Description
This Herb & Garlic Roasted Turkey Breast recipe offers a flavorful and juicy alternative to roasting a whole turkey. Perfect for smaller gatherings, it features a butter-herb mixture that infuses the turkey breast with aromatic thyme, rosemary, and garlic. Roasted to perfection with a crispy skin, this dish is ideal for a holiday meal or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey Breast
- 1 (3 – 4 lb) half turkey breast
Butter Herb Mixture
- 4 tbsp room temperature butter
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
Other
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a sheet pan or roasting pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Prepare Butter Herb Mixture: Chop the fresh thyme, rosemary, and garlic finely, then mix them in a bowl with room temperature butter. Use your fingers to soften and combine the mixture thoroughly to ensure even flavor distribution.
- Apply Herb Butter: Liberally spread the butter mixture both underneath and over the top of the turkey skin to maximize flavor and moisture retention while roasting.
- Position Turkey: Place the butter-coated turkey breast skin-side up on the prepared roasting pan. Optionally, you can lay the turkey breast over sliced onions, carrots, or celery instead of parchment paper to enhance the flavor of the pan drippings.
- Roast Turkey: Roast the turkey breast at 350°F for approximately 15-20 minutes per pound (about 1 hour total). Check the internal temperature periodically using a food thermometer to monitor doneness.
- Increase Heat for Crispy Skin: In the last 15 minutes of roasting, remove any cover or lid and increase the oven temperature to 400°F to crisp up the skin nicely.
- Rest Turkey: Remove the turkey breast from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 150°F. Let it rest to allow carryover cooking until the temperature reaches 165°F, ensuring it is safe to eat and juicy.
- Serve: Slice the turkey breast and serve immediately. Alternatively, cool the slices and use as sandwich meat for versatile meals.
Notes
- This recipe is perfect when you want the deliciousness of turkey without the hassle of cooking a whole bird.
- Using fresh herbs enhances the flavor profile significantly compared to dried.
- Resting the turkey allows juices to redistribute, resulting in moist, tender meat.
- Optional vegetables under the turkey help add flavor to pan drippings for gravy or sauces.
- Adjust seasoning to taste if you prefer more or less salt and pepper.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 583.5 kcal
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 55 g
- Cholesterol: 160 mg
