Try this easy bacon-wrapped turkey breast with a flavorful twist for your Thanksgiving and holiday season. This recipe is straightforward, requiring only two main ingredients, and ready to serve in just about an hour.
Enjoy juicy and crispy bacon-wrapped turkey breast - an easy-to-make dish that allows you to serve a wonderfully delicious Thanksgiving dinner with great success and without going through the trouble of cooking a whole bird. Just a few minutes of prep time and less than one hour in the oven. Add your favorite side dishes, and you're good to go.
For more recipes for a small family, check out our Slow-Roasted Turkey Breast in the Oven, the Slow Cooker Turkey Wings, or make Turkey Drumsticks in the Oven.
Or wrap more things in bacon: bacon-wrapped stuffed chicken breasts, bacon-wrapped chicken thighs, or bacon-wrapped asparagus.
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Why will you love this recipe?
- Minimal ingredients: With just two main ingredients—turkey breast and bacon, it's an uncomplicated recipe that doesn't require a lengthy shopping list.
- Simple seasonings: Basic seasoning staples like poultry seasoning or anything else you fancy, salt and pepper, along with a touch of oil, enhance the flavors without complicating the preparation.
- Easy preparation: This roasted bacon-wrapped turkey breast requires only a few simple steps and minimal ingredients, making cooking hassle-free.
- Perfect for gatherings: It's an ideal dish for family gatherings or special occasions like Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. You can also cook two breasts simultaneously on the same baking sheet.
- Quick cooking time: Ready in about an hour; it’s a time-saving option for a great meal.
Recipe ingredients
- Boneless skinless turkey breast weighing 2 to 2 ½ lbs/ 1 to 1.3 kg.
- This recipe requires a boneless piece of approximately this size because a bone-in or larger piece would require too much cooking time, causing the bacon to burn before the meat is properly cooked.
- The recipe also requires a skinless breast. Wrapping the breast in bacon makes the skin unnecessary. Keeping it would make the roast too fatty, and the bacon slices would probably slip off the meat.
- Frozen and thoroughly defrosted meat is perfectly ok.
- Bacon: Regular-cut slices of bacon, not the thick-cut ones. They should be thin and pliable and easy to secure with toothpicks.
- Seasoning: Your favorite poultry seasoning or dry rub, fine sea salt, and ground black pepper. If all you have are salt and pepper (and maybe a bit of paprika), rest assured that the meal will still be delicious.
- You can use another spice mixture of choice (Italian or Cajun seasoning, for instance), add some dry herbs, or use homemade spice rubs. How about trying our Dry Rub for Chicken Wings or the hot Peri Peri Seasoning?
- Oil like canola oil or olive oil to rub the meat.
How to make turkey breast wrapped in bacon?
Pat the breast dry with paper towels. Rub the turkey with oil and spices.
Wrap bacon around the meat.
Secure the slices with toothpicks.
Place on a baking sheet with a baking wire rack, toothpick-side down.
- Roast the bacon-wrapped turkey breast in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160°F/ 71°C.
- Allow the meat to rest for 10-15 minutes. The internal temperature will rise to 165°F/74°C during this time, and the turkey breast will be fully cooked.
Expert Tips
Meat: Make sure you use a boneless turkey breast about the indicated size. A bone-in piece or one that’s too large will take longer to cook, resulting in burnt bacon. Also, remove the skin of the turkey if it’s still attached to the breast. If you like, you can learn how to render turkey fat.
Proper bacon wrapping: Ensure the strips of bacon cover the turkey breast entirely, overlapping slightly to prevent dryness while cooking. If needed, use toothpicks or kitchen twine to secure the bacon in place.
Room temperature: Let the turkey breast sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking. This helps it cook more evenly.
Check the bacon strips around the 40-minute mark. If the turkey begins to darken excessively, loosely cover it with foil. It never happened to me, but the oven temperature can run higher than expected.
To ensure a perfect turkey breast, use a meat thermometer to check when the meat has reached the right temperature and allow it to rest before slicing. This helps avoid cooking it too much and keeps it juicy.
Recipe FAQ
You can use the brine from the Boneless Skinless Turkey Breast Recipe, which can further enhance the juiciness. Nonetheless, the bacon wrapping technique contributes to the breast's tenderness and moisture, making the brining process unnecessary.
If you don't have a baking rack, cook the bacon-wrapped turkey breast directly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. However, using a rack helps air circulate around the meat, making the underside crispy as well.
