You’ll love this roasted turkey breast recipe with garlic, herbs, and orange. It’s much quicker to make than a whole turkey, but just as delicious.
This roasted bone-in turkey breast is a game-changer. It’s unbelievably moist and juicy, and the combination of garlic, herbs, and orange is truly delicious.
With our recipe, you get all the deliciousness of whole roasted turkey without the fuss. This simple recipe serves six, making it perfect for smaller holiday gatherings or just a special dinner. For more like this, see our perfect roasted chicken.
Key Ingredients
- Turkey Breast: I prefer a bone-in turkey breast for this recipe because you can roast it upright. This helps the skin get beautifully browned and crisp. A 6 to 7-pound turkey breast will easily serve 6 people.
- Garlic and Herbs: We go heavy on the garlic and fresh herbs here! I love fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage. If your grocery store sells fresh herb poultry packets, you can pick one up, and it will likely have everything you need.
- Garlic and Herbs: These infuse the turkey with a classic, delicious flavor. A fresh herb poultry packet from the store works perfectly. The fresh-squeezed orange and lemon juice, along with some orange slices, brighten up the entire dish.
- Orange and Lemon: The fresh-squeezed orange and lemon juice, along with some orange slices, really make this dish special. I love the combination, but if you need to drop one or the other, you can.
- Broth: Adding broth to the bottom of the roasting pan creates a steamy environment, guaranteeing a moist and juicy turkey breast. Chicken or turkey broth is ideal, but veggie broth works great, too.
- Mustard: A bit of Dijon mustard perfectly balances the sweetness of the orange. Whole-grain mustard works too.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Roasted Turkey Breast
Tip 1: The secret to crispy skin. The best way to get that perfectly browned, crispy skin is to roast the turkey breast upright. I use a roasting pan with a rack, which is a big help since the breast can be a little wobbly on its own. If you don’t have a rack, use a baking dish that fits the turkey breast snugly. Then, use thick slices of orange to prop it up so it stands tall and gets maximum air circulation. You can also use slices of lemon, onion, carrots, or any other vegetables you have on hand.
Tip 2: Use our garlic and herb paste. You’ll make a paste with the garlic, herbs, mustard, salt, pepper, and some olive oil. Then, rub it all over the turkey, even underneath the skin. You want it everywhere. Hands are the best tools, but you can use a pastry brush or a small spoon.
Tip 3: Roast at 325°F for soft and juicy meat. I like a lower oven temperature for roasting bone-in turkey breast. It cooks more slowly, resulting in softer, juicer meat. Expect it to take 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Serving Suggestions
We love serving the turkey off the bone. Carefully cut each breast off the bone, then slice it into thick slices. Then, spoon the pan juices over the turkey slices. This roast turkey breast is perfect for entertaining during the holiday season. I’ve even made it for Thanksgiving! Some of my favorite side dishes are below:
- Easy Gravy or Turkey Gravy
- Mashed Potatoes or Mashed Cauliflower
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Easy Roasted Butternut Squash
- Roasted Carrots with Parsley Butter
- Shaved Fennel and Arugula Salad (so good with the oranges!)
- Mushroom Stuffing or this Classic Stuffing
- Green Bean Casserole (from scratch)
- Brie Stuffed Dinner Rolls
More Holiday Recipes
Garlic Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
Roasted turkey breast is quicker to make than a whole turkey but will still easily serve six. It’s unbelievably moist and juicy, too. It’s easiest to use a roasting pan with a rack. Since we’re only roasting the breast, the rack keeps the breast upright. If you don’t have a rack, use a baking dish that just fits the turkey breast, place it into the dish, and then, if you find it unstable, use slices of orange to prop the breast up a little so it stands tall. (Instead of orange slices, try lemon or onion slices or even carrots).
You Will Need
1 whole bone-in turkey breast, 6 ½ to 7 pounds, thawed
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ cup chicken or turkey broth
1 orange, sliced
Directions
1Preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C).
2Put turkey breast, skin-side up, in a heavy roasting pan or baking dish, preferably on a rack. (If you do not have a rack, you will need to cushion and prop the turkey breast up with orange slices later to stabilize it).
3Stir garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt, pepper, olive oil, and mustard to form a paste. Use your fingers to lift the skin away from the breast meat and spread half of the paste directly on the meat. Smear the remaining paste all over the outside of the turkey breast.
4Pour the orange juice, lemon juice, and chicken broth into the bottom of the roasting pan. Scatter orange slices around the pan, and if needed, use a couple of slices to prop the turkey breast upright so that it is stable.
5Roast the turkey breast for 1 ½ to 2 hours until the skin is golden brown and an internal thermometer registers 160°F (71°C) when inserted into the thickest part of the breast. (It’s best to check multiple locations to be sure). If, while it roasts, you notice the turkey is browning more than you’d like, cover the turkey loosely with aluminum foil and continue to roast until done.
6When the turkey is done, remove it from the oven, cover it with aluminum foil, and allow it to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
7Pour the juices left in the roasting pan into a small jug and skim any fat from the top.
8Slice the turkey and serve with the pan juices spooned over the top.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Thawing tips: If you cannot find a fresh, unfrozen turkey breast, you must thaw it. To do this, buy the frozen turkey 2 days in advance, then thaw the breast side up, unopened, on a baking sheet in the fridge. If you are in a rush, you can also thaw the turkey in cold water (much quicker). Thaw it with the breast side down, unopened, with enough cold water to cover the turkey completely. Change the water every 30 minutes until it is completely thawed. Using the water method, a 7-pound turkey breast will take about 3 hours to thaw. For more information, look at Butterball’s tips for thawing turkey.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We assumed 6 servings, which means 6 very generous portions. You will likely have leftovers.
