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This succulent oven-roasted turkey breast is perfect for a small holiday dinner or a cozy Sunday meal. Not only is it incredibly simple, but it calls for just 6 ingredients! You’ll love the ease of this one, almost as much as you’ll love the flavor.
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Cooking a whole turkey for a small gathering creates more work than it’s worth. Which is why I opt for a nice and juicy oven-roasted turkey breast instead. It’s much less hassle, takes less time, and you get perfectly tender and flavorful Thanksgiving turkey every time. Especially if you’re rocking an apple cider brined turkey breast. I can’t recommend that brine enough!
If you have an air fryer, allow me to point you toward this yummy air fryer turkey breast recipe so you can free up the oven for your sides. And if you have leftover turkey, you’ve got to make this comforting leftover turkey and wild rice soup!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It saves you time—There’s no reason to slave over a whole bird if you’re feeding a small crowd. A 3-4 lb roast turkey breast can feed about four people while a 6-7 lb turkey breast can feed around 6-8 people.
- Less carving—You can just slice the bird into beautiful uniform servings without having to carve around bones.
- It’s moist—Sometimes, with a whole bird, your white meat can get dry while the dark meat cooks through. An oven-roasted turkey breast cooks evenly and yields nice juicy meat every time.
Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Vegetables—The carrots and celery are solely there to be used as an aromatic flavor-infusing roasting pan rack of sorts. The turkey breast is set on top of them so it’s not sitting directly on the bottom of the pan.
- Fresh herbs—I like to grab a package of the “Poultry Blend” found in the produce section at the grocery store. It has the perfect blend of aromatics for a cozy meal, like fresh thyme, sage, rosemary, and parsley!
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Seasoning—I like using a simple rotisserie seasoning on my oven-roasted turkey breast. Poultry seasoning also works. But if you have your own trusty blend, you can also use that.
- Broth—The broth is only used in the bottom of the roasting pan to create a moist cooking environment. It prevents the pan from scorching and lets the meat retain its juices. You can technically use water, but I like using broth for extra flavor and aromatics. Any broth works!
- Vegetables—You can also use a sliced leek or onions, and throw some garlic cloves into the pan as well.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 325º F. Cut the carrots and celery into planks and place them at the bottom of the roasting pan or deep skillet.
Step 2. Rub the turkey breast with the olive oil, then rub seasoning all over it, front and back, until evenly coated.
Step 4. Pour the broth into the bottom of the pan, then place the seasoned turkey breast on top of the carrots and celery. Nestle the fresh herbs around the turkey breast. Pop it in the oven and roast, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes per pound (see cooking tips below).
Step 5. When the turkey is golden brown and registers an internal temperature of 160º F with a meat thermometer, remove it from the oven. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes before slicing into it.
Cooking Tip
Typically for a 3 lb turkey breast, you’re looking at 45-60 minutes; for a 4 lb bird, 60-80 minutes. But because ovens vary with the way they distribute heat, always be sure the turkey breast is registering at at least 160º F before taking it out to rest.
How to Serve an Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast
Nothing beats a pile of creamy mashed potatoes with your turkey! But these oven-roasted mini potatoes are also a fantastic choice. For veggies, I love these festive hot honey roasted carrots. Air fryer green beans are always a good choice, too. And as much as I love gravy, I can never pass on this maple orange cranberry sauce.
Storage, Freezing, & Reheating
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight storage container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To freeze, place turkey breast slices in a freezer-safe container and pop into the freezer for up to 3 months. After 3 months, the turkey will still be edible but will lose quality in texture and might feel dry.
- To reheat, place the turkey breast slices onto a microwave-safe plate and heat in increments of 25 seconds until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
When it comes to poultry in general, low and slow is the best way to retain moisture, so I suggest 325º F. If you’re pinched for time, you could increase the temperature to 350º F and cook it for less time.
You do not have to cover a turkey breast in the oven. In fact it’s better if you don’t, especially if there’s skin. Cooking it uncovered will give you a nice crisp!
Yes, however in this recipe, I use broth in place of water. It’s aromatic and yields a nice and moist, flavorful turkey breast.
The only time I rinse poultry is if I use a turkey brine. Otherwise no, I do not rinse any poultry as rinsing it could create splashback which can spread bacteria.
More Turkey Recipes You’ll Love…
If you try this oven-roasted turkey breast, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Easy Juicy Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb turkey breast
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1-2 TBSP Rotisserie seasoning (enough to evenly coat the turkey breast in a light layer), You could also use poultry seasoning, or your own preferred blend
- 1-2 cups broth, Enough to cover the bottom of the roasting pan
- 2 large carrots, sliced in half lengthwise
- 2 large celery stalks
- 1 generous handful of fresh herbs, like sage, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, etc., Using a pre-made "poultry blend" of fresh herbs is ideal. You can find these with the fresh herbs in the supermarket.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325º F. Cut the carrots and celery lengthwise into planks and place them at the bottom of the roasting pan.
- Rub the turkey breast with the olive oil, then rub the seasoning all over it, front and back, until evenly coated.
- Pour the broth into the bottom of the roasting pan, then place the seasoned turkey breast on top of the carrot and celery planks. Nestle the fresh herbs around the turkey breast.
- Place the turkey breast into the oven and roast, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes per pound. (Typically for a 3 lb turkey breast, you’re looking at 45-60 minutes; for a 4 lb bird, 60-80 minutes. But because ovens vary with the way they distribute heat, always be sure the turkey breast is registering at at least 160º F before taking it out to rest.)
- When the turkey registers an internal temperature of 160º F with a meat thermometer, remove it from the oven. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes before slicing into it.
My family really loved this roast turkey. So incredibly moist and the cranberry glaze was perfect.