine too. And on occasion, I roast a whole breast as shown in the photo below.
    • Melted butter: Unsalted or salted, doesn't make much of a difference, so use whatever you have on hand. I tend to use salted butter in this recipe.
    The ingredients needed to roast a turkey breast.

    Instructions

    Roasting a boneless turkey breast is truly easy. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

    • First, brush the turkey with melted butter and sprinkle it with spices.
    • Now, place it on a greased rack fitted into a rimmed baking sheet and spray it with oil. The extra layer of oil helps the spices stay moist.
    • Bake the turkey initially for 20 minutes, to nicely brown the skin. Then, loosely cover the turkey with foil to prevent the top from scorching, and then continue roasting until it's cooked through.
    • The total cooking time will be 45-60 minutes. See the detailed discussion below.
    A six-photo collage showing the steps for roasting a turkey breast in the oven.

    Expert tip

    It's really important to let the meat rest for 20 minutes before slicing it. This prevents juices from escaping and helps ensure juiciness.

    Frequently asked questions

    How long does it take to roast a turkey breast?

    Just like baked chicken breast, I find that the secret to crispy skin and juicy meat is cooking at a high temperature for a relatively short time.

    This method ensures wonderfully crispy skin and juicy, succulent meat. When cooked at 450 degrees F, the total cooking time for half a breast is 45 - 60 minutes.

    Because of its size, you will need to loosely cover it with foil after about 20 minutes in the oven, then finish roasting it. The foil will keep the top from scorching.

    How to roast a whole breast?

    If you'd like to roast a whole breast instead of half, you can use the same method of browning it in a very hot oven, then loosely covering it with foil and continuing to roast until done. But you'll need more time.

    The last time I cooked a whole, 3 ½ lb. breast, I baked it for 1.5 hours. It took that long for an instant-read thermometer to register 160 degrees F.

    It turned out fabulous, with crispy, savory skin and very juicy meat, the juiciest we’ve ever had actually. But it does require a longer time commitment than using breast halves.

    How do I keep the meat juicy?

    The first secret is to roast it at a high temperature and for a relatively short time. The second secret: Allow it to rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing it. This allows the juices to settle and redistribute, ensuring juicy meat.

    Variations

    I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you'd like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:

    • You can try different spice combinations. Onion powder is a nice addition. You can also try using smoked paprika instead of regular paprika.
    • Instead of butter, you can rub the meat with olive oil. However, make sure to use light olive oil which can withstand a high cooking temperature. You can also use avocado oil, but that's not as flavorful.

    Serving suggestions

    I typically make this recipe for Thanksgiving, so I serve it with cranberry sauce, gravy, and any of these sides:

    • Cheesy green beans casserole
    • Cauliflower stuffing
    • Roasted Brussels sprouts
    • Creamy mashed pumpkin
    • Mashed cauliflower

    Storing leftovers

    The leftovers keep in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Although the skin does lose its crispness.

    I don't like to reheat the leftovers, as they tend to dry out. I usually make a platter of cold leftover turkey slices, alongside some Dijon mustard, fresh-cut veggies, and pickles.

    Needless to say, if you eat bread (or would like to try this wonderful almond flour bread), you can use the leftovers to make tasty sandwiches!

    Roasted boneless turkey breast, sliced, served on a tray garnished with parsley.

    Related recipes

    • A 4-photo collage of leftover turkey recipes.
      Leftover Turkey Recipes
    • Turkey stir-fry.
      Turkey Stir-Fry
    • Turkey Patties.
      Turkey Patties
    • Turkey Burgers.
      Juicy Turkey Burgers

    👩🏻‍🍳 I typically publish a new or an updated recipe once a week. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe! You can unsubscribe at any time.

    Recipe card

    Roasted Boneless Turkey Breast.
    4.98 from 971 votes
    Pin Recipe Share on Facebook Print Recipe

    Oven-Roasted Boneless Turkey Breast

    Roasted turkey breast turns out juicy and crispy-skinned when baked for a relatively short time at a high temperature.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time1 hr
    Rest time20 mins
    Total Time1 hr 35 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 321kcal
    Author: Vered DeLeeuw
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    INGREDIENTS

    • Avocado oil spray
    • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
    • 2 teaspoons paprika
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 1 boneless skin-on turkey breast half About 2 pounds. If bought frozen, it needs to be fully thawed.
    • 2 tablespoons melted butter

    INSTRUCTIONS

    • Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Fit a rimmed roasting pan with a roasting rack and spray the rack with avocado oil.
    • In a small bowl, mix together the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and thyme.
    • Place the turkey breast on a work surface such as a cutting board. Pat it dry with paper towels. Brush on both sides with the melted butter, then rub it on both sides with the spices.
    • Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on the prepared roasting rack. Spray the top with avocado oil.
    • Roast for 20 minutes. Loosely cover with foil to protect the top from scorching, then continue roasting until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, 25-40 more minutes. Total roasting time will be 45-60 minutes.
    • Remove the roasted turkey breast from the oven. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving.

    WATCH THE VIDEO:

    NOTES

    If you'd like to roast a whole breast instead of half, you can use the same method of browning it in a very hot oven, then loosely covering it with foil and continuing to roast until done. But you'll need more time.
    The last time I cooked a whole, 3 ½ lb. breast, I baked it for 1.5 hours. It took that long for an instant-read thermometer to register 160 degrees F.
    It turned out fabulous, with crispy, savory skin and very juicy meat, the juiciest we’ve ever had actually. But it does require a longer time commitment than using breast halves.

    ADD YOUR OWN NOTES

    Click here to add your own private notes. They're only visible to you. If you clear your browser's cache, they'll be lost.
    DISCLAIMERSMost of our recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes.

    NUTRITION PER SERVING

    Serving: 6oz | Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 300mg
    NEVER MISS A RECIPE! I typically publish a new or updated recipe once a week. Want them in your inbox? Subscribe!
    Pinterest icon Facebook icon Youtube icon Instagram icon Twitter icon Tiktok icon

    ❤️ Let's connect! Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter.

    More Turkey Recipes

    • Roasted Turkey Legs
    • Turkey chili.
      Turkey Chili
    • Turkey Curry.
      Leftover Turkey Curry
    • Turkey meatballs.
      Turkey Meatballs

    About the Author

    Vered Deleeuw Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. Click to learn more about Vered.

    Primary Sidebar

    A photo of Vered DeLeeuw.

    Healthy Recipes Blog was founded in 2011 by Vered Deleeuw. It features real-food recipes with a focus on low-carb and gluten-free ingredients. All recipes are nutritionally reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. Contact us at HealthyRecipesBlog@gmail.com.


    subscribe to healthy recipes blog
    Pinterest icon Facebook icon Youtube icon Instagram icon Twitter icon Tiktok icon


    Warm up with some soup!

    • Cauliflower soup.
      Creamy Cauliflower Soup
    • Tomato soup.
      Easy Tomato Soup
    • Egg Drop Soup
      Egg Drop Soup
    • Cream of broccoli soup.
      Cream of Broccoli Soup
    • Cabbage soup.
      Cabbage Soup
    • Butternut Squash Soup
    • Cream of mushroom soup.
      Cream of Mushroom Soup
    • Hamburger soup.
      Easy Hamburger Soup

    Footer

    Media mentions

    Media mentions of Healthy Recipes Blog: logos

    The information on this website has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease.


    By accessing or using this website, you agree to abide by the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.


    Copyright © 2023