If you ask me, roasted turkey breast is one of the most underrated things you can make, whether it's November or the middle of July. It's faster than roasting a whole bird, it feeds a crowd without the chaos, and the results are absolutely stunning every single time. I've been leaning on this method for years, and I honestly think it's the move whenever you want something impressive without the all-day commitment. If you're newer to cooking turkey in general, my Gaby's Guide to Turkey is the perfect place to start before you dive in. And if you end up with leftovers (lucky you), I have a full roundup of 15 Leftover Turkey Recipes that will keep you eating well all week long. For sides, I'm a big fan of pairing this with something like Cacio e Pepe Roasted Potatoes because the flavors are just completely perfect together.
Roasted Turkey Breast at a Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- 👪 Servings: 6 people
- 🍝 Cuisine Type: American
- 🧂 Flavor Profile: Herb-crusted and golden on the outside with juicy, tender meat infused with garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon, and dry white wine.
- 📖 Dietary Info: Dairy-free, gluten-free. Contains no common allergens beyond the recipe ingredients as listed.
- 📦 Storage Notes: Store leftover turkey breast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: This roasted turkey breast is the ultimate solution for smaller holiday gatherings where a whole bird feels like too much. It comes together in a fraction of the time and still delivers all that classic Thanksgiving flavor you love. The herb and garlic paste rubbed directly onto the meat means every single bite is packed with flavor. Honestly, once you try it this way, you might never go back to the whole bird.
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Hands down one of the MOST frequent questions I got last week on our Thanksgiving Q+A on IG was how to do a turkey or turkey breast. Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I know that roasting an entire turkey can be a little bit intimidating (especially if this is your first time!) and maybe not even entirely necessary this year! So with everyone celebrating the holidays with smaller groups and mostly immediate family this year, turkey meatballs or a turkey breast are the perfect alternative to the entire bird.
How long does it take to roast a turkey breast? It's way faster than a whole bird!! A turkey breast takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours and takes up less space in your oven!
How much Turkey Breast do I need per person? I go with about 1 lb per person. There are so many sides, let's be honest, those are where the real servings come into play!
What sides go with a roasted turkey breast? the usual Thanksgiving side dishes are perfect! The best mashed potatoes and a baked mac and cheese or a cauliflower gratin! Here are my favorites.
Should I still brine a turkey breast? yes - absolutely!! This delicious turkey brine is great and if you opt for a wet brine, you won't need as big of a vessel to store the turkey in so it's an overall win! You can reduce the water in the wet brine by ½.
Can you make gravy with a Roasted Turkey Breast? sure can! Just follow my recipe here!
Tips & Tricks for the Best Roasted Turkey Breast
All the Thanksgiving flavor, none of the full-bird stress.
- Brine the breast before you do anything else. A wet brine seasons the meat all the way through and helps it retain moisture during roasting. Even a 12-hour brine makes a noticeable difference in juiciness and flavor.
- Pat the turkey breast completely dry before applying the herb paste. Surface moisture creates steam in the oven, which prevents the skin from crisping up. A dry surface means you get that deep golden brown skin instead of a pale, flabby one.
- Smear half the paste directly onto the meat under the skin, not just on top. The skin acts as a barrier and the fat in it can prevent flavors from penetrating the meat. Getting the paste directly onto the flesh means every bite is seasoned, not just the outside.
- Use a roasting rack inside your pan. Elevating the breast allows hot air to circulate underneath the meat so it cooks evenly. Without a rack, the bottom sits in the pan drippings and steams instead of roasts.
- Pour the white wine into the bottom of the pan before it goes into the oven. The wine creates a steamy, flavorful environment in the oven that helps keep the breast moist. It also builds the base of your pan drippings for spooning over the turkey at serving time.
- Choose a dry, high-acid white wine like Sauvignon Blanc for the pan. High-acid wines cut through the richness of the turkey drippings and keep the pan sauce bright. A sweeter wine will make the drippings taste flat and one-dimensional.
- Roast at 325 degrees F the entire time, no blasting at high heat. A steady, moderate temperature gives the breast time to cook through without drying out the exterior before the interior is done. High heat is much more likely to produce chalky, overcooked meat on a lean cut like this.
- Use an instant-read thermometer and pull the breast at exactly 165 degrees F. Turkey breast has very little fat and goes from perfectly juicy to dry and grainy within just a few degrees of overcooking. A thermometer is the only reliable way to hit the target.
- Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast without touching bone. Bone conducts heat faster than meat and will give you a falsely high reading. Always push the probe into the densest area of flesh for an accurate temperature.
- Tent the breast loosely with foil if the skin starts browning before the interior is cooked through. Foil reflects heat away from the skin surface while still allowing the interior to continue cooking. Removing the foil for the last 10 minutes will re-crisp the skin if needed.
- Rest the turkey for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Resting allows the muscle fibers to relax and reabsorb the juices that were pushed toward the center during cooking. Cut into it too soon and those juices run straight onto the cutting board.
- Spoon the pan drippings over each slice right before serving. The drippings are concentrated with wine, herb paste, and turkey fat and they act as an instant sauce. This step takes five seconds and makes a significant difference in how the finished dish tastes.
Roasted Turkey Breast FAQs
What is roasted turkey breast?
Roasted turkey breast is a streamlined American holiday main course built around a bone-in, skin-on turkey breast rubbed with a paste of garlic, fresh rosemary, sage, thyme, olive oil, and lemon juice, then slow-roasted with dry white wine until the skin is golden and the meat hits 165 degrees F. It delivers the centerpiece flavor of a full Thanksgiving turkey in roughly half the oven time and at a fraction of the size. It is the ideal choice for smaller gatherings where roasting an entire bird is unnecessary.
