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Sliced garlic herb roasted turkey breast with golden skin, fresh rosemary and savoury pan juices on a rustic serving plate.

Easy Garlic Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

This easy garlic herb roasted turkey breast has juicy, tender meat and beautifully golden skin seasoned with rosemary, thyme, sage, garlic and Dijon mustard. Searing the turkey first helps crisp the skin, while butter and chicken broth create savoury pan juices for spooning over each slice.
It is much easier than roasting a whole turkey but still feels special enough for Thanksgiving, Christmas or Sunday dinner. The fresh herbs smell wonderful while it cooks. Simple ingredients, plenty of flavour and much less work.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, North American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 160 kcal

Equipment

  • Large oven-safe skillet or roasting pan
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Measuring spoons and measuring cup
  • Sharp chef’s knife
  • Cutting board
  • Tongs
  • Instant-read meat thermometer
  • Basting spoon
  • Aluminum foil
  • Paper towels

Ingredients
  

  • 2½-3 pounds turkey breast boneless skin-on turkey breast
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 4 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon fresh sage finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup chicken broth

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the turkey breast: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towel, paying particular attention to the skin. A dry surface helps the skin brown and become lightly crisp.
  • Make the garlic herb seasoning: In a small bowl, combine olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, onion powder, paprika, salt and black pepper.
  • Season the turkey: Carefully loosen the skin without removing it. Rub some of the garlic herb mixture directly onto the meat underneath the skin. Spread the remaining seasoning over the outside and around the sides of the turkey breast.
  • Sear the skin: Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place the turkey breast skin-side down in the hot skillet. Sear for 4–5 minutes, or until the skin is golden. Turn and brown the other side for about 2 minutes.
  • Add the broth: Turn the turkey skin-side up. Add the butter and chicken broth to the skillet, pouring the broth around the turkey rather than over the skin.
  • Roast the turkey breast: Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast uncovered for 50–70 minutes. Begin checking earlier if the turkey breast is smaller or quite thin.
  • Check for doneness: Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the breast without touching the pan. The turkey is fully cooked when it reaches 165°F (74°C). If the skin becomes too dark before the meat is cooked, loosely cover the top with foil.
  • Rest before slicing: Transfer the roasted turkey breast to a cutting board and loosely cover it with foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes. This gives the juices time to settle back into the meat and makes the turkey easier to slice.
  • Serve: Slice the turkey breast against the grain. Spoon the warm garlic herb pan juices over the slices just before serving.
    • For a juicy garlic herb roasted turkey breast, use an instant-read thermometer and remove the turkey when the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C). Turkey breast is lean, so even a few extra minutes in the oven can make it dry.

Notes

  • Use a 2½–3-pound boneless skin-on turkey breast for the cooking time listed. A larger or bone-in turkey breast will need additional roasting time.
  • Pat the turkey skin thoroughly dry before adding the garlic herb seasoning. A dry surface helps the roasted turkey breastdevelop a golden, lightly crisp exterior.
  • Use 3 tablespoons olive oil total: 2 tablespoons in the garlic herb mixture and 1 tablespoon for searing. This makes enough seasoning to cover the turkey and spread some underneath the skin.
  • Gently loosen the skin and rub part of the rosemary, thyme, sage and garlic mixture directly onto the meat. This gives the garlic herb turkey breast flavour throughout, not just on the surface.
  • Pour the chicken broth around the turkey rather than over the top. Keeping the skin dry helps it brown properly in the oven.
  • Boneless turkey breasts vary in shape and thickness, so begin checking the temperature early. The thickest part must reach 165°F (74°C).
  • If the skin browns too quickly, loosely cover the turkey breast with foil while it finishes roasting.
  • Let the cooked turkey rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Resting keeps the juices inside and produces a more tender, moist turkey breast.
  • Slice the turkey across the grain and spoon the warm garlic herb pan juices over the meat before serving.
  • Fresh rosemary, thyme and sage provide the best flavour. When using dried herbs, use about one-third of the quantity because dried herbs are more concentrated.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 160kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 17gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 771mgPotassium: 216mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 316IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
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