Delicious turkey breast recipe makes tender, juicy roast turkey with golden, crispy skin! Just minutes to prep with a few ingredients, or make ahead! Roast turkey breast comes out perfectly every time in less time than roasting a whole turkey!
If you feed a small group for Thanksgiving and may not need an entire roast turkey or want an even quicker option for the holiday or Sunday supper, this turkey breast is perfect! Prep it in just minutes with a few simple ingredients. You’ll love my cornbread dressing, cranberry sauce, make-ahead turkey gravy, sweet potato casserole, and even more Thanksgiving recipes.
I love the delicious, juicy, tender goodness of my full-size Roast Turkey! My recipe makes such a scrumptious, beautiful, and golden turkey for Thanksgiving; I heard from readers that while they loved my delicious turkey, it was sometimes more food than they needed for their smaller families.
That’s where this Roast Turkey Breast is a delicious solution! It’s a tasty holiday favorite and easy enough for a weeknight meal. And look at that beautiful skin! You will love it, especially how tender and juicy it is when you taste it.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- How Many Pounds of Turkey Breast Per Person?
- How to Make the Best Roast Turkey Breast
- Ingredients
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Why Do I Roast Turkey Breast in a Skillet?
- Make Ahead Instructions
- Storage Tips
- Recipe Variations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Recipes Delicious with Turkey Breast
- Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy. Roast turkey breast is simple to prepare and 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 tons of flavor!
- Simple recipe. My recipe uses only four ingredients: turkey, butter, salt, and pepper.
- Right-sized. It is the perfect size to serve a smaller group or a weeknight family meal.
How Many Pounds of Turkey Breast Per Person?
A good rule of thumb is to plan based on the following:
- 1/2 pound of turkey for boneless turkey breast
- 3/4 pound if using a bone-in, plan for 3/4 pound of turkey breast
If you want leftovers, you may want to increase the amount per person or the number of servings to account for the amount of leftover turkey you would like. Great in Turkey Salad and more!
My recipe is for a 4 to 5-pound boneless turkey breast and will provide 8 to 10 servings.
How to Make the Best Roast Turkey Breast
Quicker and easier than cooking a whole turkey, this turkey breast is roasted in a skillet using just four ingredients and takes only minutes to prep for roasting! This recipe does not need special cooking equipment or roasting pans and is easy to make!
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
You’ll need four ingredients for this crispy, juicy roasted turkey breast:
- turkey breast – boneless with the skin on
- butter – salted butter, melted
- salt and pepper
Optional ingredients: Recipe Variations are given later in this post.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Let your turkey thaw completely in the refrigerator if it is frozen. Pat it completely dry with paper towels.
- Preheat oven. When ready to roast, preheat your oven to 450ºF.
- Prep turkey. Arrange your turkey breast in a medium (12-inch) skillet, brush the turkey all over with melted butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast. Place the skillet in your preheated oven and roast until the internal temperature 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 for the 4 to 5-pound turkey breast in this recipe.
- Rest before slicing. Then, remove the skillet from the oven and tent it with foil for about 15 minutes to allow the meat to rest.
- Slice and serve. 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:
- Holds temperature well.
- Yields a crispy-skinned, tender, moist, and juicy turkey breast!
- Results in delicious, savory 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.
Storage Tips
To store. Place the completely cooled turkey leftovers into an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Serve cold or reheat and serve.
To freeze. Place completely cooled turkey into an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight when ready to serve. Then serve cold or reheat and serve.
Recipe Variations
Garlic Butter Roasted Turkey Breast
Use two cloves of minced garlic and mix with four tablespoons of softened butter (don’t use 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Roast the turkey breast uncovered and only tent with foil after removing it from the oven for about 15 minutes.
No, there’s no brining needed for this recipe! It’s simple and delicious with just a few ingredients and easy steps!
More Recipes Delicious with Turkey Breast
Look at my Make-Ahead Thanksgiving tips to make your Thanksgiving meal ahead of time and enjoy a relaxing day with family and friends!
Here’s my Roasted Turkey Breast recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe
Equipment
- Skillet (12-inch)
Ingredients
- 1 (4 to 5-pound) turkey breast, with skin on
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon 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 before slicing. Remove the turkey from the oven and tent with foil to rest for about 15 minutes before serving.
- Slice and serve. Transfer the turkey breast to a cutting board to slice 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.Storage Tips
To store. Place the completely cooled turkey leftovers into an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Serve cold or reheat and serve. To freeze. Place completely cooled turkey into an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight when ready to serve. Then serve cold or reheat and serve.Roast Turkey Breast Flavor Variations:
Garlic Butter Roasted Turkey Breast Use two cloves of minced garlic 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.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
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.
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?
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
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
Utter perfection Robyn!
Thanks so much, Melissa! Have a great Thanksgiving! xo
Will you share a turkey gravy recipe ?
Yes, I’m sharing it soon. Thanks so much, Barbara. xo
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?
Is this recipe for a boneless turkey breast? Looks wonderful!
Hi Ann,
This is for a boneless turkey breast. I hope you enjoy it! xo
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.
Sounds like a delicious dinner, Jo! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Thanks so much! xo
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.
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
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 ?
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
I made this yesterday, it was easy and delicious . The turkey was juicy and the skin was so crisp . Perfect .
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I hope y’all had a fabulous Thanksgiving! xo