How long does it take to roast a turkey breast?
A 6.5 to 7 pound bone-in turkey breast roasts at 325 degrees F for 1.5 to 2 hours. Pull it when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 165 degrees F. Rest it under foil for 15 minutes before slicing so the juices redistribute.
Should I brine the turkey breast before roasting?
Yes. Brining makes a meaningful difference in moisture and seasoning all the way through the meat, not just at the surface. A wet brine works well for a single breast, and you can reduce the water quantity by half compared to a whole-bird brine since the vessel needed is much smaller. Dry brine works too if you prefer less fuss.
Why do you put the herb paste under and on top of the skin?
Spreading half the paste directly onto the meat under the skin ensures the garlic and herbs season the turkey flesh itself, not just the exterior. The paste on top of the skin crisps and browns as it roasts, creating a deeply savory crust. Skipping the under-skin layer leaves the meat under-seasoned no matter how much you apply to the outside.
What do I do if the skin is browning too fast?
Tent the breast loosely with aluminum foil about 20 minutes early if the skin is darkening before the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove the foil for the last few minutes if you want to re-crisp the skin before pulling the pan. Do not wrap it tightly or the trapped steam will soften the crust you just built.
How much turkey breast do I need per person?
Plan on roughly 1 pound of bone-in turkey breast per person. A 6.5 to 7 pound breast feeds 6 to 7 people comfortably when paired with a full spread of Thanksgiving sides. If you are serving a lighter lineup of accompaniments, bump that estimate up slightly.
Roasted Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 1 whole bone-in turkey breast, 6 ½ to 7 pounds
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 cup dry white wine (sauv blanc)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.
- In a small bowl, combine the garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.
- Roast the turkey for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. If the skin is over-browning, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil. When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over the turkey.
Notes
Nutrition Information (estimated)
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Prop Styling by Stephanie Hanes // Recipe adapted from the queen - Ina Garten!
I just want to say thank you. This is by far the best turkey breast I ever made. Thank you so much for the recipe Gabby - for this and all others. Everyone loved it so much that there is hardly any left over for tomorrow.
Happy Thanksgiving
For the brine - can you use iodized table salt? Realizing now I don't have kosher salt D:
reduce the amount of salt by half if you use that
Ok this might be a really dumb question. When you say chopped up thyme leaves, do you have to pull the tiny little leaves off the stem or do you just chop up the whole little thyme stem/twig?
always remove the stem on thyme!!
Hi Gaby! Can't wait to make this on Thursday. I noticed your full roast turkey uses butter in the paste. Why don't you use butter for a turkey breast? Can I add butter to my paste for this recipe for extra crispiness? I don't want to miss out on any of the delicious-ness with my small bird!
you sure can add butter!! more is more
Hi Gaby, our family have been loving your recipes lately, so I thought I’d look here for a Turkey breast recipe for Thanksgiving! I ordered a 6 lb boneless breast; do I need to make any changes to to process or temperature? Thank you!
just use an internal thermometer to make sure it's done!! boneless cooks faster than bone-in
For just a turkey breast, you mention cutting the water in half for the wet brine. Do you half all the brine ingredients or just the water?
just the water!! the rest is fine
Gaby, how do I adjust this recipe (ingredients and cook time) for a 2-3lb turkey breast? Thanks so much!
cut everything in half. but cook time - you still need to make sure it's cooked to 165 degrees so I'd say you need a meat thermometer for that part
Hi Gaby! If I make this turkey breast recipe, do I still need to brine it first?
Thank you!
I do!
Hi!
Our grocery store only offers Jennie-O "oven ready" frozen boneless turkey breast. It includes instructions on how to cook in bag in about two hours. I would love to try one of your brines, but not sure if what I purchased will work? Am I able to thaw this and then follow your instructions? Thank you for the help!
yes just take it out of the bag and follow my directions!!
Gabby,
I want to spatchcock a 7lb turkey breast for Thanksgiving. Would the temperature and cook time remain the same?
Gaby, I’m a huge fan of yours but this is literally Ina Garten’s recipe! Yes you took out the dry mustard and maybe changed how much garlic to add, but it’s almost identical (directions included). And Ina’s has been around for a long time and very popular. I think you should have at least credited her.
Hey Alex!! You are correct and I did - same place I credit my photographer, food stylist and prop stylist!
This will be just perfect for our smaller celebration!
Can I use a turkey breast without the bone or skin? Can I use the wet brine and cook it in my crockpot instead of oven? Be honest!
you def want the skin - it keeps it from drying out and you want that little layer. and I haven't done it in a crock pot to be totally honest
Hi Gaby - do you still use the 16 cups of water to brine a turkey breast or cut that recipe? Do you have a great way to cook turkey legs for those who like dark meat?
you can reduce the water by half for the wet brine. And this recipe works for turkey legs as well! Just keep your eye on the internal temp of the legs to know when they are done! (looking for 165)
Lemme begin this review with a simple statement. I do not like turkey, like it's okay, but on thanksgiving there are too many other noms to enjoy (ahem... STUFFING).
But this recipe changed everything. The brine is key. I made this turkey breast recipe for my boyfriend and my first Thanksgiving together away from our family and we both at it all up. No leftover turkey. It was juicy and flavorful all the way through. Well done, Gaby!