Boneless Skinless Turkey Breast in the Oven

4.57 from 23 votes

Easy boneless skinless turkey breast in the oven: This delicious recipe is perfectly sized for a smaller Thanksgiving or Christmas gathering.

Prep Time20

Cook Time50

Course: Poultry

Cuisine: American

Diet: Low Calorie, Low Fat

Servings: servings

Calories: 463kcal

Author: Adina

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/ 1½ liter + ½ cup fine sea salt/ 145 g + 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/ ¾ cup
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/ 1 kg
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.

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.

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

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.