Prepping for dinner or the holidays can be overwhelming. If you are wondering how long to cook turkey breast or how many minutes per pound, you are not alone. Here is everything you need to know - including tips, tricks, time, temperature, & a recipe that will turn out juicy & moist.
This recipe for turkey breast in the oven is amazing for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and any holiday. What I also love about it, is the smaller portion compared to a whole bird makes it so easy & perfect for dinner any time of year. Make sure you save room for Graham Cracker Crust Sweet Potato Pie!
Turkey breasts come in sizes ranging from 4 pounds to 12 pounds typically. This is much less than even the smaller turkeys. But if you do want white & dark meat for a small family gathering, follow my recipe for how long to cook a 12-pound turkey.
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325° or 350° Temperature Recommendation
Is it better to cook a turkey breast at 325° or 350°? This is where we start. Preheating the oven to the best temperature is the first step to cooking a delicious turkey breast.
Though both temperatures can be used, 350° is the best temperature. The skin will get more crispy without drying out the meat. For reference, this article will cover cooking turkey breast at 350°.
Ingredients
The best turkey breasts are well seasoned, moist on the inside, & have a crispy outer skin. Butterball has a great boneless turkey breast or buy one at a butcher shop or farmer's market.
If bought frozen, make sure it is thawed before cooking. I order mine annual through ButcherBox & it's amazing.
- 5-Pound Turkey Breast - one without the bones and the skin on makes for the best choice.
- Salted Butter - room temperature butter helps make the skin crispy, adds flavor, and helps the seasoning stick.
- Seasoning Blend - Kinder's Buttery Poultry Blend is an easy store-bought choice or make your own rub. Spices such as paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic are yummy. Also, add herbs like sage & thyme that pair well with turkey
See the section for a homemade spice rub below or the recipe card for quantities & full instructions.
How to Oven Roast a Turkey Breast
Here are the easy steps for roasting a whole turkey breast in the oven. The key is to preheat the oven & properly season the meat before cooking.
If you have the time, I highly recommend brining the breast for 1-2 days before co You can use my dry brine method & lather it with salt 48 hours before cooking it.
Here are the easy steps for oven-roasting a turkey breast.
- Preheat Oven & Prep Turkey
- Roast the Turkey Breast
- Rest, Slice, & Serve
1 - Preheat Oven and Prep Turkey
Preheat the oven to 350°. While it is preheating, let the turkey breast come to room temperature on the counter.
Rub the outside of the turkey breast meat & skin with the salted butter. Coat the butter with a lot of the Kinder's Buttery Poultry Blend. Use your hand to press it on so it sticks to the butter & the bird.
Instead of store-bought, use my recipe for homemade spice rub for turkey. It is savory, salty, sweet, & a tab bit spicy for amazing flavor.
Hint: fresh sprigs of herbs, whole garlic cloves, and slices of citrus can also be added to the roasting pan for a flavor boost.
2 - Roast the Turkey Breast
Once the breast is prepped & seasoned, place it with skin side up in a roasting pan. You can use one with or without a rack. Tent turkey breast loosely with aluminum foil.
Roast the boneless turkey breast in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the foil after 1 hour and continue cooking for 30-45 more minutes. Baste with the juices as needed.
For a 5-pound turkey breast. The juices should run clear and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast will read 165° when ready.
Once an instant-read thermometer reaches 165° in the thickest part of the turkey breast, it is ready. Carefully remove it from the oven using oven mitts.
3 - Rest, Slice, & Serve
Place the foil back over the top to keep it warm while the meat rests. Let it rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Hint: Resting the turkey breast is important. As it rests the juices redistribute through the meat for a juicy and tender result that is mouth-watering.
Transfer the turkey breast to a large cutting board. Use a sharp chef's knife for cutting meat or an electric knife with a serrated blade, make slices. Thick 1" slices are great for Thanksgiving dinner. Or slice thinly for sandwiches at about ¼" inch in thickness.
