I don’t know about you, but my kids LOVE Thanksgiving dinner. I don’t know if it’s the celebration, the extra cousin / auntie / grandparent time, or the food itself, but wow, is it ever a hit. But who says that Turkey Dinner has to be reserved for Christmas and Thanksgiving? With this Roasted Turkey Breast recipe, you can enjoy this holiday favourite any time of year. Here’s how:
Start by buying a fresh turkey breast from the butcher. Ask your butcher to cut it in half for you. This will decrease the cooking time significantly without affecting the look or taste of the bird. You can also do this yourself at home with a solid knife, but I prefer to ask the expert. His/her knife is stronger than mine!
Rub the breast all over with olive oil and some herb and spices. Your choice, but I like to do a standard poultry seasoning: thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary and some celery salt. The proportions are up to you. I tend to do a little bit more thyme and sage, but you can do equal amounts if you wish. A store-bought Poultry seasoning works well too.
On a foil lined baking sheet, roast the turkey for 1 hour at 400°F and voila! Turkey is served!
Serve with your favorite turkey sides like gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts and enjoy this family favourite any night of the week!
Tip: How do you know if your turkey is done?
Most websites recommend turkey or chicken breast to be cooked to 165°F, however cooking to that temperature can produce super dry, overcooked meat. One thing that you have to remember is that meat continues to cook once you remove it from the oven, at least 5-10°. So if you remove the meat at 165°F, it will continue cooking to 170-175°F - that will result in dry, overcooked protein. I aim for 150 - 155, and by the time the meat has a 4-5 minute rest, it is perfect.
Not convinced? Check out this article explaining why the USDA supports cooking your turkey or chicken breast to 150°F.
Have you tried this Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe? If so, I would love to read your comments below!
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Bone-In Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 4 Servings
Ingredients
- One bone-in turkey breast, cut in half
- Olive Oil
- 1-2 Tbsp Poultry Seasoning (or combination of thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary and celery salt)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up.
- Rub the breast all over with olive oil and some herbs.
- Place the 2 breast pieces on the baking sheet and roast the turkey for 1 hour
- Enjoy!
Notes
- When buying your turkey breast, ask your butcher to cut it in half for you. You can also do this yourself at home with a solid knife, but I prefer to ask the expert. His/her knife is stronger than mine!
- Of course this method isn't just for a small weeknight family meal. You can roast a few cut breasts and feed a crowd! Just increase the amount of olive oil, herbs and spices and use a bigger baking sheet. Getting ready to host? Here are some tips on how to host a great family style dinner.
Courses Main Dish
Tricia Fulde
Sounds great! We usually spatchcock the turkey and do it on the BBQ for Thanksgiving(and other occasions) to conserve space in the other ovens for veggies and desserts being baked. Even if it isn’t great weather outside, it’s viable option that can cut down on time immensely. Ii also makes it easier to carve, to get your household grill master to cook and keep the carcass for homemade soup. Happy Thanksgiving 🙂
Hi Tricia! I did a spatchcock turkey last year and I agree - way easier and much more evenly cooked. Never tried on the bbq though - good tip! Will have to one day. Have a great Thanksgiving!