Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast

Tender, juicy, and succulent, this Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast is made with garlic, onions, olive oil, thyme, sage, and bay leaves! It’s ready to go in about 2-2.5 hours and is perfect for a small holiday family gathering! {Paleo}

Friends, how are you spending the Thanksgiving holiday this year? The pandemic is ravaging our local community, so we’re staying home. To get into the sprit of the season, and because sometimes it’s the little things that make all the difference, the girls each took a holiday meal to plan. The 10-year-old chose Christmas and wants Slow Cooker Bottom Round Roast for the main course on December 25th. The seven-year-old chose Thanksgiving, and she wants a turkey. But we all agreed we didn’t want a huge turkey with more leftovers than our family could enjoy.

So the seven-year-old and I plotted a turkey breast instead. Why cook a small, three-pound turkey breast instead of a full-fledged 20-pound turkey? One, because turkey breasts are easy to roast. Two, they taste delicious. And three, they yield enough to feed a few people without creating excessive leftovers. 

Friends, there will come a day when I make a full-scale turkey again. But until that day, I am ALL IN for this Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast situation. And so is the seven-year-old, which is a bonus since she’s in charge of the menu.

I’m not sure what I expected, but I was surprised by how succulent, juicy, and tender the Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast was. Bay leaves, garlic, onion, fresh thyme sprigs, and fresh sage leaves are ideal complements to this poultry recipe. For good measure, I also used dried herbs in olive oil to create a drizzle we then poured over the top of the turkey breast prior to cooking. It was a delicious idea that worked out beautifully. 

Truthfully, this recipe is as delicious as it looks. And if we’re keeping things small this year, there’s no reason the food can’t still be mouthwatering and comforting at the same time. So if you’re looking to cook a small turkey this year, then consider placing an Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast in your main course this year!

And if you’re wondering how to cook an Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast, then read on. We’ve got details and links and more details and more links just for you!

What equipment do I need to roast a turkey?

Curious about what you’ll need to cook an Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast? For the most part, the equipment list is simple. But there are a few items you’ll definitely need on hand.

• A meat thermometer. This is a critical piece of equipment you’ll need for a fully-cooked Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast recipe. Why? Because when roasting a turkey breast, you follow the temperature of the meat as opposed to the length of time to cook. This is literally a case of baked until done! You’ll insert the meat thermometer in the thickest section of the meat, and once it reaches 165 degrees, you’re set!
• A baking dish. If you don’t have a roasting pan, that’s fine. A 9×13 baking dish will work. For the turkey breast you see in these photos, I used a 13.25 x 8.13 porcelain baking dish.

NOTE: You’ll want to raise the turkey breast off the bottom of the pan. If you don’t have an insert for your dish or pan, then place large onions on the bottom and set the turkey breast on top of the onions. The vegetables will then act as a barrier between the dish and the turkey.

Do I need to thaw my turkey breast before roasting it?

I suggest following the package instructions for the turkey breast you purchase. We purchased a Butterball frozen turkey breast, and while the package instructions included a direct frozen-to-roasted option, we thawed our Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast in cold water for about 3-4 hours, changing the water during that time every 30 minutes. Then we stored it overnight in the fridge to roast the next morning.

Do I need to brine my turkey breast before roasting it?

According to Cook’s Illustrated in their post, How to Brine a Turkey and How to Salt a Turkey, applying salt to raw poultry is what makes the final product tender and juicy. The salt draws the natural juices from the meat to the surface. From there, the salt dissolves in the juices, which are then reabsorbed back into the meat. To learn more about the process, I encourage you to read the article linked above! 

For the purposes of this Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast, I did NOT officially brine the poultry, but I DID salt the turkey and apply an herb and olive oil mixture to the top prior to cooking. 

If you’re curious about whether or not to bast a turkey breast, the verdict in the same Cook’s Illustrated article is to skip basting altogether and save yourself the time and trouble. 

Additionally, Emma Christensen of The Kitchn points out in her article How to Cook a Turkey Breast, since the baking time is so short, there isn’t much need to baste. If you’re concerned about experiencing your own National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation turkey fiasco, keep an eye on the Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast while it cooks and, if necessary, drizzle your cooking oil of choice over the top of the turkey while it bakes.

Let’s talk baking temps:

I get particular about the oils and baking temps I use because I don’t want to burn my recipes nor do I want to start a kitchen fire. According to Jaron of FoodsGuy in his post Is Olive Oil Flammable?, the ignition point of olive oil is somewhere between 400 and 435 degrees. To be on the safe side, and because I knew I didn’t want a super-charred final product, I roast my Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast at 400 degrees for the initial cooking stage.

If you’d like to cook your Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast at a higher temp, then make sure to select a cooking oil that will withstand the increased heat. If you aren’t sure where to start, then read The Globe and Mail’s article, What is ‘smoke point’ and does it matter when cooking with oil?

Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast ingredients:

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for your own succulent, juicy Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast.

• Turkey breast. We used a three-pound turkey breast for this recipe. Divided between two adults and two children, plus side dishes and desserts, three pounds was sufficient for a family meal. This turkey breast combined white and dark meat, as pictured in the blog post.
• Olive oil. Select the cooking oil you want based not only on flavor but also on how high you want to roast your turkey breast. See above in “Let’s Talk Temps” for more details. We used olive oil for this recipe and it tasted wonderful.
• Sea salt. I salt the raw turkey breast prior to cooking. You can also add sea salt to the olive oil in the baking dish.
• Fruit and vegetables. I add one sliced lemon to the baking dish, along with three wedged onions and garlic cloves.
• Herbs. For the baking dish, I add fresh thyme sprigs, fresh sage leaves, and dried bay leaves. For the olive oil rub, I used one garlic clove (pressed or minced) and dried: parsley,  thyme, sage. Why use fresh in the baking dish and dried in the rub? While fresh herbs have a strong, delicious flavor, I wanted a thick drizzle for the topping, and dried herbs offered a better consistency. 

Tips to cook an Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast:

Below is the process to make your very own Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast! It’s succulent and delicious and amazing, and it’s time to cook one in your very own kitchen, if you haven’t already! Please keep in mind, this recipe follows a thawed turkey process. It is important to read your turkey breast’s package instructions for best results.

• Use a meat thermometer to ensure turkey breast reaches 165 degrees. As much as I like to rely on a specific cook time, for this recipe I follow the turkey breast’s temperature.
• If you don’t have a roasting pan, then bake your turkey breast in a 9×13 pan lightly covered with olive oil. Place the onions and lemon wedges or slices in first. Then place the turkey breast on top. The onions and lemons will act as an insert so the turkey breast doesn’t sit directly on the bottom of the pan.
• We use olive oil in this recipe and roast at 400 degrees for the first 20 minutes. If you’d like to roast your turkey breast at a higher temp and for longer periods, you may need to select another cooking oil that can withstand higher heats.
• After roasting is complete, transfer the baking dish to a counter and tent the turkey breast with foil for about 10 minutes. This will make it easier to remove the netting.
• If you find the turkey starts to pull when you remove the netting, then make several little snips or cuts in the netting and pull carefully at each spot.

Looking for additional foods to serve with your Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast, then check out these delicious side dishes!

• Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole
• Easy Paleo Quick-Steamed Vegetables
• Slow Cooker Apple Cider
• Pomegranate Pear Salad
• Gluten-Free Gravy

Happy holidays, friends. I hope you are well and cared for. We are thinking of you and yours, and we’re glad you’re here. ❤️

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