My Favorite Oven Roasted Turkey Breast!
If you want juicy, crispy-skinned turkey for the holidays, you’re in the right place!
Here’s the biggest thing I’ve learned about cooking turkey: smaller is easier (and tastier). Smaller birds are easier to handle, and they cook more evenly.
When I’m feeding a crowd, I’d rather roast two smaller turkeys or separate parts than one giant bird. I always make my cheesecloth turkey and this bone-in turkey breast to get a little extra meat for everyone to eat and have enough leftovers to take hom.
The secret is a dry brine. It seasons the meat all the way through and dries out the skin, so it roasts up crispy and golden.
My favorite part is that most of the work happens in the fridge days ahead, and the drippings go straight into my make-ahead white whine gravy base. That’s one less thing to juggle on Thanksgiving day!
Planning the whole spread? Here’s my full Thanksgiving menu.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card below!
- Bone-in, skin-on turkey breast: Look for one that’s 7 to 8 lb. Skip any turkey labeled kosher or one that says it contains a salt solution. It’s already brined, so it’ll turn out too salty.
- Morton kosher salt: I measure the salt by weight, so it works for any size turkey breast. The teaspoon measurement only works for Morton!
- Orange: The zest goes in the brine, and the slices go in the roasting pan.
- Garlic, rosemary, and thyme: Grate the garlic and chop the herbs very finely so the brine spreads easily under the skin.
- Dry white wine and chicken broth: These go in the pan under the turkey and become your drippings.
- Unsalted butter: Melted and brushed all over the turkey before it roasts.
- Make-ahead gravy base: Make a batch of my white whine gravy base ahead of time so it’s ready when the turkey is.
Your Turkey Breast Timeline (Start 3 to 4 Days Ahead)
Turkey breast needs a little lead time, so work backward from when you want to eat.
Thaw: Transfer your frozen turkey to the fridge, allowing about 24 hours for every 5 pounds. A 7 to 8 lb breast takes 1 to 2 days.
Dry brine: Brine it for 24 to 48 hours, uncovered in the fridge. In a pinch, 12 hours is the minimum.
Roast day: Give yourself time to set up the pan, roast the turkey, and let it rest for a full 30 minutes.
Here’s what that looks like for a Thursday Thanksgiving:
- Sunday: Move the turkey from the freezer to the fridge to thaw.
- Tuesday: Dry brine the turkey and put it back in the fridge, uncovered.
- Thursday: Roast, rest, finish the gravy, and carve.
How to Make Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
Step 1. Make the dry brine: Weigh the salt, then stir in the orange zest, garlic, pepper, rosemary, and thyme.
Step 2. Brine the turkey: Starting at the neck opening, gently use your fingers to separate the skin from the meat. Rub the brine under the skin and all over the outside. Set the turkey on a rack over a rimmed pan and refrigerate it uncovered.
Step 3. Build the pan: Add the garlic, onion, orange slices, bay leaves, herbs, wine, and broth to a sheet pan and set a wire rack (like a cooling rack) on top.
Step 4. Roast: Brush the turkey all over with melted butter. Start it in a hot oven, then lower the heat to finish. The inside should reach If the skin browns too fast, loosely tent it with foil.
Step 5. Rest: Tent the turkey loosely with foil and let it rest for 30 minutes. It keeps cooking from its own heat, and your oven is free for sides like honey roasted sweet potatoes or maple bacon brussels sprouts.
Step 6. Finish the gravy: Strain the drippings and slowly whisk them into the simmering gravy base. Taste as you go, because the drippings can be salty. Save any extras for soups or sauces.
Internal Temperature of Roasted Turkey Breast
Oven roasted turkey breast is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Roasting time will vary depending on the size of your bird, so check doneness with a thermometer instead of going by the clock.
Where to measure the temp: insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of each breast, away from the bone.
When to take it out of the oven: Remove the turkey from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 160°F. The temperature will continue to rise to 165 as it rests.
How to Carve a Bone-In Turkey Breast
Find the breastbone down the center. Cut along one side of it, following the curve of the rib cage, to remove the whole breast in one piece. Repeat on the other side.
Slice each breast crosswise, keeping the skin on as much as you can (that crispy skin is the best part!). Arrange the slices on a platter with fresh herbs, orange slices, and cranberries or pomegranate seeds.
