Easy boneless skinless turkey breast in the oven: This delicious roast turkey breast recipe is perfectly sized for a smaller Thanksgiving or Christmas gathering.
This boneless, skinless turkey breast recipe is the perfect healthier, leaner version of a delicious holiday dinner. Serve the roast with a light and easy-to-make gravy.
Check out these easy Turkey Steaks or make a Slow-Roasted Turkey Breast in the oven.
Ingredients: 13 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Servings: 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Featured comments:
Greg: Agree with others. We tried this recipe for Thanksgiving and the turkey breast was juicy and delicious. I added fresh Italian herbs and various spices as well. We are using it again for Christmas.
Alfred: It's surreal how good and tasty this recipe is. It's genuinely one of the best if not the best turkey breast I have ever eaten. This blog overall is just amazing
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Advantages of roasting a boneless, skinless turkey breast
- Perfect for a small family: If a whole bird is too much for your family, roasting just parts of it is the ideal solution. You could also learn How to Cook Turkey Drumsticks or How to Cook Turkey Leg if you are looking for dark meat recipes.
- Juicy meat: When roasted by itself, a breast is more succulent than when roasting an entire turkey.
- Easy and quick: The roast will only need about 50 minutes in the oven.
- Gravy included: The breast is served with a simple homemade sauce.
Recipe ingredients
There is only one main ingredient and a few other simple ingredients for seasoning the meat and making the gravy.
Boneless skinless turkey breast: It can be fresh or frozen. If frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature before cooking.
- You will need about 2 lb/ 1 kg boneless, skinless turkey breast to serve four people. Try our Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Breast as well.
Ingredients for the brine: Water, fine sea salt, dried herbs, chili, bay leaves, and apple juice.
Seasoning: Poultry seasoning of your choice.
Gravy: Two tablespoons butter, one small onion, tomato paste, chicken stock, and all-purpose flour.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to bake a boneless, skinless turkey breast?
Step #1: Make the brine and brine the turkey breast for 12-24 hours.
Step #2: Dry it well with paper towels.
Step #3: Rub the meat with olive oil and spices.
Step #4: Sear it on all sides until golden.
- Roast: Transfer the cast-iron skillet to the oven and roast the boneless skinless turkey breast for about 50 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast reads 160°F/71°C. Start checking after 45 minutes if your oven runs high.
- Rest: Remove the skillet from the oven, cover it loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for about 10-15 minutes. During this time, the internal temperature will reach 165°F/74°C.
In the meantime, make the gravy.
Step #5: Sauté the finely chopped onion for about 5 minutes.
Step #6: Add tomato paste and stir well. Add flour and whisk well for another minute.
Step #7: Slowly add the chicken broth, whisking continuously.
Step #8: Simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes until the gravy thickens.
Tips
The best way of ensuring that the breast is cooked through without being overcooked and dry is to use an instant-read thermometer (Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
The cooking time should be about 50 minutes, but it also depends on the oven and the thickness of the piece. Start checking the internal temperature after 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven just before it reaches the safe internal temperature. During the resting time, the internal temperature will rise to 165°F/74°C (USDA recommended), and the meat will be juicy and delicious.
There will not be any pan juices to make the gravy, but you can still make a delicious sauce using chicken stock, turkey bone broth, or stock.
Recipe FAQs
I strongly recommend it; the turkey breast will be so much juicier.
The general rule of thumb is about 25 minutes per pound (450 g) at 325°F/ 160°C. Remove it shortly before it reaches the safe internal temperature of 165°F/74°C. During the resting time, the internal temperature will rise slightly, and the roasted turkey breast will be perfectly cooked.
You can season it and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. But you should not bake it ahead of time; it will become dry when you reheat it.
Store and reheat
Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months and defrost them in the fridge.
Reheat: You can reheat the slices in the oven, microwave, or pan, but they will dry after reheating. That's why we almost always have the leftovers cold in a sandwich, wrap, or salad.
