This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This easy roast turkey breast recipe delivers juicy, tender meat and golden, buttery skin in a fraction of the time it takes to roast a whole bird. Bone-in turkey breast, garlic herb butter, and just 10 minutes of prep make it perfect for Thanksgiving or any family dinner.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Kitchen Girl.
What Exactly Is a Whole Bone-In Turkey Breast?
A whole bone-in turkey breast is basically the upper portion of a turkey, with both breasts attached to the breastbone and ribs, but without the legs, thighs, or wings. Think of it as a smaller version of a whole turkey with all that delicious white meat!
You can also buy a split turkey breast (also called a half breast), which is just one side. Both work beautifully for this recipe.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Juicy and tender: Garlic herb butter adds flavor, while careful roasting keeps the meat moist.
- Easy, hands-off cooking: No brining, basting, flipping, or roasting rack needed.
- Perfect for any gathering: Enjoy a beautiful holiday centerpiece without roasting a whole turkey.
I've been roasting turkey breast for Thanksgiving for over 15 years! After my first whole turkey didn't quite go as planned 😂, I switched to split turkey breasts from Trader Joe's and never looked back.
Eventually, I discovered that whole bone-in turkey breasts were more economical. And since we LOVE Thanksgiving leftovers, it's whole baked turkey breast forever.
And speaking of leftovers, put that extra turkey to good use in this deli-style turkey salad or my comforting homemade turkey soup.
Ingredients
- Bone-in Turkey Breast: Use a fully thawed 5–8 lb whole turkey breast or a smaller 2–3 lb split turkey breast. Both work with this recipe.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Check the turkey packaging before adding salt. Many turkey breasts contain a salt solution and may not need any additional seasoning.
- Butter: Use softened butter to make the garlic herb butter and help the skin turn golden brown.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic gives the best flavor, but garlic powder works in a pinch.
- Fresh Herbs: Sage, thyme, and rosemary give the turkey its classic holiday flavor. Dried herbs work too; see the recipe card for amounts.
How to Roast Turkey Breast
Roasting a bone-in turkey breast is surprisingly easy! Here's how to make it with just a few minutes of hands-on prep.
Make the garlic herb butter: Mash the softened butter, garlic, sage, thyme, and rosemary until combined. Make it a few days ahead if you like; refrigerate, then bring to room temperature before using.
Prep the turkey breast: Spread the softened herb butter all over the turkey, including under the skin. If the turkey is cold, the butter may firm up as you apply it. That's perfectly fine if it doesn't look pretty. It will melt in the oven.
Roast the turkey breast: Roast uncovered, breast-side up, at 400°F for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350°F. Continue roasting until the thickest part reaches 160°F, measuring near the bone without touching it. Tent loosely with foil and rest for 10–15 minutes, confirming the temperature reaches 165°F before carving.
How Long to Cook Turkey Breast
Cooking times depend on the size of the turkey breast. These estimates include the initial 15 minutes at 400°F, followed by roasting at 350°F.
- Whole bone-in turkey breast (5–8 lb): Approximately 75–90 minutes total.
- Bone-in half breast (2–3 lb): Approximately 35–45 minutes total.
Always use a meat thermometer rather than relying on cooking time alone. The turkey should reach 160°F before resting and 165°F before serving.
If you have pan drippings, make my turkey gravy. No drippings? You can still make this easy 5-minute gravy without drippings.
How To Carve Turkey Breast
Carving a bone-in turkey breast is easier than you might think! The trick is to remove each breast half from the bone before slicing.
1. Cut along the breastbone. Place the turkey breast-side up and use a sharp knife to cut down one side of the breastbone, staying close to the bone. My turkey had cooled enough to handle with bare hands, but I recommend silicone oven mitts if yours is still hot.
2. Remove the breast meat. Gently pull the meat away from the bone while cutting along the rib cage to release it in one piece. Repeat on the other side.
