Is there anything better than a perfectly roasted turkey with crispy skin? Learn How to Cook a Bone-in Turkey Breast and you will be eating juicy roasted turkey year-round, not just at Thanksgiving.
Are you in charge of cooking for Thanksgiving this year but don’t have a huge group? Pick up a fresh (or frozen) turkey breast and you will have the perfect amount of turkey for 4-6 without a ton of leftovers.
Bonus: it cooks much faster than a whole turkey!
Every year, people scour the internet for the best way to cook a turkey. Everyone wants a beautifully roasted bird with crispy, golden-brown skin and juicy, flavorful meat.
Your search for the perfect Thanksgiving Turkey is over. Follow this simple recipe and get great results every single time.
Jump to:
Why this recipe works
▶︎ It's fast. A bone-in turkey breast cooks so much faster than a whole turkey.
▶︎ It's versatile: You can use fresh or dried herbs for seasoning the butter.
▶︎ You can still make gravy. Roasting the breast gives you just enough drippings to make gravy.
Ingredients
The list is short and sweet and the end result is a juicy, flavor-packed turkey breast:
Instructions
It doesn’t take a lot of prep to get this turkey breast ready for the oven.
Place your fresh or dried herbs in a medium bowl with softened butter and mix until combined.
Pro tip: A slotted spoon works well to mash the butter and herbs together!
Gently separate the skin from the meat with your hand. Once it is separated, spread the herb butter underneath, being sure to get the corners. The herb butter under the skin is the key to getting a nice brown crispy finish.
Place in the oven to cook. Baste the turkey breast with the melted butter and drippings halfway through roasting.
FAQs
For a bone-in turkey breast, allow 12-14 minutes per pound at 400°F. If the oven temperature is 350°F increase the time to 17-20 minutes per pound. If you are cooking a boneless breast, your cooking time will be slightly less.
You can’t go just by color when you are checking for doneness. Remove it when the thermometer reads 160°F. (This instant read thermometer is our favorite. Accurate every time!)
Be sure to tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for 20-30 minutes. The breast will continue to cook as it sits and the foil keeps it warm while you make the gravy.
Tip: Cooking time is merely a guideline, which means internal temperature is the only sure-fire way to know if meat is cooked properly.
Yes, we love grilled turkey breast!
The best way is to grill it is over indirect heat for about 20 minutes per pound. Remove turkey breast from grill when temperature reads 160°F and cover with foil for 20-30 minutes to let juices redistribute.
Carving a turkey breast is SO much easier than a whole turkey. Start with a sharp carving knife and run it along the breast bone in even strokes to cut the turkey off in one large piece. Then simply slice and serve!
Expert Roasting tips
- A sheet pan is perfect for cooking a turkey breast and getting crispy brown skin. If you have a pan with higher sides than the breast, the air can’t circulate resulting in steamed meat.
- Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you put it in the oven. Turkey straight from the fridge cooks unevenly (it's cold!).
- Invest in a good meat thermometer. An instant read meat thermometer gives you an accurate reading every single time. No one wants to ruin the day with an undercooked or overdone bird.
- Be sure you allow time for the turkey to rest before you carve. A brief rest allows the juices to redistribute so you don't end up with a dry turkey.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
It’s not Thanksgiving without the sides (AKA the best parts of Thanksgiving). Check out our favorites to round out your holiday meal!
Get all of our side dish recipes!
Recipe
How to Cook a Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter (softened)
- 3 teaspoons dried herb mixture (thyme, rosemary and parsley)
- 1 bone-in split turkey breast (3 pounds)
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a small bowl combine the softened butter and herbs until mixed well.6 tablespoons butter, 3 teaspoons dried herb mixture
- Place turkey on a sheet pan on in a shallow roasting pan. Rub the butter mixture underneath the turkey skin. Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast turkey in oven for 12-14 minutes per pound.1 bone-in split turkey breast, salt and pepper
- Halfway through cooking, baste the turkey breast with butter mixture on bottom of pan if desired.
- Remove from oven when turkey breast reaches 160°F. Cover turkey with foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving to let juices redistribute.
Notes
- A sheet pan is perfect for cooking a turkey breast and getting crispy brown skin. If you have a pan with higher sides than the breast, the air can’t circulate resulting in steamed meat.
- Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you put it in the oven. Turkey straight from the fridge cooks unevenly (it's cold!).
- Invest in a good meat thermometer. An instant read meat thermometer gives you an accurate reading every single time. No one wants to ruin the day with an undercooked or overdone bird.
- Be sure you allow time for the turkey to rest before you carve. A brief rest allows the juices to redistribute so you don't end up with a dry turkey.
- You can also roast the turkey at 325 but will need to increase your cooking time to 18-22 minutes per pound.
- If you want to do a whole turkey breast, just double the butter mixture and adjust time accordingly.
VIDEO
Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
I brined and smoked a turkey breast last year because my kids said they hated turkey and wanted ham. It turned out great. This year, one of the kids said she wants turkey, so I will do a whole bird. But the turkey breast is a great alternative and yours turned out beautifully!
Ooh, I bet that smoked turkey was good! Fun to have so many options!
Is it Thanksgiving yet? I'm suddenly dying for some turkey! I might just have to make a turkey breast for dinner tonight!
Me too, why do I always wait?
Craving some of this turkey right now, it looks super delicious. I bet your kitchen smelt amazing too when this was roasting!
It was heavenly!
This turkey breast is gorgeous, ladies! Love the simple ingredient list. Can't get easier than this!
Thanks, Karen!
This looks so good! I don't know why I wait until Thanksgiving to make turkey. Definitely adding this to the weekly meal plan. 🙂
I do the same thing every year!