Serve it with gravy, a big bowl of crock pot mashed potatoes, which keep your oven free too, and my easy stuffing. Add something fresh from my Thanksgiving salads to round out the plate.
If you make this for your holiday table, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
More Thanksgiving Recipes to Try
- Scalloped sweet potatoes
- Brown sugar baked carrots
- Gluten free stuffing
- Pumpkin Posset
- 27 Thanksgiving desserts that aren’t pie
Dry Brined Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
Save this Recipe!
Ingredients
Dry Brine
- Morton kosher salt 4g (3/4 teaspoon) per pound of turkey
- 1 orange zested
- 6 cloves garlic finely grated
- 1 Tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary very finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves very finely chopped
Turkey Breast
- 1 batch make-ahead white wine gravy base
- 1 7-8 lb bone-in, skin-on turkey breast
- 2 whole heads of garlic cut in half crosswise
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large yellow onion sliced
- 1 orange sliced into rounds with the peel on
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted
Fresh Herbs
- orange slices
- cranberries
- pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Before you begin: Work backward from your serving time, allowing time to prepare the turkey and pan, roast the turkey, and rest it for 30 minutes. Roasting time depends on the size and shape of the breast, so use a thermometer to determine doneness. You’ll also want to make a batch of my make-ahead white wine gravy base so it’s ready when the turkey is done.1 batch make-ahead white wine gravy base
- Thaw the turkey (start 3 to 4 days before serving): Defrost the turkey in the refrigerator. This takes 24 hours per 5 pounds of turkey, so a 7 to 8 lb turkey breast will take 1 to 2 days to thaw.1 7-8 lb bone-in, skin-on turkey breast
- Make the dry brine: Weigh the salt based on the turkey’s weight and place it in a small bowl. Use 28g for a 7 lb breast or 32g for an 8 lb breast. Add the orange zest, grated garlic, black pepper, rosemary, and thyme and mix until evenly combined.Morton kosher salt, 1 orange, 6 cloves garlic, 1 Tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper, 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- Brine the turkey: Starting at the neck opening, gently use your fingers to separate the skin from the meat. Rub the brine under the skin and all over the outside. Place the turkey on a rack over a rimmed pan and refrigerate uncovered for 24 to 48 hours, or a minimum of 12 hours in a pinch.
- Prepare the roasting pan: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator while you preheat the oven to 450°F. Add the garlic, bay leaves, onion, orange slices, rosemary, thyme, wine, and chicken broth to a large rimmed sheet pan and place an oven-safe wire rack on top.2 whole heads of garlic, 2 bay leaves, 1 large yellow onion, 1 orange, 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, 1 bunch fresh thyme, 1 cup dry white wine, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- Roast the turkey: Place the turkey breast skin-side up on the rack and brush the entire outside with melted butter. Roast at 450°F for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375°F and continue roasting for another 45 to 75 minutes, until the thickest part of each breast reaches 160°F. When you check the temperature, keep the thermometer away from the bone. Begin checking after another 20 minutes and continue roasting as needed, since timing will depend on the size of your turkey breast. If the skin browns too quickly, loosely tent it with foil.1 cup unsalted butter
- Rest the turkey: Transfer the turkey to a large cutting board, loosely tent with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes. The internal temperature will continue to rise through carryover cooking. Check that both breasts reach 165°F during the rest. If either doesn’t, return the turkey to the oven until it does.
- Finish the gravy: While the turkey rests, heat the make-ahead gravy base in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove the garlic, vegetables, orange slices, bay leaves, and herb sprigs from the roasting pan. Strain the drippings through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof measuring cup with a pour spout. When the gravy base is simmering, gradually whisk in the drippings until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste as you go, as the drippings may be salty. Reserve any remaining drippings to refrigerate or freeze for soups or sauces.
- Carve and serve: Locate the center breastbone and cut along one side, following the curve of the rib cage to remove the breast meat. Repeat on the other side. Slice each breast crosswise, keeping the skin intact as much as possible. Arrange on a platter and garnish with fresh herbs, orange slices, and cranberries or pomegranate seeds, if desired. Serve with the gravy.orange slices, cranberries, pomegranate seeds
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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