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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Roasted Turkey Breast

    Published: Oct 27, 2024 · Modified: Apr 17, 2025 by Sherri · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Sliced oven-roasted turkey breast with pan gravy being poured. A fork is about to lift a piece. Text overlay reads, "OVEN ROASTED TURKEY BREAST with easy pan gravy.

    This oven roasted turkey breast is tender, juicy and wonderful served with our simple pan gravy. It’s perfect not only for a smaller Thanksgiving dinner, but any night of the week too.

    Sliced oven roasted turkey breast recipe garnished with herbs on a white rectangular plate.

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    Juicy Oven Roasted Turkey Breast

    Whether it’s Thanksgiving or not, sometimes we just have a craving for making turkey.  The great thing is that you don’t have to make a whole turkey to get that same deliciousness!

    You can cook just the turkey breast, make the easy gravy and serve it with any of your favorite sides. For easy weeknights, our favorites are mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes, roasted green beans or asparagus and cranberry relish.

    For Thanksgiving, I take it up a notch of course with other classics like green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, my favorite sausage stuffing and cranberry sauce.

    A hand pours gravy over sliced turkey breast on a white plate, garnished with fresh herbs.

     Ingredients You’ll Need to Gather

    Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe. Scroll down to the full recipe card for the specific amounts.

    Raw turkey breast and ingredients labeled: olive oil, butter, garlic, salt & pepper, thyme, rosemary, sage.

    For the Turkey

    • Turkey breast: (about 3-4 pounds): I use a boneless turkey breast with the skin on. You can substitute a bone-in turkey breast, but it will take slightly longer to cook. Be sure to use an instant-read meat  thermometer and check for doneness at 165°F in the thickest part of the breast.
    • Butter and olive oil: For that perfect golden crust.
    • Garlic: I love the flavor of minced but use pre-minced jarred garlic if that’s all you have. You can also use a teaspoon or two of garlic powder.
    • Salt & pepper: 
    • Fresh minced sage, rosemary, and thyme: These classic herbs are perfect with turkey. You can use dried herbs instead of fresh. Just use about one-third the amount since dried herbs have a more concentrated flavor. 
    Ingredients arranged on a table: chicken broth in a measuring cup, diced onions, heavy cream, salt and pepper, parsley, flour, minced garlic, and a piece of butter.

    Ingredients For the Gravy

    • Onion & Garlic:  Because everything is better with these 2 ingredients in my opinion. Use a finely chopped white or yellow onion or shallots.
    • Butter: salted or unsalted is fine.
    • All-purpose flour: You can use regular or for a gluten free gravy use a gluten free flour like my Bob’s Red Meal On-to-one flour. You can also swap the flour for one tablespoon of cornstarch. (you don’t need as much usually)  If you do use cornstarch, the color will be a little lighter in color.
    • Chicken broth: I like to use low sodium broth. You can also use turkey stock if you find it in your stores or even vegetable broth if you’d like.
    • Heavy cream: I use full fat cream. You can use light as well. Heavy whipping cream or even full fat milk works as well. 
    • Salt & black pepper: To taste.

    Variations

    1. Make dairy free gravy. Swap out the butter with a plant-based alternative. For the gravy, you can replace the heavy cream with coconut milk or your favorite non-dairy cream substitute.

    How to Roast a Turkey Breast

    Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 375°F. While the oven is preheating, remove the turkey breast from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature to help it cook more evenly.

    A bowl of creamy butter and olive oil with visible herbs on a textured white surface.

    Step 2 – In a small bowl, add the softened butter, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, and thyme and mix it together with a fork. 

    Raw turkey breast rubbed with seasoned butter mixture on a white plate.

    Step 3 – Rub the butter mixture over the entire turkey breast (even lift the skin gently and rub it underneath as well.

    Raw seasoned turkey breast rubbed with butter mixture in a black Staub skillet on a light gray surface.

    Step 4 – Place the turkey breast skin side up, in a large cast iron skillet or roasting pan, place it in the preheating oven and cook for about 20 minutes per pound. It needs to reach an internal temperature of 165° F on an instant read meat thermometer. I like to start checking it at about 45-50 minutes. If it’s not ready, check every 10 minutes until it is done.

    A golden brown seasoned turkey breast cooked in a black skillet on a light gray surface.

