Juicy herb roasted turkey breast
Baked in the oven with lemon, garlic and herbs, this delicious and easy to cook herb roasted turkey breast is a flavorful idea for Thanksgiving as well as Christmas! Making this oven roasted turkey breast is a great option for smaller families!
Cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas is a holiday tradition for us. But if you’re not planning on feeding a crowd, cooking an entire turkey isn’t necessary. A herb roasted turkey breast is a great option if you’ll have a small guest list this holiday season.
And you’ll love this simple baked turkey breast recipe! The short prep time and easy cooking instructions make this lemon garlic herb roasted turkey breast a great option for your holiday celebration. So if you’ve been looking for a super easy, quick and mouthwatering Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey recipe, this one is your best bet!
How to make herb roasted turkey breast
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
Rest time: 15 minutes
Ingredients you’ll need
To make this simple roasted turkey breast you’ll need:
- turkey breast
- salt & pepper
- garlic
- olive oil
- fresh lemon juice
- a mix of fresh herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme and parsley.
Instructions to cook the turkey breast
- Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees.
- In a small bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Place the turkey breast on the rack of a roasting pan. Brush half the olive oil mixture over the top of the turkey breast.
- Pour the water in the bottom of the pan and add the lemon quarters to the pan.
- Place the roasting pan on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for two hours, brushing the turkey with the remaining olive oil mixture every half an hour.
- The turkey is done when the skin is golden brown and the internal temperature is 165 degrees.
Allow the turkey to rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
How to thaw a turkey breast properly?
When you purchase a turkey or turkey breast from the store, it usually comes frozen. Since you can’t cook a frozen turkey, you’re probably wondering how to thaw a frozen turkey breast. To safely thaw your turkey breast before cooking it, place it in the refrigerator a couple of days before you plan to cook. That will give your turkey breast plenty of time to thaw without allowing it to come to an unsafe temperature as it thaws.
Do I need special tools for cooking turkey?
While most meals don’t require special equipment to make the food taste amazing, cooking a her roasted turkey breast is an exception. Cooking a great turkey requires a few special tools to ensure you get thoroughly cooked and delicious main dish at your holiday meal. Here are a few things you’ll need to cook your turkey:
- Meat thermometer. This may be the most important tool to have on hand when you’re cooking a turkey. Make sure your turkey is cooked through (and keep everyone at your dinner table from getting sick) by using a meat thermometer. A turkey is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Roasting pan. A roasting pan is another essential turkey-cooking item. A large roasting pan helps catch all the turkey drippings, which are great for using in gravy and stuffing. And the rack in the roasting pan helps keep the bird moist as it cooks because it allows warm air to circulate all around the turkey.
- Basting brush. Keep the outside of your turkey moist as it cooks to by using a basting brush to brush the drippings and oil mixture over the skin throughout the cook time.
How to keep turkey breast skin from burning?
Turkey breast skin often cooks faster than the interior of the turkey, especially if you rub oil on the skin prior to cooking like this recipe requires. If your turkey breast skin begins to brown before the turkey is finished cooking, create a tent with a piece of aluminum foil. Place the tent over the top of the turkey while it finishes cooking. The tent will help moisture circulate throughout the oven, keeping the outside of the lemon turkey breast moist as it cooks.
More turkey recipes you will enjoy:
- Bacon wrapped turkey breast
- Leftover turkey stuffed sweet potatoes
- Moroccan turkey stuffed bell peppers
- Sweet & spicy turkey breast with vegetables
- Brined roasted turkey breast
- Homemade turkey rub recipe
- Roasted whole turkey
- Slow cooker turkey breast
Lemon garlic & herb roasted turkey breast
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 tablespoon sage
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 6-7 pound turkey breast
- 1 cup water
- 1 lemon quartered
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Place the turkey breast on the rack of a roasting pan. Brush half the olive oil mixture over the top of the turkey breast. Pour the water in the bottom of the pan and add the lemon quarters to the pan.
- Place the roasting pan on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for two hours, brushing the turkey with the remaining olive oil mixture every half an hour. The turkey is done when the skin is golden brown and the internal temperature is 165 degrees.
- Allow the turkey to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
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ABOUT PETRO
Hi, I’m Petro, author and founder of Easy Peasy Creative Ideas. Sewist, crafter, avid DIY-er, foodie, photographer, homemaker and mommy to one. I’m an expert at coming up with quick, clever sewing tips, recycling crafts and simple, easy recipes! You can find my ideas featured in reputable publications such as Country Living, Good House Keeping, Yahoo News, WikiHow, Shutterfly, Parade, Brit & Co and more. Thanks for stopping by and hope you’ll stay for a while, get to know me better and come back another time. Stick around for real fun projects! Read more…