Roasted Turkey Breast with Pan Gravy
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We’ll teach you how to cook a turkey breast using our delicious Easy Roasted Turkey Breast recipe, which works well for a family meal or smaller holiday gathering as it serves 6-8 people. Whether you’re a beginner or a veteran cook, this how-to article and recipe are for you!
What to Love About This Recipe
- Flavor Throughout: Let’s face it, turkey can be bland… but not using our method! Slathering on a compound butter and stuffing the bird with aromatics infuse flavor in the meat while adding complexity to a pan gravy you’ll whip up at the end.
- Juicy Meat & Crispy Skin: The way we bake the breast at two different temps results in perfect texture.
- Easy-to-Follow Instructions: We’ve broken down each step so even a beginner can cook this turkey breast recipe like a pro.
- More Manageable Than a Whole Turkey: Finding time and space to thaw, prep, and roast a whole turkey is messier, more expensive, and takes more time than a whole turkey breast. If you just need to feed 6-8 people, this is the perfect-sized recipe!
- Includes Pan Gravy: Turkey and gravy are an inseparable pair, in our opinion. We’ll show you how to take the pan drippings and turn them into a delicious turkey gravy.
Ingredients Needed
Along with a roasting pan or 9×13-inch casserole dish, oven-safe rack, and wooden cutting board, you’ll need the following ingredients for the turkey breast and gravy.
Ingredient Notes
- Whole bone-in turkey breast – we used a pre-brined turkey–Honeysuckle or Butterball brand)
- Butter – unsalted and softened (sub: olive oil)
How to Roast a Turkey Breast
Here is a quick visual overview of how to cook a turkey breast and make pan gravy with the drippings.
Prep
Set a rack inside a large roasting pan, and pat the turkey on all sides with paper towels until very dry.. Leave the bird out on the counter for about an hour.
Arrange the top oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Make the Compound Butter
In a small bowl, stir together the softened butter, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Similar concept to making our Garlic Herb Butter.
Butter and Stuff the Bird
Distribute half the compound butter under the skin (see how to in the recipe) and rub the rest all over the bird on the top and bottom. Just do your best–it’s messy, fun, and imperfect!
Make sure the turkey is breast-side up on the rack. Add the broth to the bottom of the pan. Stuff the inside of the turkey cavity with the onion, carrots, celery, parsley, and optional herbs or garlic cloves. Place any extra veggies you can’t fit into the bird in the bottom of the pan. (This will create flavor for the gravy!)
Roast the Bird
Roast the turkey at 425°F for 30 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 325°F and continue roasting until the bird reaches 160°F internally, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (In our tests, a 5-lb bird took 1 hour and an 8-lb bird took 1 1/2 hours at 325°F.)
Use a digital meat thermometer to check the temp in the thickest part of the breast in several places. Transfer the turkey to a wooden cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes.
Make the Gravy
Strain the drippings from the bottom of the roasting pan into a saucepan. Whisk in the broth, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Add in a cornstarch slurry to thicken (see recipe).
Carve and Serve
Cut along one side of the breastbone with a sharp knife, then the other, cutting each breast off the bone and keeping the skin intact. Thickly slice each breast crosswise and serve on a large platter.
Garnish with fresh parsley, sage, rosemary, or thyme (are you singing the Simon and Garfunkel song too?). Serve the warm gravy in a gravy boat on the side.
What to Serve with Roasted Turkey Breast
Whether you’re whipping up a holiday meal or just Sunday dinner, try serving this easy turkey breast recipe with some of these side dishes.
What to Do With Leftover Turkey & Gravy
Use leftover turkey and gravy to make a simple 4-layer casserole that your family will love. You can even prep it and freeze for later.
Recipe FAQs
Now it’s time to answer all your burning questions about how to cook a turkey breast!
Here are the best two methods to thaw a turkey breast, according to USDA safety standards and our opinion:
1. Refrigerator (Best Way!): Thawing in the refrigerator takes 1 day per 3 1/2 – 4 lbs according to Better Homes and Gardens, so you’ll need 2-3 days for a bird the size in this recipe. Be sure to set the packaged turkey in a dish to catch any drips.
2. Cold Water Method: For a faster thawing process, submerge the sealed, packaged turkey in a large pot, bowl, or sink in cold water. Change out the cold water (NOT warm water) every 30 minutes. This method will take 30 minutes per pound, so plan on 3 hours for a 6-lb bird or 4 hours for an 8-lb bird.
Plan on purchasing about 1 pound (16 ounces) of bone-in turkey breast per person. After it cooks and is carved, this is a perfect, generous serving amount.
A few tips will keep your bird from drying out while roasting:
1. Either buy a pre-brined turkey or brine the turkey yourself with a salty solution.
2. Slather the turkey with butter or olive oil. Our recipe uses a compound butter under the skin and on top of the skin, adding flavor and moisture.
3. Don’t overcook your turkey. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature in several places and remove from the oven when it reaches 160-165°F.
4. Let the bird rest for about 20 minutes after cooking. This will allow for the juices to redistribute throughout the meat before carving.
To carve a turkey breast, cut along one side of the breastbone with a sharp knife, then the other, cutting each breast off the bone, and keeping the skin intact. Thickly slice each breast crosswise and serve on a large platter.
