Description
This Roast Turkey Breast recipe delivers juicy, flavorful turkey with crispy skin using a simple herb butter and slow roasting technique. Perfect for a holiday dinner or special occasion, it features a bone-in, skin-on turkey breast brined for moisture, roasted on a bed of aromatic garlic, onions, oranges, and herbs, and finished with a rich homemade gravy.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey
- 6-8 pound bone-in, skin-on, brined turkey breast, thawed (two breasts still joined at the breast bone)
- 12 garlic cloves, smashed with side of knife
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 handful fresh poultry blend herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage)
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
Herb Butter
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Gravy
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons reserved Herb Butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth (more or less as needed with drippings)
- Chicken bouillon to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Bring to Room Temperature: Remove turkey from packaging, pat dry thoroughly with paper towels, and let sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes. During this time, prepare your pan and make the herb butter.
- Prep Pan: In a 9×13 baking dish or similar roasting pan, layer smashed garlic cloves, sliced onions, orange slices, and fresh poultry herbs. Pour 1 cup low sodium chicken broth over the ingredients. If prepping ahead, add broth just before roasting.
- Preheat Oven: Set oven temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make and Apply Herb Butter: Combine all herb butter ingredients in a medium bowl until evenly mixed. Reserve 2 tablespoons for the gravy. Gently loosen the turkey skin with the back of a spoon and your fingers. Spread about two-thirds of the herb butter under the skin evenly and rub the remaining butter all over the skin of the turkey breast.
- Place Turkey in Pan: Transfer the turkey breast, skin side up, onto the prepared bed of garlic, onions, oranges, and herbs. Adjust ingredients to stabilize if needed.
- Make Ahead Option: You may tent the turkey with foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Remove 60 minutes before roasting to return to room temperature.
- Roast the Turkey: Roast uncovered at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Baste with pan juices, then reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue roasting uncovered, basting every 20 minutes for the first hour. Afterward, stop basting to allow the skin to crisp. Roast until the thickest part reads 155-160 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer. Cover loosely with foil if the skin becomes too dark. Allow approximately 15-20 minutes per pound. For example, a 7-pound turkey breast cooks about 2.5 hours.
- Rest the Turkey: Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest uncovered for 15 minutes to keep the skin crispy while preparing the gravy.
- Make the Gravy: Remove herbs, onions, oranges, and garlic from the pan drippings. Skim fat from drippings using a fat separator or the freezer bag method described. Add enough chicken broth to measure 2 ½ cups of combined liquid. In a large saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon reserved herb butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Slowly whisk in drippings and broth and simmer until thickened, whisking continuously. Adjust thickness by adding more broth if needed. Season with additional reserved butter, chicken bouillon (start with ¼ teaspoon increments), and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Use bone-in turkey breast weighing 6-8 pounds for optimal size and roasting time.
- Proper thawing is critical: allow at least 24 hours per 4-5 pounds in refrigerator or use cold water thawing (30 minutes per pound, changing water every 30 minutes).
- A meat thermometer is essential to avoid overcooking and ensure juiciness.
- Check the turkey temperature early and adjust cooking time as needed since oven and bird can vary.
- For make-ahead: apply herb butter and refrigerate turkey uncovered or tented for up to 24 hours, removing 60 minutes before cooking.
- Store leftovers in airtight container up to 5 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen. Remove from bone before freezing and wrap tightly.
- Reheat sliced turkey in microwave in short bursts or in oven at 350°F covered with foil for 15 minutes with a splash of broth.
- To maximize crispy skin, avoid basting after the first hour of roasting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