Leftovers: Use the leftovers to make sandwiches, wraps, quesadillas, enchiladas, salads, Leftover Turkey Fricassee, or this Cream of Turkey Soup.
How to serve?
Serve the boneless turkey breast roast as the main dish with any of your favorite sides. How about making a festive dinner with Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce, and French-Style Green Beans?
Do you like this recipe?
Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Don't forget to tag #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!Recipe
Boneless Skinless Turkey Breast in the Oven
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or another oven-safe pan, Note 1
Ingredients
Brine:
- 6 ½ cups water
- ½ cup fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons rosemary
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cups apple juice
Turkey breast:
- 2 lbs boneless skinless turkey breast
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning Note 2
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
Gravy:
- 1 small onion
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- fine sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
Brine:
- Make the brine: Measure the water in a pan. Add salt and stir to dissolve. Add dried herbs, chili, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, leaving one crack open, and simmer the brine for 20 minutes. 6 ½ cups water/ + ½ cup fine sea salt/ + 2 teaspoons rosemary + 1 teaspoon thyme + 1 teaspoon oregano + ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes + 2 bay leaves
- Cool: Remove from the heat and let cool for 20-30 minutes. Add apple juice and stir well.3 cups apple juice
- Brine turkey breast: Place the turkey breast into a large bowl and add the brine; the meat should be completely submerged in the brine. Brine for 12-24 hours in the refrigerator.2 lbs boneless skinless turkey breast
- Remove the meat from the brine, rinse it under cold running water, and dry it well with paper towels. Let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before roasting.
Turkey breast:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C.
- Season: Rub the turkey breast with one tablespoon of the oil. Sprinkle it with pepper, and poultry seasoning, and rub well to coat.1 tablespoon oil + 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning + ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Sear: Heat the second tablespoon of oil in the cast-iron skillet on high heat. Sear the turkey breast on all sides, about 2 minutes per side, until lightly golden all over.1 tablespoon oil
- Roast: Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for about 50 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast reads 160°F/71°C. Start checking after 45 minutes already if your oven runs high.
- Rest: Remove the skillet from the oven, cover it loosely with foil and let rest for about 10-15 minutes. During this time, the internal temperature will reach 165°F/74°C.
- Make the gravy while the meat rests.
Gravy:
- Sauté onion: Chop the onion finely. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan. Cook the onion gently for about 5 minutes or until soft and lightly golden brown.2 tablespoons butter + 1 small onion
- Add tomato paste and stir well for about 1 minute. Add flour and whisk well for another minute. Slowly add the chicken stock, whisking continuously. Simmer the gravy on low heat for about 5 minutes or until it thickens to your liking. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper.1 tablespoon tomato paste + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour + 1 cup chicken stock
Notes
- Dish: You will need a cast-iron skillet or another oven-safe heavy-bottomed pan. If you don't have an oven-safe pan, sear the turkey breast in a regular pan, then transfer it to a roasting pan.
- Check for salt. If the seasoning already contains salt, reduce the amount of salt required by the recipe. The seasoning I used doesn't contain salt.
Greg says
Agree with others. We tried this recipe for Thanksgiving and the turkey breast was juicy and delicious. I added fresh Italian herbs and various spices as well We are using it again for Christmas.
Sarah says
I used this recipe to prepare a couple of smaller turkey breasts to go with Christmas dinner last night. I used the shorter brining time because the breasts were smaller.
I was worried the meat would be dry but it was absolutely
delicious and a big hit. I will definitely be making these again and not just for special occasions.
Thanks for the recipe!
Alfred says
It’s surreal how good and tasty this recipe is. It’s genuinely one of the best if not the best turkey breast I have ever eaten. This blog overall is just amazing
Bruno says
Tried it yesterday and immediately fell in love with this recepie and this blog overall! It was absolutley delicious! Trust me this is the best Turkey breast you will ever eat.