The USDA does give instructions for how to thaw your bird in the microwave, but we think this will be difficult, messy, and lead to a tough, unevenly cooked bird therefore we don’t recommend it.
Let us know if you have any questions or feedback about our recipe in the comments. We love to help you and learn from you!
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Easy Roasted Turkey Breast
We’ll teach you how to cook a turkey breast in this delicious Easy Roasted Turkey Breast recipe, which works great for a family meal or holiday. Slathering on a compound butter and stuffing the bird with aromatics infuse flavor in the meat while adding complexity to a pan gravy you’ll whip up at the end.
Ingredients
For the Turkey:
- 1 (6-8 lb) whole turkey breast, bone-in and skin-on, trimmed of excess fat*
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (sub: olive oil)
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken or turkey broth
- 1 small onion, quartered and peeled
- 1–2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 1–2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 small bunch or handful of fresh parsley
- Optional: a few sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary, or sage
For Gravy:
- 1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken or turkey broth (and more as needed)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Salt and pepper
*Note: We tested this recipe with Honeysuckle and Butterball brands, which are already pre-brined (i.e. filled with a salty solution). Check your turkey label to see if it already has an added salty solution. Most do, but if not, be sure to liberally salt the outside and inside of the turkey cavity with Kosher salt. Alternately, brine your turkey breast ahead of time using these instructions.
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Instructions
1. Prep the Turkey:
- Set a rack inside a large roasting pan or 9×12 inch casserole dish. (Tip: A rack from an Instant Pot works.)
- Remove and dispose of the packaging and gravy packet inside the turkey breast, if there is one.
- Set the turkey on top of the rack and pat very dry on all sides with paper towels.
- Leave the bird out on the counter for about an hour so it can come up to room temp.
2. Make the Compound Butter: In a small bowl, stir together the softened butter, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
3. Prep the Oven: Arrange the top oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
4. Butter the Bird: Using your fingers, carefully pull the skin away from the turkey breast on both sides, slowing working your fingers down between the skin and meat until separated (take your time so the skin doesn’t tear). Then place a spoonful–about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons–of the compound butter under the skin on both sides. Pull the skin up and over the breast. Use your fingers on top of the skin to move the butter around to evenly distribute. Use the rest of the compound butter–about 1-2 tablespoons–to rub all over the bird on the top and bottom. Just do your best–it’s messy, fun, and imperfect!
5. Stuff the Bird: Make sure the turkey is breast-side up on the rack. Add the broth to the bottom of the pan. Stuff the inside of the turkey cavity with the onion, carrots, celery, parsley, and optional herbs or garlic cloves. Place any extra veggies you can’t fit into the bird in the bottom of the pan. (This will create flavor for the gravy!)
6. Roast the Bird: Roast the turkey at 425°F for 30 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 325°F and continue roasting until the bird reaches 160°F internally, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Use a digital meat thermometer to check the temp in the thickest part of the breast in several places. Transfer the turkey to a wooden cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes.
7. Make the Gravy:
- Meanwhile, place a strainer over a medium saucepan (or your Instant Pot) and carefully strain the drippings from the bottom of the pan into it, leaving the solids behind (see Cooking Notes).
- Whisk in the broth, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water until smooth. Whisk this cornstarch slurry into the sauce and simmer, continually whisking until thickened about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, taste, and season with more salt and pepper, as needed. If it’s too salty, whisk in a little water and bring to a boil again. (Depending on the kind of turkey you bought, the gravy can be pretty salty! So adjust accordingly.)
8. Carve and Serve: Cut along one side of the breastbone with a sharp knife, then the other, cutting each breast off the bone and keeping the skin intact. Thickly slice each breast crosswise and serve on a large platter. Garnish with fresh parsley, sage, rosemary, or thyme (are you singing the Simon and Garfunkel song too?). Serve the warm gravy in a gravy boat on the side.
Notes/Tips
- How to Thaw a Turkey Breast: The turkey breast must be completely thawed to safely and evenly cook in this recipe. Here are two ways to thaw your turkey:
- Refrigerator: Thawing in the refrigerator takes 1 day per 3 1/2 – 4 lbs according to Better Homes and Gardens, so you’ll need 2-3 days for a bird the size in this recipe. Be sure to set the packaged turkey in a dish to catch any drips.
- Cold Water Method: For a faster thawing process, submerge the sealed, packaged turkey in a large pot, bowl, or sink in cold water. Change out the cold water every 30 minutes (which keeps the bird from growing dangerous bacteria). This method will take 30 minutes per pound, so plan on 3 hours for a 6-lb bird or 4 hours for an 8-lb bird.
- Safety Note: Be sure to wash your hands well after touching the turkey every time, so you avoid cross-contamination on other surfaces. Also, disinfect any surfaces that the turkey touched.
- Brining a Turkey – If your turkey breast is all-natural (not brined or filled with a solution), then try brining the turkey yourself using this method. Or just liberally salt and pepper the outside and inside of the turkey.
- What to Do with Leftover Turkey and Gravy: Make our Turkey Stuffing Casserole with any leftovers. You can even prep and freeze it before baking using our freezer meal instructions.
- Make Turkey Stock: Make bone stock with your leftover carcass and veggies using our Turkey Broth recipe. Make it on the stove or in the crockpot or Instant Pot.
I love this as an alternative to cooking a whole turkey! Thanks for all the great info. Tasted delicious.