Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast

If you’re wondering how to make oven-roasted turkey breast, whether for a smaller crowd or to have some extra meat to go around, we’ve got the perfect recipe for you. Simple and straightforward, it calls for just the turkey, olive oil, salt, and pepper and cooks in a little over one hour. When you're ready to carve, follow these easy steps, which show you in photos how to slice up the breast. This recipe produces juicy, flavorful meat and golden skin without any of the stress that can come from cooking a huge bird. It works just as well for Thanksgiving or Christmas as it does an average weeknight or weekend—and if you end up with leftovers, we have plenty of creative ideas for how to use them up below.

Why You Should Cook a Turkey Breast

Whether you’re making this recipe for Thanksgiving or any other day of the year, there are plenty of pros (and very few cons)  to choosing a turkey breast over a whole turkey. 

Smaller size: Compared to a full turkey, which can range in size from 12 to 24 pounds, you’ll only need a six-pound bone-in breast for this recipe. It’ll serve about six guests (or will ensure plenty of leftovers if you’re preparing it for an even more intimate group). 

Ease: Unlike many whole turkey recipes, this recipe doesn’t require any trussing, fussing, or flipping midway through. Thanks to its petite size, you’ll only need a small roasting pan in which to cook it (though we still recommend using a V-shaped rack, if you have one). Since you’re not dealing with any dark meat, which takes longer to cook than the breast, you only have to worry about the light meat reaching 165 degrees Fahrenheit before pulling it out of the oven, ensuring moist and juicy meat without any risk of dryness.

Shorter cook time: Including prep time and a quick rest at the end, our oven-roasted turkey breast is ready to hit the table in one hour and 40 minutes. If you’re making this for Thanksgiving, you’ve got plenty of time and oven space to cook the rest of the meal, and can pop the breast in the oven whenever it’s convenient for you (aka no pre-dawn wakeup required). 

How to Cook a Turkey Breast

Cooking a turkey breast is somewhat similar to cooking a whole turkey, but requires significantly less effort and time.

Prep: You’ll still want to pat it very dry after rinsing and add some fat to the skin to encourage browning—for this recipe, we’re sticking with olive oil. Just like with a whole turkey, you can keep the seasoning to just salt and pepper, or add additional herbs and spices if desired. 

Equipment: We still recommend using a roasting pan, though you won’t need one quite as large as you would for a whole turkey. A V-shaped rack will help keep it steady in the oven and ensure even roasting, but you can also set it on a bed of chopped vegetables like carrots, celery, and onion. In a pinch, you can roast the turkey breast in a large, oven-safe skillet instead.

Timing: Once it’s in the oven, all that’s left is to set a timer and wait. It’ll be ready in about one hour and 20 minutes and requires only a 10 minute rest before carving to let the juices redistribute throughout the meat.

A Note About Gravy

One of the only drawbacks to cooking a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey is that you’ll be left with fewer drippings for gravy. Don’t let that stop you from making this recipe, however: An easy workaround is to coat a few turkey wings, necks, or backs (whatever is available at your market) with oil and scatter them under or around the turkey before roasting. Keep an eye on the pan and add a splash of broth or water if the drippings are browning too quickly or the pan is looking dry.