How Many Minutes Per Pound
When making a turkey breast in the oven, calculating the cooking time by pound is the easiest method. When roasting a whole turkey breast that is not stuffed, aim for about 20 minutes per pound at 350°.
For example, a 5-pound turkey breast will take about 1 hour 40 minutes to reach 165° internal meat temperature.
Equipment Needed
The right ingredients, supplies, & equipment help recipes taste amazing & turn out well. Here are recommendations for products that are needed for making a juicy turkey breast for Thanksgiving. Shop this recipe & buy these top-rated items today.
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Storing & Reheating
Leftover cooked turkey breast will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Place slices in an air-tight container and keep chilled. Roasted turkey can also be frozen for up to 30 days.
To reheat turkey, add slices to a pan and reheat in the oven at 400° for 5 minutes.
Top Tips
All of these great tips are shared in the post. But these are so good and important they are worth mentioning again so you don't miss them.
- Let the turkey breast sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before putting it in the oven.
- Season liberally, poultry needs a lot of salt & spices for added flavor.
- Cover the turkey with foil for the first hour to retain juices in the steam. Remove it for the final cooking so the skin can brown and crisp up.
- Turkey breast must reach a safe 165° internal temperature to be ready.
- Let the turkey rest before slicing it to keep it juicy.
What to Serve with Turkey Breast
These are my favorite dishes to serve with oven-roasted turkey breast:
FAQ
If you have butterflied the breast & filled it with stuffing, the turkey will take longer to cook. Calculate 30 minutes per pound for a stuffed breast. Just as with any turkey, the internal temperature of the meat must reach 165°. The stuffing needs to also reach 165° so you must check that as well.
Serving size: a 3-pound turkey breast will feed 5 adults, a 5-pound turkey breast should feed about 7-8 adults, and a 7-pound turkey breast should feed about 9-10. This is for an unstuffed recipe without any leftovers.
How Much Turkey Breast Per Person?
As a rule of thumb, buy 1 pound of boneless turkey breast per person if you want some leftovers or ½ pound of turkey per person without leftovers.
How Long to Cook Turkey Breast
Equipment
- instant-read thermometer
- roasting pan
Ingredients
- 5 pound turkey breast skin-on & boneless
- ¼ cup salted butter, softened at room temperature * ½ a stick
- Kinder's Buttery Poultry Blend or any spice blend
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. While the oven is preheating, let the turkey breast come to room temperature on the counter.
- Rub the outside of the turkey breast meat & skin with the salted butter. Coat the butter with a lot of the Kinder's Buttery Poultry Blend. Use your hand to press it on so it sticks to the butter & the bird. Liberally add a lot of the spices or seasoning blend you are using. See the recipe note below for a good homemade combination.
- Place the turkey breast with skin side up in a roasting pan. Tent turkey breast loosely with aluminum foil.
- Roast the turkey in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the foil after 1 hour and continue cooking for 30-45 more minutes.
- For a 6-7 pound turkey breast. The juices should run clear and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast will read 165° when ready. (depends on the weight of your breast)
- Remove the roasting pan with oven mitts when it is ready. Place the foil back over the top to keep it warm while the meat rests. Let it rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Transfer the turkey breast to a large cutting board. Use a sharp chef's knife for cutting meat to make slices. Thick 1" slices are great for Thanksgiving dinner. Or slice thinly for sandwiches at about ¼" inch in thickness. Serve immediately with gravy, sides, & cranberry sauce.
Notes
- Add a homemade spice rub for turkey on the skin instead of the Kinder's store-bought
- fresh sprigs of herbs, whole garlic cloves, and slices of citrus can also be added to the roasting pan for a flavor boost.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer up to a month.
- Reheat sliced turkey in a shallow pan covered with foil and warm in a 300°F oven for 5-10 minutes depending on how thick or how many slices.
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Nutrition
Turkey Food Safety
Follow these safe food-handling tips when cooking turkey breasts:
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
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