Name: Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 (4 to 5-pound) turkey breast (with skin on); 3 tablespoons salted butter (melted); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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This Roast turkey breast comes out perfectly every time with just 4 ingredients! Its crispy skin and tender, juicy meat takes less time than roasting a whole turkey!

Looking for more easy Thanksgiving recipes? You’ll love my cornbread dressing, cranberry sauce, and make-ahead turkey gravy.

Photo of a roast turkey breast with simple seasonings cooked in a cast iron skillet. // addapinch.com

As much as I love the beauty of a whole roast turkey, there are times that this easy turkey breast recipe just makes life easier! We love it for holidays as well as for a weeknight meal.

One of the things that I hear more often is that cooking an entire turkey can be a little bit intimidating to some and is more food than is needed for smaller families and groups. That’s where this Roast Turkey Breast makes for a mighty delicious solution! I also love that it is easy enough for a weeknight meal for my family.

How to Make the Best Roast Turkey Breast

Quicker and easier than roasting a whole turkey, this roast turkey breast is roasted right in a skillet and uses just four ingredients! There’s no need for special cooking equipment, roasting pans, or stressing with this recipe.

Photo of turkey breast sliced on a cutting board.

Why You’ll Love this Turkey Breast Recipe

Easy. Roast turkey breast is easier to prepare, cook, and easy to slice and serve.
Quick. Turkey breast cooks more quickly than a whole turkey!
Delicious. It has crispy skin and tender, juicy, moist meat with lots of flavor!
Simple recipe. My recipe uses just four ingredients: turkey, butter, salt, and pepper.
Right sized. It is the perfect size to serve a smaller group or for a weeknight family meal.

Just look at that beautiful skin! You will love it, but you will especially love how tender and juicy it is when you taste it.

But I don’t think this recipe is only to be used for Thanksgiving! It is also mighty delicious for a Sunday supper or weeknight meal. Of course, I love to make it ahead and then serve it during the week for a quick supper or to use it throughout the week in salads, like my Turkey Salad, sandwiches, wraps, and such!

How Many Pounds of Turkey Breast Do You Need Per Person?

A good rule of thumb is to determine how much turkey per person is to plan based on the following:

½ pound of turkey for boneless
¾ pound if using a bone-in, plan for ¾ pound

If you hope to have leftovers, you may want to increase the amount per person or increase the number of servings to account for the amount of leftover turkey you would like to have.

My recipe is for a 4 to 5-pound boneless turkey breast and will provide 8 to 10 servings.

Ingredients for this Recipe

You’ll just need 4 ingredients: boneless turkey breast, butter, salt, and pepper.

If it has been frozen, let it thaw completely in the refrigerator.

Optional ingredients: I list variations of this simple recipe that you may enjoy at the bottom of this recipe post.

Step-by-Step Instructions

When ready to roast, preheat your oven to 450ºF. As your oven is preheating, arrange your turkey breast in a medium (12-inch) skillet, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast in your preheated oven until it reaches 165ºF at the thickest part of the breast when checked with an instant-read meat thermometer. This takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Then, remove the skillet from the oven and tent it with foil for about 15 minutes to allow the meat to rest before slicing and serving.

When ready to serve, transfer the breast to a cutting board and slice.

Why Do I Roast Turkey Breast in a Skillet?

I love to use a skillet for this recipe. It holds temperature well and yields a perfectly crispy skinned, tender, moist, and juicy turkey breast! You’ll have the most amazing juices (pan drippings) to make turkey gravy!

Make Ahead Instructions

Prepare the recipe according to the recipe instructions.

Allow it to cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Serve cold or rewarm and serve.

How to Store Leftovers and Freeze

To store. Place the leftovers into an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Serve cold or reheat and serve.

To freeze. Place into an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then serve cold or reheat and serve.

Roast Turkey Breast Flavor Variations

Garlic Butter Roasted Turkey Breast

Use two cloves garlic, minced and mix with four tablespoons of softened butter (leave out the melted butter), salt, and pepper. Spread the butter mixture on the breast and bake as directed.

Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

Use one tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary, one tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme, four tablespoons of softened butter (leave out the melted butter), salt, and pepper. Spread the butter mixture on the turkey and bake as directed.

Some Side Dishes for Roast Turkey Breast

Mashed Potatoes

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Fall Salad

Here’s my Roasted Turkey Breast recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!

5 from 4 votes