The first time I hosted Thanksgiving, I was 25 years old and newly married. I invited my parents over to my apartment and the four of us sat at a little card table in our little living room. I purchased my first set of cloth napkins, which I still set out for Thanksgiving and Christmas today.
As that Thanksgiving day went on, I remember feeling overwhelmed by having so many recipes in different stages of preparation at once. But no part of the menu was more intimidating than cooking the turkey. I had never even purchased a turkey before that year, let alone thawed and cooked one.
Since I was serving a smaller crew – just four of us that year – what I really wish I had was this recipe for bone-in turkey breast. It makes just the right amount and always turns out juicy and tender. Plus, the method is so simple that any first-time Thanksgiving host can do it!
Recipe Highlights
Here’s why I often make a bone-in turkey breast instead of a whole turkey or a boneless breast:
- A bone-in turkey breast results in super moist, juicy, and flavorful meat. The bones tend to add more flavor and help prevent the white meat from drying out.
- A turkey breast is easy to brine because of its smaller size. Brining isn’t necessary, but it adds more flavor.
- A bone-in breast cooks much faster than a whole turkey and still makes enough to serve 8 to 10 people (or fewer, with plenty of leftovers).
- Compared to a boneless turkey breast, a bone-in breast tends to be a more beautiful presentation on the table since it’s taller and more full.
- This method is simple (not intimidating, I promise!), and I walk through it step by step below. Once the turkey is in the oven, I just let it cook. There’s no need to do any basting since the compound butter (the butter-herb mixture) keeps the meat nice and moist.
- There’s no need to start cooking turkey in the wee hours of the morning, since this recipe takes just 2 to 2 ½ hours total, start to finish. Prep takes about 15 minutes, and the rest is roasting time.
- Other than the turkey breast, the ingredient list is short: butter, garlic, fresh (or dried) herbs, salt, and pepper.
Why Bone-In Turkey Breast?
If cooking a whole turkey seems intimidating or makes too much, then consider a bone-in turkey breast. It’s much easier to make, and I don’t have to deal with the neck and giblets. I get what I consider the best part of the turkey (the tender, juicy breast meat, of course) with minimal effort.
Because a bone-in turkey breast contains the bone, I find that the breast meat stays moist and juicy, and doesn’t dry out the way a boneless breast sometimes can. Plus, it’s easier to store without taking up so much of my precious freezer space. The breast I use for this recipe weighs 8 to 9 pounds, which serves up to 10 people or leaves plenty of leftovers.
I love that I get so much high-quality lean protein from one cooking session that I can use to make so many recipes, including any recipe that calls for cooked shredded chicken or a pot of turkey soup. The leftovers are tender enough to eat cold, straight from the fridge.
I find bone-in turkey breasts in the freezer section, near the whole turkeys.
How Long to Cook a Bone-In Turkey Breast
At 350°F, I plan on 12 to 15 minutes per pound for a thawed bone-in turkey breast. Smaller breasts finish faster, and every oven runs a little differently, so I always go by temperature: the turkey is done when the thickest part of the breast reads 165°F.
These are the approximate roasting times I use as a starting point:
- 4 pounds: 48 to 60 minutes
- 5 pounds: 60 to 75 minutes
- 6 pounds: 72 to 90 minutes
- 7 pounds: 84 to 105 minutes
- 8 pounds: 96 to 120 minutes
- 9 pounds: 108 to 135 minutes
- 10 pounds: 120 to 150 minutes
I start checking the temperature at the low end of the range. For a frozen breast, plan on about 50% more time (see the FAQ below).
Equipment Needed
Bonus: this recipe doesn’t need much equipment! Here’s what I use:
- Paper towels – to pat the turkey breast dry
- Small bowl – to mix the butter and herbs
- Roasting pan – metal or disposable both work
- Meat thermometer – I use a wireless oven-safe temperature probe (it stays in the turkey as it roasts) or a reliable digital food thermometer
Skip The Basting
A lot of turkey recipes call for basting the turkey with its own juices to keep the meat moist. But after roasting many turkeys and turkey breasts, I’ve found the opposite to be true. Basting can often result in rubbery turkey skin. Plus, opening the oven door again and again lets heat escape, so the turkey takes longer to cook and can dry out.
Instead, I spread an herb butter mixture both under and over the skin. The butter under the skin keeps the breast meat tender and juicy without basting, and the butter on top gives me crispy, golden brown skin.
It also helps to tent the breast very loosely with foil (not tightly or entirely covered) for the last 30 to 45 minutes of cooking. I gently press a large piece of foil over the top, which keeps the skin golden brown without burning or becoming too crispy.
How To Serve
After the turkey breast comes out of the oven, I let it rest in the roasting pan (still loosely covered with foil) for 10 to 15 minutes so the juices can redistribute. Then I move it to a serving platter and either carve it at the table or slice it on a cutting board in the kitchen first. For first-time carvers, I often share this photo tutorial.
There’s no doubt about it: turkey is always better with a few Thanksgiving side dishes. I tend to gravitate toward classic recipes like creamy mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, roasted acorn squash, and turkey gravy. I also love it with my perfect stuffing recipe or my unstuffing recipe if I’m cooking for grain-free friends, which is made from sweet potato, apples, Brussels sprouts, dried cherries, and pecans. And to round out the meal, I serve a platter of pumpkin pie bars or these mini pumpkin cheesecake squares.
How To Store
To store leftovers, I cut the meat off the bone, let it cool, and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If we’re heading out of town (a holiday favorite for my family!) and won’t finish the leftovers that quickly, I freeze the meat in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. I save the bones for making a batch of homemade bone broth.
