Feeling the pressure to roast a whole bird this Thanksgiving? We're here to tell you that roasting a turkey breast gives you the same great flavor, while saving you money, fridge space, and effort. A turkey breast is generally sized to feed two to three people with leftovers, so it's the perfect choice for a scaled-down celebration. This oven-roasted turkey breast is slathered with an herb butter both underneath and on top of the skin, yielding juicy, flavorful meat and a crispy skin. Be sure to save the drippings for the accompanying turkey gravy!
How to Buy Turkey Breast
Bone-In or Boneless Turkey Breast?
We're partial to bone-in turkey breast because it yields more flavorful, juicier meat. Bone-in turkey breasts tend to be larger and can be sold as a half breast or a full breast (two halves joined at the bone). Boneless turkey breasts typically feature just one breast. You can use boneless in this recipe if you want (we'd still recommend skin-on), but you'll likely need to decrease the cooking time to accommodate for its smaller size.
How Much Turkey Breast Per Person?
As a rule of thumb, plan to purchase 1 ½ pounds of turkey per person with leftovers or 1 pound of turkey per person without leftovers. This recipe calls for a 3-pound turkey breast, which will easily feed two to three adults, although you can scale it up or down as needed. For more, check out our handy turkey serving size chart.
How Long to Roast a Turkey Breast
In general, you'll want to cook a bone-in turkey breast for about 20 minutes per pound at 350 degrees F (177 degrees C), or until it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). To temp the turkey, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, not touching the bone. Be sure to allow the turkey to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving so the juices have to settle into the meat.
How to Use Leftover Roasted Turkey Breast
If you do end up with leftovers, there are countless ways to repurpose roasted turkey breast. Add it to casseroles like this Easy Turkey Tetrazzini or sandwiches like this Thanksgiving Sandwich. Browse our entire collection of leftover turkey recipes.
Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise
"So much easier than cooking the whole bird, and not a scrap was leftover," says reviewer Peter Downing.
"The gravy was especially good — I did use all the drippings instead of just a tablespoon and that was a good thing as my family finished it all!" says reviewer tmtorby.
"I also roasted it over some veggies: an onion, celery and parsnips. Everything including the gravy was delicious!" says reviewer msteingold.
Editorial contributions by Melanie Fincher
Reviews (9)
421 Ratings
- 5 star values: 57
- 4 star values: 83
- 3 star values: 154
- 2 star values: 102
- 1 star values: 25
Rating: 4 stars
12/15/2015
You get a crispy outer and a juicy, tender inner meat. Roasting at high temperatures is how I usually do a whole bird, only I bake that in a 425 degree oven for the entire time (which is cut in half due to high temperature roasting). This is what I learned from my Grandmother and The New Orleans Times Picayune cookbook. Easy and comes out perfect every time.
Martha Stewart Member
Rating: Unrated
11/07/2015
I think this should read "30 mins per lb" as opposed to 30 mins total because this is definitely nowhere near cooked at 30 mins.
Martha Stewart Member
Rating: 5 stars
02/15/2014
Simple perfect recipe. I wonder if the commenters who stated theirs took an hour, used a full breast because while the recipe itself calls for a half & the image shows a half breast as well(what I searched for), the title does not state that.
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Martha Stewart Member
Rating: 1 stars
11/28/2013
We just made this for Thanksgiving. 30 minutes is not nearly enough cooking time. The inside was still very pink. An hour's cooking time, and perhaps a lower temperature is more reasonable.
Martha Stewart Member
Rating: 5 stars
11/07/2013
I have made this recipe at least six times. It has always been delicious. You do need to cook the turkey longer until you get the proper temp.
Martha Stewart Member
Rating: Unrated
10/24/2013
Not one of the best recipes I followed but I still love the taste. Maybe it's because of the turkey that I used. I bought a Plainville Farms turkey, I believe that it is very healthy because it is antibiotic-free and hormone-free. If you buy turkeys that are not humanely-raised, that is probably the reason why some turkey recipes fail to give us great taste.
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Martha Stewart Member
Rating: Unrated
02/06/2013
One of the worst recipes I have ever made. In addition to the salt, pepper, and olive oil, I added a bit of garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. It definitely takes longer to cook - I had to put it back in repeatedly past the 30 minutes (I should have read the reviews prior). My husband and I couldn't even finish eating our portions. I think the rest is destined for some soup to add flavor.
Martha Stewart Member
Rating: Unrated
11/23/2012
It also took me an hour of baking at 400 but it turned out really well. It came out tender and quite delicious. I did add some unsalted butter, and fresh rosemary, bay leaves, and oregano into small slits I made in the skin before cooking.
Martha Stewart Member
Rating: Unrated
01/15/2012
I found that it took one hour of cooking time, not 30 minutes. Even then the meat was pinkish although it was 150 degrees.