    Step 4 – After it has reached 165° F, remove it from the oven and place the turkey breast on a serving plate or cutting board, cover it with aluminum foil and let the turkey rest while you make the gravy.

    Chopped onions are being sautéed in a cast iron skillet on a gray countertop.

    Step 5– Make the gravy. In the same skillet you cooked the turkey, leaving all the turkey drippings, add the diced onion and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until they start to become tender and translucent. Then add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.

    A black cast iron skillet filled with bubbling brown diced onions and butter on a gray, textured surface.

    Step 6 – Next, add the butter, allow it to melt and then sprinkle the flour in and whisk it to create a roux. Cook for about one minute and then slowly add the chicken broth, whisking constantly, until there are no lumps remaining.

    simple pan gravy in a cast iron skillet on a textured gray background.

    Step 7– Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring often and then add in the cream, salt, and pepper and continue whisking. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.

    If the gravy turns out too thick, whisk in a little more chicken stock until you reach the desired consistency. If it’s too thin, continue to simmer it for a few more minutes or whisk in a little bit more flour or cornstarch to thicken.

    Tip

    Let it rest: Allow the turkey breast to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving for the juiciest meat.

    How to Store Leftovers

    • Refrigerate: Store leftover turkey and gravy separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
    • Freezing: Freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Gravy can be frozen as well but may need to be re-thickened when reheated.
    • Reheating: Reheat turkey slices in the oven at 325°F covered with foil, or microwave for 15 second intervals to avoid drying out. Reheat tge gravy in a saucepan over low heat or in a microwave safe bowl. Add additional broth if needed.

    If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate it in the recipe card. We would love for you to join us and over 300,000 followers on Facebook as well as on Pinterest and Instagram too!

    Sliced roasted turkey breast on a white platter with fresh herbs garnish.

    Roasted Turkey Breast

    This oven roasted turkey breast is tender, juicy and wonderful served with our simple pan gravy. It’s perfect not only for a smaller Thanksgiving dinner, but any night of the week too.
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    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour
    Resting time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 648kcal
    Author: Sherri Hagymas

    Ingredients

    For the Turkey Breast

    • 3 pound turkey breast boneless skin-on
    • ¼ cup butter softened
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 teaspoon pepper
    • 1 teaspoon fresh sage minced
    • ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary minced
    • ½ teaspoon fresh thyme minced

    For the Gravy

    • ¼ cup onion finely chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
    • ¼ cup heavy cream
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper

    Instructions

    Prep the Turkey Breast

    • Preheat the oven to 375° F. While the oven is preheating, remove the turkey breast from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature to help it cook more evenly.
      3 pound turkey breast
    • In a small bowl, add the softened butter, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, and thyme and mix it together with a fork.
      ¼ cup butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon fresh sage, ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, ½ teaspoon fresh thyme
    • Rub the butter mixture over the entire turkey breast (even lift the skin gently and rub it underneath as well.
    • Place the turkey breast, skin side up, in a large cast iron skillet or roasting pan, place it in the preheating oven and cook for about 20 minutes per pound. It needs to reach 165° F on an instant read meat thermometer. I like to start checking it at about 45-50 minutes. If it’s not ready, check every 10 minutes until it is done.
    • After it has reaches 165° F, remove it from the oven and place the turkey breast on a serving plate or cutting board, cover it with aluminum foil and let it rest while you make the gravy.

    Make the Gravy

    • In the same skillet you cooked the turkey, leaving all the turkey drippings, add the diced onion and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until they start to become tender and translucent.
      ¼ cup onion
    • Then add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
      2 cloves garlic
    • Next, add the butter, allow it to melt and then sprinkle the flour in and whisk it to create a roux.
      2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons butter
    • Cook for about one minute and then slowly add the chicken broth, whisking constantly, until there are no lumps remaining.
      1 ½ cups chicken broth
    • Simmer the gravy for 2-3 minutes, stirring often and then add in the cream, salt, and pepper and continue whisking.
      ¼ cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
    • Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.

    Notes

    Store leftover roast turkey and gravy separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
    Use a bone-in turkey breast and increase the cooking time until the meat thermometer reaches 165° F.
    Use different herbs onion powder, garlic powder, or tarragon.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 648kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 76g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 246mg | Sodium: 2613mg | Potassium: 966mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 833IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 3mg

    Nutritional Disclosure

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.

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