3. Slice and serve. Place each breast half on a cutting board and slice across the grain into your desired thickness. Serve with your favorite gravy and sides.
Recipe Tips
- What size turkey breast to buy: Based on ½-pound servings, an 8-pound whole bone-in turkey breast yields approximately 12 servings of cooked turkey meat, while a 3-pound split turkey breast (half breast) yields about 4–5 servings.
- Thawing turkey breast: Allow 24 hours of refrigerator thawing for every 5 pounds of turkey. Never thaw at room temperature. Make sure the turkey is fully thawed before roasting.
- Turkey breast options: This recipe works with either a whole bone-in turkey breast or a smaller bone-in half breast (also called a split turkey breast). Adjust ingredient amounts based on the size you're using.
- Cooking times are estimates: Every turkey breast and oven is different, so always rely on internal temperature rather than roasting time. I like to remove the turkey at 160°F, then let carryover cooking bring it to 165°F while it rests. Most importantly, confirm it reaches 165°F before carving.
What to Serve With Turkey
Who needs a whole turkey when you have all these delicious sides? Pair your roasted turkey breast with these holiday favorites, and nobody will miss the big bird, especially not the cook!
- Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Bread Stuffing
- Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
- Fresh Green Bean Casserole
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
📖 Recipe
Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Kitchen Girl.
Video
Note about scaling
When scaling, the light gray ingredient notes after the comma don’t change. Adjust as needed.
Ingredients
- 1 (5-8 pound) Bone-In Whole Turkey Breast, fully thawed, see recipe notes for other breast options
- Kosher Salt, as needed
- Black Pepper, as needed
- 2 tablespoons Butter, room temperature
- 5 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Sage, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon Thyme, finely chopped, or ¼ teaspoon dried
- ½ teaspoon Rosemary, finely chopped, or ⅛ teaspoon dried
Instructions
- Prepare the turkey: Remove the TURKEY BREAST from the refrigerator up to 1 hour before roasting. Place it on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan, remove any items from the cavity, and pat the skin completely dry with paper towels.
- (Optional) Season the turkey: Check the packaging for an added salt solution, which is common in store-bought turkey breasts. If present, reduce or skip the SALT in this step. Otherwise, season with about 1 teaspoon KOSHER SALT and BLACK PEPPER to taste, including under the skin.
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 400°F with the rack centered.
- Apply herb butter: Mash BUTTER, GARLIC, SAGE, THYME, and ROSEMARY together in a small bowl. Keep the turkey skin on and spread the butter over and under the skin using your hands or a spatula. Don't worry if the butter doesn't spread evenly. It will melt as the turkey roasts.
- Roast the turkey: Roast uncovered, breast-side up, at 400°F for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350°F. Continue until the internal temperature reaches 160°F near the bone. Allow 75–90 minutes total for a 5-8-pound whole breast, or about 45 minutes for a 2-3-pound bone-in half breast.
- Rest and carve: Remove the turkey, loosely cover with foil, and rest for 10–15 minutes to let carryover cooking bring the internal temperature to 165°F. Confirm the temperature before serving. Slice the breast meat against the grain.
- Store leftovers: Remove all of the turkey meat from the bone and save the bones for other recipes. Cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 90 days.
Recipe Notes
Equipment
- paper towels
- carving knife
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the brands, ingredients, and portion sizes used.
DH Ellis says
Very moist, lovely turkey breast. I will use this recipe again. I got a bit tripped up when rubbing the butter over the the breast because even after an hour warming on the counter, the butter hardened as soon as it hit the cold turkey breast. But it all worked out. I Appreciated the advice to take it out of the oven when it reached 160 and then foiling it and letting it continue to cook on the counter. This worked perfectly! When I cut up the remainder after supper, it was thoroughly cooked and moist throughout. One request. Include a table or guidance on determining length of cooking time for each pound. We are just 2 and I had a 2.8 pound turkey breast. I searched high and low for guidance on how long to cook it.
