This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Table of Contents
This perfectly roasted turkey breast owes its juicy texture and fabulous flavor to an easy-to-make compound butter spread under the skin before roasting. Fresh ingredients are the key, and the flavorful ingredients include fresh thyme, sage, rosemary, marjoram, orange zest, and lemon zest.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
We have a small family, so when we plan Thanksgiving dinner, we often serve a turkey breast instead of a whole bird because it minimizes waste and leaves us with fewer leftovers. We’ve perfected a few recipes for turkey breast, including a cider-brined turkey breast, and a boneless turkey breast, rolled and stuffed with an apple and cranberry stuffing.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
- TURKEY BREAST: Look for a fresh turkey breast that suits your needs in terms of size. They can vary in weight from 4 to 9 pounds, with the average falling in the 5 to 7-pound range. If you are making a traditional holiday dinner with all the side dishes (i.e. stuffing, mashed potatoes, etc.), allow for 3/4 to 1 pound of turkey per person. This should still leave you with some leftovers.
- BUTTER: We always recommend using unsalted butter to allow for better control over the seasoning.
- FRESH HERBS: The compound butter for this recipe includes fresh thyme, sage, rosemary, and marjoram. Fresh marjoram is sometimes hard to find, so you can substitute a pinch of dried (about 1/2 teaspoon) or omit it altogether.
- CITRUS ZEST: We call for both lemon and orange zest in our compound butter. If possible, we recommend buying organic for zesting.
- DIJON MUSTARD: Dijon-style mustard adds a little tangy flavor and extra creaminess to the compound butter. If you don’t have it, or don’t care for it, just omit it – don’t substitute it with another type of mustard.
- CHICKEN BROTH: We use low-sodium chicken broth in the roasting pan to add moisture to create a little steam in the oven and prevent the pan drippings from burning. It also serves as a base for making pan gravy.
How to Make A Roasted Turkey Breast with Citrus and Herbs
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Preheat oven to 425°F. Drain any excess juices from the turkey breast and thoroughly pat it dry with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper and set aside.
MAKE THE COMPOUND BUTTER: Combine the butter, thyme, sage, rosemary, marjoram, lemon zest, orange zest and mustard in small bowl until well blended.
RUB THE BUTTER UNDER THE TURKEY SKIN: Being careful not to tear or detach it completely, work your fingers under the skin of the turkey breast to loosen it from the meat. Rub about 2/3 of the butter mixture between the skin and the meat as evenly as possible, then smooth the skin back in place. Rub the remaining butter mixture on the outside of the skin.
ROAST THE TURKEY: Place the turkey breast on a rack in a roasting pan and pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the pan. Place the turkey in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, then rotate the roasting pan in the oven to ensure even browning and reduce the temperature to 325°F. Depending on the weight of the breast, continue roasting for 40 minutes to 1-1/4 hours, basting with the pan juices every 20 minutes. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers 160°F.
LET THE TURKEY REST: Remove the turkey breast from the oven, reserve the pan juices for gravy (see below). Tent loosely with foil and allow it to rest for 20 minutes before carving. For safety, check to be sure the temperature rose to 165°F during resting.
MAKE THE PAN GRAVY: While the turkey is resting, skim any excess fat from the pan juices and transfer them to a 4 cup measure. Add enough extra chicken broth to equal 3 cups of liquid total and pour into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Add to the simmering broth and continue whisking just until thickened and smooth. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and transfer to a bowl or gravy boat for serving.
What to Serve with Roasted Turkey Breast
If you’re trying to make a classic holiday dinner for a group of four to six guests, we suggest the following side dishes:
- Baked Orange Sweet Potatoes (light, with a souffle-like quality)
- Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing (easy to make, moist, and richly flavored)
- Green Beans with Toasted Walnuts and Shallots (a fresh-flavored alternative to green bean casserole)
Roasted Turkey Breast with Citrus and Herbs
Ingredients
- 4-1/2 to 7 lb turkey breast
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons softened, unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh sage, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh marjoram, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more for gravy
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Drain any excess juices from the turkey breast and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Combine the butter, thyme, sage, rosemary, marjoram, lemon zest, orange zest and mustard in small bowl until well blended.
- Being careful not to tear or detach it completely, work your fingers under the skin of the turkey breast to loosen it from the meat.
- Rub about 2/3 of the butter mixture between the skin and the meat as evenly as possible, then smooth the skin back in place. Rub the remaining butter mixture on the outside of the skin.
- Place the turkey breast on a rack in a roasting pan and pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the pan.
- Place the turkey in the oven and roast for 20 minutes at 425°F, then rotate the roasting pan in the oven to ensure even browning and reduce the temperature to 325°F.
- Depending on the weight of the breast, continue roasting for 40 minutes to 1-1/4 hours, basting with the pan juices every 20 minutes. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers 160°F.
- Remove the turkey breast from the oven, reserve the pan juices for gravy (see below). Tent loosely with foil and allow it to rest for 20 minutes before carving. For safety, check to be sure the temperature rose to 165°F during resting.
To Make Pan Gravy:
- While the turkey is resting, skim any excess fat from the pan juices and transfer to a 4 cup measure. Add enough extra chicken broth to equal 3 cups of liquid total.
- Pour the broth into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/4 cup cornstarch with 1/3 cup water.
- Add to the simmering broth and continue whisking just until thickened and smooth.
- Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Transfer to a bowl or gravy boat for serving.
I have made this recipe many times but I roast ours vertically. 165 degrees is perfect temp for serving not removing. Since the bird will raise in temp appox. 5 degrees while resting, it should be removed at 160 or 161 internal. That removes the guess work out of moist and not so moist.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I’m glad you like the recipe over all! You make a good point about the internal temperature. As publishers, we try to follow the USDA food safety guidelines, but those recommendations aren’t always the best when it comes to flavor and texture. I’ve made a little adjustment in the instructions.