How to store and reheat?
- Refrigerate any remaining bacon-wrapped turkey breast in an airtight container. It stays fresh for up to 3 days.
- Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat before serving.
- Preheated oven (350°F/175°C). Place the leftovers on a baking dish, cover loosely with foil, and reheat for 15-20 minutes until warmed through. This method helps maintain moisture and evenly reheats the dish.
- Microwave: Reheat on a microwave-safe dish in 30-second to 1-minute intervals, flipping occasionally for even heating. This method is super quick.
- Sautéing or pan: Heat a skillet or frying pan over medium-low heat, adding a touch of oil or butter. Gently reheat the leftover slices, turning occasionally until warmed through. This method is perfect for reheating slices.
What to serve with it?
- Roasted vegetables like whole roasted carrots, Brussels sprouts with potatoes, or sweet potato slices.
- Creamy mashed potatoes make a classic side dish. Try our garlic Parmesan mashed potatoes or some flavorful twists like truffle mashed potatoes or swede and carrot mash.
- Green salad with vinaigrette or yogurt dressing. White cabbage salad or raw beet salad make great sides as well.
- Gravy: A flavorful gravy, either turkey or bacon-infused if desired, serves as a delicious addition.
- Stuffing or dressing is another classic side dish choice.
- Bread or rolls: Serve warm bread or rolls on the side. Try our yogurt soda bread or these amazingly fluffy yeast dinner rolls.
What to make with leftovers?
- Check out our Favorite Leftover Turkey Recipes.
- Sandwiches: Slice the leftover turkey and use it as a filling for sandwiches. Add lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, or cranberry sauce for a tasty meal. Make Creamed Turkey on Toast.
- Salad: Chop the turkey into bite-sized pieces and mix it with mayonnaise, celery, onions, and seasonings to create a flavorful turkey salad. Serve it on a bed of greens or between slices of bread.
- Soups or stews: Use the leftovers to make Cream of Turkey Soup or Turkey Lentil Soup. Or make this creamy Turkey Fricassee.
- Tacos, quesadillas, or Red Sauce Enchiladas: Shred the meat and use it as a filling for tacos or quesadillas. Add cheese, salsa, and your favorite toppings for a Mexican-inspired dish.
- Pasta dishes like Leftover Turkey Lasagna or Leftover Turkey Pasta Casserole.
Recipe
Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast (2 Main Ingredients)
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Wire rack optional but recommendable
- Toothpicks
Ingredients
- 2 – 2 ½ lbs boneless skinless turkey breast 1 – 1.3 kg, Note 1
- 16 bacon slices Note 2
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning a bit more if required, Note 3
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt use less if the seasoning also contains salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C. Place the wire rack on the baking sheet.
- Season: Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels. Rub it with the oil and all the spices.
- Wrap the breast with bacon, slightly overlapping the slices and completely covering the meat. Secure the pieces with toothpicks; it’s enough to secure the loose ends underneath and on the sides of the meat.
- Roast: Place the turkey breast on the baking sheet lined with a baking rack, toothpick-side down. Roast in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160°F/ 71°C.
- Check the bacon after about 40 minutes; if it’s starting to get too brown already, cover it loosely with foil and remove the foil again during the last minutes to allow the bacon to crisp nicely.
- Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. The internal temperature will rise to 165°F/74°C during this time, and the turkey breast will be fully cooked.
Notes
- Meat: Use a boneless, skinless piece of meat about the indicated size. A bone-in piece or one that’s too large will take longer to cook, resulting in burnt bacon. Also, remove the skin if it’s still attached to the breast.
- Bacon: The number of bacon slices you need really depends on their size. You should have enough to cover the meat entirely.
- Seasoning: Use your favorite poultry seasoning or dry rub, fine sea salt, and ground black pepper. If all you have are salt and pepper (and maybe a bit of paprika), rest assured that the turkey roast will still be delicious.
Helene Reilly says
Hi could you tell me if I have to rub the turkey breast with oil before adding bacon.
Also is a baking sheet a cookie sheet? Could I use an enamel dish with rack.
Thank you look forward to your reply.
Adina says
Hi. Yes, rub it with oil and spices before adding the bacon. A baking sheet has an outer rim all around which keeps the cooking juices put. A cookie sheet doesn't have a rim, so you should not use it for this recipe.