Garlic Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Garlic Herb Roasted Turkey Breast is so easy to make, so tender, so juicy, and so delicious it’ll soon become your go-to turkey recipe. Top with cranberry sauce or gravy to take it to the next level!
Complete your Thanksgiving Day meal with my Easy Cranberry Sauce, Candied Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole, and Apple Pecan and Bacon Salad with Maple Vinaigrette Dressing.
Looking for more turkey recipes? Check out my posts for Stuffed Turkey Breast, Best Ever Turkey Breast, and Easy Thanksgiving Turkey.
I’ve been cooking turkeys for a number of years; for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and just any old weekday too. But I have to say this super simple garlic herb roasted turkey breast is the recipe I come back to most often. It takes relatively no time (for cooking turkeys anyway), is seasoned with simple spices and herbs, and comes out so moist, juicy, and flavorful. You really just can’t beat it!
Here’s How You Make It
- First, go ahead and preheat the oven to 350. (not pictured)
- Next, pat the turkey with paper towels to dry it thoroughly. Then, season it with salt and pepper all over the top, bottom, and sides. (photo 3)
- Now, combine the softened butter, garlic, rosemary, thyme, parsley, and orange zest in small bowl by mashing and stirring with a fork until combined. (photos 1-2)
- Take the butter mixture and spread it all over the top of a turkey breast. Using your hands is messy but it works the best. (photo 4)
- Place the turkey in a roasting pan or baking dish and then in the oven for 45 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. (photo 5)
- Turn the oven to “broil” and continue to cook the turkey breast for anther 5 minutes, just till the top browns. (not pictured)
- Take the turkey out of the oven and allow it to rest for about 10-15 minutes before you carve it. (not pictured)
- Cut the turkey into slices and serve with Beef Broth Brown Gravy or cranberry sauce. (photo 6)
Why This Recipe Works
So easy – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again and again, for cooking a turkey breast, it doesn’t get any easier, faster, or tastier than this recipe.
Simple ingredients – Do you have butter, salt, pepper, minced garlic, and some herbs? Then you can put this roasted turkey recipe together. Even if you don’t have fresh herbs, dried will be just as tasty (see note below for more on that).
Great leftovers – I don’t know about you, but I think turkey leftovers are some of the best leftovers ever. Not sure what to do with turkey leftovers? You could make soup (like this Leftover Turkey Corn Chowder,) Turkey Enchiladas, Leftover Turkey Taco Salad, and more!
Crowd pleaser – I know I said I’m the biggest fan of this roasted turkey recipe but so is my family and just about everyone I’ve ever made it for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Baking and turkey and roasting a turkey are both done in the oven, so what’s the big difference anyway?
Typically, roasting is done to a solid food (like vegetables or, in this instance, turkey breasts) and at a higher temperature than something you’d bake. (For this turkey, though, we only roast it at 350 because it’s just a breast and not a whole turkey, which could be roasted at a higher temperature.) Roasting at a higher temperature also leaves a nice “crust” on the outside of the food that’s being roasted, like a nice, crispy, browned turkey skin, for example.
Roasting is also done without a lid, whereas some baked items require a lid or covering.
Baking, on the other hand, usually denotes taking something from a non-solid state and creating a solid state with heat (like cookies, muffins, cakes, etc.). Baking is done at a lower temperature.
Sides to Eat with This Recipe
Looking for ideas for other foods to accompany this roasted turkey? Here are some of my favorites:
Expert Tips
- Want to use dried herbs? No problem. Simply substitute 1/2 teaspoon each of dried parsley, rosemary, and thyme, OR 1 1/2 teaspoons Herb de Provence or Italian blend dried herb mix for the fresh herbs.
- Leftover herb roasted turkey breast can be kept in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container.
- You can also freeze roasted turkey in a freezer-safe container for up to five months.
- Wondering how much turkey to roast? You can typically count on about 1 to 1 ½ pounds of turkey per person.
- If you’ve purchased a frozen turkey breast, be sure to thaw it in the fridge for a day or so before it’s ready to be roasted.
- To test the internal temperature of the turkey breast with a meat thermometer, you’ll want to take it out of the oven and stick the probe into the thickest part of the breast, taking care to not hit the bone.
More Tasty Turkey Recipes and Side Dishes
- Stuffed Turkey Breast
- Candied Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole
- Perfect, Easy Thanksgiving Turkey
- Traditional Homemade Thanksgiving Stuffing
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- One-Hour Buttermilk Dinner Rolls
- Apple, Pecan, and Bacon Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
- Turkey Breast (Instant Pot)
Did you make this recipe? FANTASTIC. Please rate the recipe below and be sure to tag me on social when you share a photo on social – I love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Garlic Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 7 pound bone-in turkey breast, (see notes for boneless turkey breast)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper, or 1/4 teaspoon finely ground pepper
- ⅓ cup butter, (6 tablespoons) softened
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- zest of 1 orange
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Pat turkey dry with paper towels (be thorough). Season with salt and pepper all over.
- In a small bowl combine softened butter, garlic, rosemary, thyme, parsley, and orange zest. Mash and stir with a fork until combined.
- Spread butter mixture all over the top of the turkey breast. Place in a roasting dish and tent with foil.
- Bake in a roasting pan or baking dish for about 45 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
- Remove foil, switch oven to broil and continue to cook about 5 minutes until turkey is browned.
- Rest on a cutting board for 10-15 minutes before carving.
- Carve and serve with gravy or cranberry sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Cooking time @ 350 for 7 lbs bone in turkey breast was just under 2 hours!
I’ve got to question your 45 roasting time.
Your directions don’t mention covering the turkey breast in the oven, but the pictures look like you do. Yes or no on covering the turkey during the roasting phase?
Sorry about that- the recipe is updated.
“see notes for boneless turkey breast. ” I do not see those notes. Am I missing something?
Sorry about that! The recipe is updated.
bone-in turkey breast reaches 160F in just 45 minutes????????
Can’t wait to try this – sounds and looks delicious! Looking for notes on boneless Turkey breast. All I see are notes for dried herbs. Thanks!!
Sorry about that! The recipe is updated 🙂
Did you add the orange slices for color for the picture and/ or would you include them in the roasting process? Thanks-looks delicious!
I like to roast them and then squeeze a little on top- but they also work for color.