Video: How to roast a turkey breast
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Roasted Bone-In Turkey Breast Recipe
My simple no-baste method results in perfectly moist, tender, and juicy turkey breast meat that is crispy and golden brown on the outside. Plus, it’s so much faster and easier than roasting a whole bird.
Ingredients
- 1 (8-9 lb.) bone-in Honeysuckle White or Shady Brook Farms turkey breast*
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened**
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced (1 ½ teaspoons)
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 tablespoon (5–6 leaves) finely minced fresh sage leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and position a rack in the lower ⅓ of the oven, and remove any upper rack.
- Using paper towels, pat the turkey breast (inside and out) until it is as dry as possible; set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, and pepper. Mash and stir together to form a compound butter.
- Using clean hands, carefully lift and gently pull up on the skin on top of the breast to make space between the skin and breast meat. Insert your fingers under the skin while carefully moving your hand over the meat (and under the skin) to loosen all of the skin without tearing it. Leave the skin attached along the breast bone.
- Still using your hands, rub half of the butter mixture onto the breast meat beneath the skin.
- Then, spread the remainder of the butter mixture over the outside of the skin all over the turkey.
- Place the turkey breast side up in a metal roasting pan.
- Place the roasting pan in the oven and, if you have one, insert an oven-safe wireless temperature probe into the thickest part of the breast. If you don’t have one, use any reliable digital meat thermometer to test the breast meat temperature after 90 minutes.
- Cook the turkey breast until the thickest part reaches 165°F, which will take 1½ to 2 hours (96 to 135 minutes). Do not baste during cooking time.***
- Check on the turkey at about 65 to 75 minutes. If the skin is becoming too dark at this point, loosely tent a large piece of aluminum foil over the breast. You do not need to cover it tightly or completely; just lightly press the foil over the top to prevent further browning. Continue to cook until the breast reaches 165°F in the thickest part.
- Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
- Store turkey leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
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Notes
Set the butter at room temperature to soften for at least a few hours or overnight. It should be the consistency of frosting.
There’s no need to baste this turkey because the compound butter, which gets rubbed under and over the skin, creates perfectly moist turkey meat. Sometimes basting can actually make the skin more rubbery, so just skip that step and enjoy turkey that is nicely browned and golden on the outside and juicy-tender on the inside.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 4 ounces turkey breast meat
- Calories: 204
- Fat: 8 g
- (Sat Fat: 4 g)
- Sodium: 240 mg
- Carbohydrate: 0 g
- (Fiber: 0 g
- Sugar: 0 g)
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 94 mg
Dietary
Frequently Asked Questions
For roasting, I prefer bone-in. The bone adds flavor and helps keep the white meat from drying out, and a bone-in breast makes a taller, prettier centerpiece. A boneless breast cooks faster and is easier to slice, so it’s a good pick when time is short, but I find it’s easier to overcook. Either way, cook it to 165°F.
Cook a bone-in turkey breast at 350°F. It will typically take 12-15 minutes per pound. So an 8-9 lb bone-in turkey breast will roast for 1 ½ to 2 hours (90 to 120 minutes).
Cook turkey breast, whether it’s bone-in breast or boneless breast, to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
For bone-in roast turkey breast, estimate 3/4 to 1 pound turkey per person. An 8-lb bone-in turkey breast, for example, makes enough for up to 10 people.
The key is to skip the basting step. Instead, spread a compound butter (a mixture of butter and herbs) all over the turkey – both under the skin and on top of it. This method results in turkey that is juicy and tender on the inside with a golden brown crispy skin on the outside.
Start roasting the turkey in a pan with no cover or lid on top of it. Check the turkey after it has been roasting for 65 to 75 minutes. If the skin is becoming too dark at this point, loosely tent a large piece of aluminum foil over the breast. You do not need to cover it tightly or completely; just lightly press the foil over the top to prevent the outer skin from getting too crispy or burnt.
Yes, you can. Gravy is made from the drippings of a turkey, and you will get plenty of pan drippings in the bottom of the roasting pan that can be used to make my turkey gravy recipe.
Yes, you can roast a turkey breast that is still frozen. Remove it from the outer wrapper and roast the whole turkey breast in a 350 degree oven until it registers 165 degrees in the thickest part of the breast. It will take about 50% more time versus cooking a thawed breast. For example, a thawed 8-lb bone-in turkey breast cooks in 90 to 120 minutes, but a frozen bone-in breast will need 135 to 180 minutes to cook.
Yes, you can cook turkey breast the day before and then serve it chilled or at room temperature. Or, if preferred, you can reheat slices in a shallow pan on the stovetop with some olive oil or broth to help keep it moist. However, the best presentation and flavor will come from serving a turkey breast right after it has been roasted. One of the benefits of cooking a turkey breast, instead of a whole Thanksgiving turkey, is that it’s done in 2 to 2 ½ hours total.
The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.
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Easy and perfect.
Awesome, Johnna!
great detail, I’m drooling as I slice each piece, looks and more that’s DELICIOUS
Thanks for the feedback, Brian!
This was hands-down the best turkey I’ve ever made. I prepped it the day before so on Xmas day I could just pop it in the oven. I had a 7-lb breast which was done at the 2-hr mark (it had a pop-up indicator…bonus). I didn’t have a rack so just crumpled some tinfoil to prop it up in the pan. I used a non-dairy butter (dairy allergy in the family) and it still came out juicy and amazing. Two thumbs up from everyone!
Fantastic Janice!
Turkey breast meat was so tender, tasty, and juicy. Easily the best I ever ate. I used fresh herbs in the butter mix which enhanced the flavor. The turkey is sliced like medallions and is easy to serve.
Great Liz! Thank you for the feedback and 5-star review!
Everything you need to know on one place.
Thanks so much, Renee!