Traci says
Thank you for making my recipe and sharing your feedback! 💟 I revisited my old test kitchen notes and updated the recipe to include turkey breast weights, roasting times, and herb butter instructions. However, roasting times are estimates, so I always go by internal temperature: remove at 160°F and confirm it reaches 165°F during resting. So glad you enjoyed it!
Donna says
this recipe is fantastic!!! I'm never making a whole turkey again. thank you!!!!
Traci says
Ahhh yes! Exactly how I felt the first time I roasted turkey breast for Thanksgiving–and I never looked back. I'm honored you tried my recipe and so happy you love it as much as we do. Thank you for sharing! xoxo
Myrna Gonzalez Childress says
I really appreciate your recipe. It gave me the confidence to roast a bone-in breast for our thanksgiving meal. It came out delicious. The only difference was that I used the roast function on my oven and set the temperature at 350°. Thanks so much and Happy Thanksgiving!
Traci says
You are so welcome! I love knowing that my recipe influenced your holiday cooking like this. I'm glad it caught your eye and that you went for it. And yep, 350 for the entire time is great! Thanks for taking the time to leave this feedback. Enjoy!!
Carol says
Very helpful! Thanks so much.
Traci says
You are so welcome. Thank you for your readership! Enjoy!
TJ says
Should the turkey be covered? I have a roasting pan with a lid. Should I bake this covered or uncovered?
Thank you
Traci says
Hiya! Uncovered as indicated in the baking instructions. Let me know if you have further questions. Thanks and enjoy!!
Jeff says
I get so excited for this turkey breast every November, but I love it that it's available year round. It’s so good and I wouldn’t change a thing about this recipe. Mouthwatering good!
Robin says
I have a large, bone-in turkey breast: 7.88 lbs. I'm afraid it might dry out. Any thoughts? This is my first time following your recipe.
Thanks!
Robin
Traci says
Hiya Robin, the best way to not dry it out is to not cook it beyond 165 degrees Fahrenheit. A meat thermometer inserted next to the bone is the best way to judge this. You may have to test the temperature a few times. Let me know if you have more questions. Enjoy!
Tia says
Every year I get so excited for this turkey breast when November hits. It’s just so good and I wouldn’t change a thing. Mouthwatering good!
J Allen says
Everyone loves this roast turkey breast and I can't believe how freaking easy it is. Juicy and just the right size. Btw, I love all of your holiday recipes. They're reliable, simple and delicious!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay, J Allen! So glad you love this roast turkey breast as much as I do. The convenience of it makes Thanksgiving dinner so easy! 🙂
Marisa says
Can you use dried herbs if you don't have fresh on hand? If so what measurements?
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Marisa, if using dried, I would use a pinch of each and, if possible, grind them with a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. This will help distribute them more evenly. Hope that helps! Let me know if you have more questions. Cheers!
Marisa Marzec says
Thank you! One more question after you cook uncovered for the first 15min do you cook covered for the remainder?
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Marisa, no cover at all for this turkey (unless the skin starts to get too dry which isn't expected to happen, but could, depending on the circumstances). Hope that helps and let me know if you have other questions 🙂 Enjoy!!
JB says
Oh man, roasted turkey breast is the perfect way to enjoy holiday turkey dinner for two. We used to roast whole turkey, then we did this and never looked back. It's tender, juicy, and we nail it every time! Great for Sunday dinner too...thanks KG!
The Kitchen Girl says
I’m so glad you love this roasted turkey breast as much as I do, JB
Allison Y says
I'm making this today and just want to make sure - in your notes above it says 20 mins per pound at an average temp of 350. But then the recipe says to cook it at 325. Which is best?
Traci Antonovich says
Hiya Allison, that reference point refers to 350°F as an average temp. You can roast it at 325°F too, but the main goal is to hit that 165°F minimum internal temperature when a meat thermometer is inserted next to the bone. Hope that makes sense...please let me know if I need to clarify 🙂