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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!

Photo of turkey in a skillet.

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.

Photo of sliced turkey with brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes on a plate.

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

Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe

Dinner 50 mins

Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe - Making a Roasted Turkey Breast recipe is simpler and takes less time than roasting an entire turkey! Perfect for serving smaller groups for the holidays or even on a weekend! // addapinch.com
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Servings 8
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Author Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch
Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe – Making a Roast Turkey Breast recipe is simpler and takes less time than roasting an entire turkey! Perfect for serving smaller groups for the holidays or even on a weekend!

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

Instructions 

  • Prep the oven. Preheat oven to 450°F.
  • Prep the turkey breast. Place the turkey breast onto a 12-inch skillet. Brush the turkey all over with the melted butter and then sprinkle with the salt and black pepper.
  • Roast the turkey breast. Roast the turkey until the thickest part of the turkey breast reaches 165ºF when tested with an instant read thermometer, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Rest and serve. Remove the turkey from the oven and tent with foil to rest for about 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

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.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 38kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.2g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 325mg | Potassium: 5mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.01g | Vitamin A: 133IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.03mg

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Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe - Making a Roasted Turkey Breast recipe is simpler and takes less time than roasting an entire turkey! Perfect for serving smaller groups for the holidays or even on a weekend! // addapinch.com

Simple Recipes

Robyn Stone

Robyn Stone is a wife, mom, blogger, recipe developer, and cookbook author. Welcome to Add a Pinch where I share thousands of delicious, tested and perfected easy recipes that the whole family will love.

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Recipe Review




Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is perfect ! My hubby loves turkey all year . Definitely trying this next week . Do you need to do anything to the skillet before placing the turkey in ?

    1. Hi Shannon,
      I can’t wait to hear how you and your sweet family like it! You can drizzle in a tablespoon or so of olive oil to coat the skillet to prevent the turkey breast from sticking. I hope y’all enjoy it! xo

    2. I made this yesterday, it was easy and delicious . The turkey was juicy and the skin was so crisp . Perfect .

  2. Your photo looks yummy and I really enjoy your recipes, but years ago my mother taught me the benefits of a Reynolds Oven Bag. The benefits of roasting a lightly oiled & seasoned turkey breast with chopped vegetables is so easy we have this meal at least once a month. Although we don’t get a crispy crust, the turkey browns up beautifully. The added bonus is all the wonderful juices contained in the bag are perfect for a flavorful gravy. . Additionally, if I am feeding a crowd, these bags are great for stuffing as well.

    1. What a great tip, Carol! It does sound mighty delicious! And if you are like me, lessons from your mother are always the best! 🙂 xo

  3. 5 stars
    We have turkey breast often I do. A riff of Mad Hungrys Lucinda citrus chile marinade to mix it up. First day we have with a roasted sweet potato and some veggie the next in sandwiches.. my grocer always has 1/2 turkey breast fresh available. It’s an easy meal and good for us. It’s just the two of us this year and I’m roasting a whole turkey breast with all the traditional sides for dinner.
    Love your blog and recipes, I just found it recently and look forward to receiving your recipes. Have a wonderful holiday.

    1. Sounds like a delicious dinner, Jo! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Thanks so much! xo

  4. Turkey breast is always so dry, the meat has no real flavor. Unlike the thigh, this is where the juicy
    taste is. I have made many a turkey brest in different ways, and never was it the juicy flavor.
    So, what do you do for this? Can you really say it is juicy? what is the key to this?

  5. This looks delectable – and now I am all set if there aren’t any leftovers from Thursday’s turkey….I’ll just make my own! Happy Thanksgiving my friend! xo

  6. Robyn, I’m a “late bloomer” at cooking (age 62) I’ve made a number of your recipes and have been very happy with the results. What changes would the oven temperature and roasting time be for a bone-in breast?

    1. I’m so happy you enjoy the recipes, Normajean! For this recipe, you’d just cook at the same temperature, possibly a bit longer, but until a thermometer reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Thanks so much! xo

  7. Rather embarrassed to ask this, but where did you get such a beautiful turkey breast, with the skin on? All I could find at the grocery store were puny little mass-produced 3-pound turkey breasts encased in plastic wrappers. I welcome all ideas.

  8. 5 stars
    WOW! Made this tonight and everybody, including my three very picky eaters of kids, cleaned the turkey off their plate! Perfect Sunday dinner! Thanks so much!

  9. I an going to try it early next month for our early Christmas lunch at a Retirement Home – 150 people – thanks so much.

    1. I hope you enjoy this, Norma! I make these often and they are so delicious! It will be great to take to a Christmas potluck luncheon! Thanks!

  10. So every year now, for Thanksgiving, I cook a boneless breast and two turkey legs- but the timing always throws me for a loop. Last year I massively underestimated the time required. I’ve realized it might be because my butcher rolls and ties the breast together. It is denser than a whole turkey and seems to need more like 3 hours of roasting (you can see how assuming it would be 1 hour and having it really be 3 might be a problem for the whole meal plan ;). Anyway, is your recipe for the whole breast just lumped together? I am wondering if I should untie this thing to make it cook a bit faster. I love the sound of your approach, by the way: simple yet moist and delicious. Would love to hear your thoughts but probably too late for your insights before tomorrow!

    1. Hi Maggie,
      I use – like in the recipe – a 4 to 5 pound turkey breast. The turkey breast I use is not tied. I’m not sure of the size turkey breast you’ve been using, but I hope this helps.
      Thanks so much!

    1. Hi Jojo!
      Yes you can make it ahead and freeze up to 3 months. Just make sure to wrap in freezer wrap and so place in airtight container. When ready to use, thaw in refrigerator then reheat. Hope you enjoy it! xo

    1. Hi Eileen,
      I roasted it exactly like in the recipe. I hope that you enjoy it – it’s delicious! Thanks!

  11. This is a dumb question I’m sure  😱 but when you say skillet I think of something that you use on the cooktop. Do you mean a Pyrex that you use in the oven? Sorry! 

    1. Hi Carol,
      Not at all – there are no dumb questions. 🙂
      I use my cast iron skillet that can be used on the cooktop or in the oven. Hope you enjoy this! Thanks!

  12. I’m planning on making this for Thanksgiving this year, but I’ve got to have mashed potatoes and gravy with it. Does roasting just the breast produce any pan drippings for for gravy?

    1. Hi Mary Beth,
      The roasted breast does produce some pan drippings, but not at the same amount of a whole turkey. I like to have some of my homemade chicken stock on hand just in case it doesn’t produce enough for my gravy. I hope you enjoy it! xo

  13. This recipe looks delicious, and easy enough for even me to be able to do. Question, do you cover the skillet with aluminum foil or leave open the entire time? Also can you use a regular Skillet if I do not have a large size of cast iron skillet?

    1. Hi Mary,
      I only tent with foil after removing from the oven. I leave tented for about 15 minutes. Any oven safe skillet will work. Enjoy!

  14. I am making this for me and my husband for Thanksgiving, 2018. It is just the 2 of us so it will be perfect. Thanks for the recipe. 🦃

  15. Hi there! 

    I was wondering if I should brine my turkey breast. I’ve never made a turkey or any part of it before, but I’m happy to have found this recipe! 

    And do you have a gravy recipe? 

  16. I just bought a turkey breast with rib meat. I have no idea if that means it is boneless or what… lol Would it be the same recipe for a breast with rib? TYIA

    1. The cooking time should remain about the same as cooking the one breast, Anne, if they are about the same size. Make sure the internal temperature reaches 165ºF to make sure they are done. Hope you enjoy!