Roasted Turkey Breast
Juicy bone-in turkey breast with garlic-herb butter, roasted to 165 degrees F for smaller Christmas dinners.
Updated: Oct 7, 2026
Why you'll like it
- Ready in about 2 hr 30 min.
- Serves 8 — easy to halve or double.
- Medium level — everyday equipment only.
- Stays juicy when cooked to 165°F (74°C).
- Storage, freezing and reheating covered below.
Roasted Turkey Breast gives smaller Christmas gatherings all the roast-turkey flavor without a whole bird. A 5 to 7 pound bone-in breast roasts faster and more evenly, with the bone shielding meat from drying.
Helpful guides
Instructions
Heat the oven to 425 degrees F with a rack in the lower third. Remove the breast from packaging, drain juices and pat completely dry with paper towels. Do not wash raw turkey; washing sprays bacteria around the sink while drying crisps the skin.
Tuck wing tips back.
Mash the softened butter with garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper into a spreadable paste. Loosen the skin gently with your fingers and push half the butter directly onto the meat. Rub the rest over the skin so every surface seasons and browns.
Set the breast bone-side down on a rack in a roasting pan and pour the broth around, not over, the meat. Broth steams the pan and later enriches gravy. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the thickest meat without touching bone.
Roast at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes to brown the skin, then reduce to 325 degrees F without opening the door more than needed. Roast 1 1/2 to 2 hours more until the center reads 165 degrees F. Tent with foil if the skin darkens early.
Rest the breast on a cutting board for 20 minutes so juices settle back into the meat. Cutting early floods the board and dries slices. Warm the pan juices while it rests for serving alongside.
Carve by slicing the breast meat away from the bone in one piece, then cutting across the grain into 1/2-inch medallions. Arrange on a warm platter with pan juices spooned over. Cool leftovers within 2 hours.
Troubleshooting — fixes, not repeats
- If the breast dries out, it overcooked or skipped resting. Pull exactly at 165 degrees F in the thickest meat and rest a full 20 minutes tented loosely.
- If skin stays pale and soft, the bird went in wet or the oven started low. Pat very dry, start at 425 degrees F, and finish uncovered.
- If the center lags while the outside darkens, foil-tent the top and keep roasting. Bone-in breasts cook unevenly, so thermometer placement in the thickest spot matters.
- If pan juices scorch, the pan boiled dry. Add broth to 1/2 inch depth and check halfway, since dry drippings smoke and turn bitter.
Make it your way
- For variation, brine overnight in 1 gallon water with 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup sugar for extra insurance, rinsing and drying well before buttering.
- Smoked paprika and citrus zest in the butter add color and brightness.
- Boneless breasts roast about 30 minutes less; start checking early.
Storage & reheating
Cool leftovers within 2 hours, then refrigerate in a covered container and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat only the portion you will eat until steaming hot throughout — poultry and reheated rice should reach 165°F (74°C).
Reheat covered at 325 degrees F with broth spooned over until steaming and reaching 165 degrees F.
Freeze sliced breast up to 3 months with a little broth; thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
FAQ
What temperature is turkey breast done?
165 degrees F in the thickest meat, measured without touching bone. Rest 20 minutes; temperature holds steady rather than climbing much on lean breast. Never rely on pop-up timers alone.
Bone-in or boneless?
Bone-in stays juicier and makes better pan drippings, ideal for holiday slicing. Boneless cooks faster and carves into neat rounds but dries sooner, so brine it and watch temperature closely.
How much turkey per person?
Plan 3/4 pound bone-in per person, which yields about 1/2 pound of meat after the bone. A 6-pound breast serves about 8. Buy larger for planned leftovers like sandwiches and soup.