Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
Roasted turkey breast with herbs, garlic and golden crispy skin.
This herb roasted turkey breast is juicy, tender and full of flavour, with garlic, herbs and beautifully golden skin. It’s an easy option for Christmas, Thanksgiving or any smaller holiday dinner when you want classic roast turkey without cooking a whole bird.
Juicy Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
This herb roasted turkey breast comes out tender and juicy with a savoury herb and garlic flavour and beautifully golden skin. It gives you all the comfort of a traditional roast turkey, but with much less prep and a shorter cooking time.
Why This Easy Turkey Breast Works
Turkey breast is a great choice when you want a holiday-style dinner without roasting a whole bird. The herbs and garlic add plenty of flavour, while roasting gives the outside that lovely golden finish. It also slices neatly, which makes serving easy and leftovers especially useful.
Perfect for Holidays and Smaller Gatherings
Serve this herb roasted turkey breast for Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, Sunday supper or any smaller family gathering. It works especially well when you want classic turkey on the table but simply don’t need a full-size roast.
How To Season With Herbed Butter
Herb Butter Under the Skin for Extra Flavour
Gently lifting the turkey skin and spreading the herb butter underneath helps season the meat directly, not just the outside. It also helps keep the herb roasted turkey breast juicy as it cooks while giving the skin a rich, golden finish.
A little messy, but worth it.
Coat the Turkey Breast with Herb Butter
Rub the remaining herb butter all over the outside of the turkey breast, working it across the skin as evenly as you can. This adds another layer of garlic and herb flavour and helps the herb roasted turkey breast develop a beautifully golden, savoury crust as it roasts.
Don’t worry about making it perfectly smooth — just get a good coating over the surface.
Tips for Juicy Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
- Start with thawed turkey. Fully thaw the turkey breast in the refrigerator so it roasts more evenly.
- Pat the skin dry. Removing surface moisture helps the garlic herb butter spread and encourages browning.
- Season beneath the skin. Gently loosen the skin and spread some softened herb butter directly over the meat.
- Pour broth around the turkey. Keep it off the seasoned skin so the surface can brown.
- Check the temperature. Roast until the thickest part reaches 74°C (165°F). A thicker breast may need extra time.
- Watch the colour. Loosely cover with foil if the skin browns before the centre finishes cooking.
- Rest before carving. Allow 15 minutes, then slice across the grain for tender turkey slices.
Real Kitchen Tip: Keep the Turkey Breast Juicy
For a juicy herb roasted turkey breast, start checking the internal temperature before the full roasting time is up. Turkey breast can go from perfectly moist to dry fairly quickly, so don’t rely on time alone. Once it’s cooked through, let it rest before slicing so the juices stay in the meat instead of running onto the cutting board.
Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 1 turkey breast boneless, skin-on, about 1.4–1.8 kg (3–4 lb) – fully thawed
- 3 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup chicken or turkey broth
Instructions
Prepare the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Lightly grease a roasting pan or baking dish.
Dry the turkey.
- Pat the turkey breast very dry with paper towel. This small step helps the skin become golden rather than soft.
Make the herb butter.
- In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt, pepper, onion powder and smoked paprika.
Season the turkey.
- Carefully loosen the skin without removing it. Rub about half of the herb butter directly over the meat beneath the skin. Spread the remaining mixture over the outside of the turkey.
Prepare for roasting.
- Place the turkey breast skin-side up in the roasting pan. Pour the broth into the bottom of the pan, taking care not to pour it over the seasoned skin.
Roast.
- Roast uncovered for 60–90 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the turkey. Begin checking it after one hour.
Check for doneness.
- The turkey is ready when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reaches 74°C (165°F). If the skin browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil.
Rest and slice.
- Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and loosely cover with foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing across the grain.
Notes
-
- Choose the right cut. This herb-roasted turkey breast recipe uses an unrolled, boneless, skin-on breast, fully thawed before cooking. A rolled or netted roast may require different preparation and timing; follow its package instructions.
- Adjust the salt if needed. If the turkey is pre-brined or already seasoned, reduce the added salt. Low-sodium broth also helps control the seasoning.
- Cook to temperature. The roasting time is an estimate. Check the thickest part with a meat thermometer and continue cooking until it reaches 74°C (165°F).
- Protect the golden skin. If the garlic herb coating browns too quickly, loosely cover the turkey with foil while the centre finishes cooking.
- Rest before slicing. Let the roasted turkey breast rest for 15 minutes, then slice across the grain. Save the pan juices for serving or making turkey gravy.