Can I use the pan drippings to make your gluten free/dairy free gravy (recipe here: https://signal-ward.live/36231/easy-gravy-recipe/%3C/a%3E%29, or will it taste weird due to the citrus and I should stick with broth?
You might want to do a 50-50 blend.
Thinking about making this but unsure if I’ll be able to find turkey breast with skin on. Is it as flavourful if I make this with a turkey breast filet (boneless skinless)? Would I need to change temperature or cooking time? Thank you!
Here’s our turkey breast recipe that should provide better guidance on bake time and temperature.
Can I still use a turkey bag after I follow everything?
Are you referring to baking the turkey in a bag. We do not do this ourselves and prefer roasting the turkey uncovered so that it gets nice and browned.
This came out perfectly, without a doubt the best turkey I’ve made. It wasn’t the least bit dry, and it was full of flavor.
So glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe looks great. I have a group of 14 people so would I need to make two of these recipes as listed above? Meaning if I put two 6-7 lb turkey breasts in the oven, do I need to double the cook time if using the same directions?
Hi Anthony, The cook time should not be too different. I’d just keep an eye on the turkey and rotate a few times for even browning.
The turkey breast I bought weighs almost 9 lbs. How long should I cook it?
Hi Felicia, You’ll need to add some cook time — maybe 20 to 30 more minutes. I’d use an internal thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey as it cooks to be sure.
My family and I are not big turkey fans. Even though, I’ve baked some good ones in the past. However, this recipe looks absolutely delicious!! I can’t wait to try it!!
Made this yesterday and it was delicious!! So moist and tender! Thanks so much for the recipe! I will be making this every Thanksgiving! 🙂
What are your thoughts on using an oven bag? Will it affect cooking time?
Hi AK, I’d imagine the oven bag would take a similar amount of time.
Looks delicious! I live in a high altitude area 7350 feet. Do I need to adjust the temperature like 350 or the cooking time in order to have a juicy turkey breast?
Thank you!
I would keep the temperature at 325F. You might want to consider adding a little more liquid to the pan or fill another pan with several cups of water and place it on a lower rack. This will create more steam while the turkey roasts and should help to prevent it from drying out. Basting occasionally with the cooking liquid is a good idea, too.
Hi Joanne,
I am thinking about using this recipe on bone in skin on chicken breast. I thinking about an hour but not sure if this is enough time for skin to brown? Loved to have your thoughts.
I am new to your site and I feel comfortable that you do not share e-mail info with others.
Thank you and looking forward to trying your recipes.
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl, That should be plenty of time for the skin to brown. Here’s a link to our whole chicken recipe, you can see that we roast it around 425 degrees F for 1 hour. Just the breast will likely take slightly less time.
Joann this recipe sounds great. Would I be able to use the breast without the bone in it?
Thank you.
Hi there, you can but will need to consider cooking time. Boneless turkey breast will take less time.
The photo is as good as the turkey breast tastes. Oranges and olive oil are great with turkey. Jerusalem flavors. Roasted carrots and potatoes are a great side dish here. Even a nice salad with orange slices and Balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts. I always wanted to live in a warmer climate again. I made this meal and it was delicious. A new reason to move back to Jerusalem, the oranges and all of the rest of the wonderful,fresh produce. my family and I lived in Israel when I was a young child. I will always remember my Grandmother’s poppy seed cookies. And who can forget the street carts with Falafel Sandwiches? The best in the world.
This looks too good not to make this weekend. It looks incredibly juicy and delicious.
Great! So glad it worked well for you.
Wonderful recipe! it came out just perfect. Moist and deliciously seasoned. Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Love this! This got me over my fear of cooking a turkey breast. I’ve made this twice and it came out perfect both times. Thank you!!
Great! No need to be fearful when cooking 🙂
Great! So glad you enjoyed it!
This turkey looks so moist and flavorful!
Can you use this recipe on a full turkey, not just the breast?
Yes, the cooking time for a full turkey will be longer.
Aww, thank you for writing back so promptly! Happy Thanksgiving to you! We made the recipe, just as printed, with the exception of using unrefined extra virgin coconut oil instead of olive oil, and we roasted it uncovered for 1 hour and 50 minutes, it was a 5 pound, free range, vegetable fed, hormone free whole turkey breast with bone, and it turned out amazing!! So juicy and delicious!!! I also added a little bit of dried sage and thyme to the rub. Wow, it was soooo good! Thanks for the recipe and for making our turkey feast quite tasty and simple at the same time! Will be making again for sure!
Did you taste a coconut flavor when using extra virgin coconut oil?
Great, so happy you both enjoyed it! Happy Holidays!
We’re excited to try this one out tomorrow for Thanksgiving, since it’s just the 2 of us this year while in a vacation rental. Was curious about cooking it uncovered the entire time though, it doesn’t dry out too much? I’m tempted to cover it with foil – but will try it your method and see how it goes! Love your photos, looks yummy!
Uncovered is the way to go – if after 1 1/2 – 2 hours the turkey is still not fully cooked in the middle, you can cover.
By cooking uncovered the skin becomes golden brown and holds in all the turkey juices.