This herb roasted split turkey breast uses a simple but flavorful herb butter to make moist, juicy turkey with golden, crispy skin. A split turkey breast, also called a half turkey breast, roasts in about an hour and a half, so it's perfect for a smaller holiday meal or any time of the year!
Jump to:
- Quick Look
- Why this recipe works
- What is a split turkey breast?
- Ingredient Notes
- How to make herb butter
- How to cook a split turkey breast
- Scott's Tips
- How Long to Cook a Split Turkey Breast
- Finished temperature for turkey breast
- How to carve and slice a half turkey breast
- What sides to serve with turkey
- Storage and Reheating
- FAQs
- More Turkey Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- You may also like
Quick Look
- Total time: About 1¾ hours, including prep and resting
- Key ingredients: A 3 pound bone-in split turkey breast, butter, fresh parsley, thyme, and rosemary, and poultry seasoning
- Flavor: Savory and buttery with fresh herbs
- Method: Roasted at 425°F for 20 minutes, then finished at 350°F
- Serves: 3 to 4 people
- Serve it with: Classic Thanksgiving sides like mashed potatoes and green beans
If you give this split turkey breast a try, please leave a star rating and a comment below. I love hearing how it turns out for you!
Why this recipe works
A simple herb butter coating bastes the turkey breast as it roasts to flavor the meat and keep it moist and juicy. A typical split turkey breast cooks in about an hour, so it pairs well with easy sides like my InstantPot mashed potatoes and garlic green beans for a stress-free Thanksgiving meal!
What is a split turkey breast?
A split turkey breast, also called a half turkey breast, is one half of a whole turkey breast. They're typically sold bone-in and skin-on and weigh around 3 pounds.
The small size makes a half turkey breast a great option for a small Thanksgiving dinner for 3-4 people. It's also a good option to cook alongside a whole turkey if your family likes mostly white turkey meat at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Ingredient Notes
- Turkey Breast - Split turkey breasts are typically sold year-round, near the fresh refrigerated chicken in most grocery stores. Look for a well-rounded piece that is light pinkish in color. Avoid cuts with dark spots or torn skin.
- Herbs - For the herb butter, I recommend using fresh herbs for the best flavor. I went with rosemary, parsley, and thyme from my garden. Sage is another great addition as well as minced garlic.
How to make herb butter
Combine chopped herbs, salt, pepper, and softened butter in a small bowl and stir to combine. You can use it immediately or store it in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. If refrigerating, you will need to allow it to soften again before spreading on the turkey.
How to cook a split turkey breast
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Season the bone side of the turkey with salt and pepper. Then use your fingers to separate the skin from the meat. Be careful not to tear the skin or completely remove it from the meat. You just need to make enough space to get the butter in under the skin. Rub the herb butter under the skin and on top of the skin to coat the turkey breast. Sprinkle the poultry seasoning over the top.
- Place the turkey on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. If you have leftover herbs, you can place those underneath the turkey for additional flavor. Alternatively, you can use a 9 by 13 baking dish with thickly sliced onions and carrots underneath if you prefer.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F. Continue cooking for around 1 hour until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 160°F in the thickest part of the meat. If the skin begins to get too dark, cover it with foil to prevent burning.
- Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil, then allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
Scott's Tips
- Let the butter soften completely: Soft butter spreads easily under the skin without tearing it. If it's straight from the fridge, let it sit out until it stirs easily.
- Get the butter under the skin: Butter on top of the skin helps it brown, but the butter underneath is what flavors the meat and keeps it juicy. Work it all the way over the breast.
- Lift it off the pan: Setting the turkey on a wire rack, or on a bed of thickly sliced onions and carrots, lets the heat circulate underneath so the bottom roasts instead of sitting in the drippings.
How Long to Cook a Split Turkey Breast
A 3 pound split turkey breast takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes: 20 minutes at 425°F, then about 1 hour at 350°F. That works out to roughly 25 minutes per pound, so a smaller breast will be done sooner and a larger one will take a little longer.
Every turkey breast is a little different, so always go by temperature, not the clock. Start checking about 15 minutes early, and pull the turkey when the thickest part reaches 160°F.
Finished temperature for turkey breast
The USDA guidelines recommend cooking turkey to 165ºF, which is the temperature salmonella is killed almost instantly. However, turkey can dry out very quickly at or above this temperature, and the temperature of the meat will continue to rise a few degrees while it rests. For the juiciest turkey, I recommend pulling your turkey breast from the oven at 160ºF. Check out this great article from Serious Eats on turkey temperature for more detail on the science of turkey temperature.
After removing the turkey from the oven, tent it with foil and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. This gives the juices time to redistribute and keeps the meat moist. The internal temperature will keep rising to a final temperature of around 165°F. Check it again after resting, and if it hasn't reached 165°F, return it to the oven for a few minutes.
When cooking turkey, I highly recommend a digital thermometer with a probe inserted into the thickest part of the meat. It lets you monitor the temperature the whole time and avoid dry, overcooked turkey at your holiday meal. An instant-read thermometer is great for double-checking before you pull it.
How to carve and slice a half turkey breast
- With the skin side down, starting at the thick meaty side of the turkey breast, cut between the meat and the breast bone and follow the curve of the bone toward the ribs, staying as close to the bone as possible.
- Continue cutting along the rib bones until you reach the other side. If necessary, cut around the wing joint and wishbone at the fat end of the turkey breast until the bones are fully removed.
- Slice into thin slices across the meat, along the length of the turkey breast, being careful to keep the skin on the slices, then serve.
What sides to serve with turkey
You can't go wrong with traditional Thanksgiving side dishes with this delicious herb-roasted turkey breast. Here are a few of my favorites!
Storage and Reheating
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Warm individual portions in the microwave until just heated through. For larger servings, cover the turkey and reheat it in a 275°F oven until warm. You can leave the skin on, but it won't be crisp once it's reheated.
FAQs
I don't find it necessary to brine a split turkey breast. Brining helps turkey retain moisture while it cooks, but a split breast cooks much faster than a whole turkey, so it doesn't lose as much moisture along the way.
If you do want to brine, I recommend a dry brine. Rub about 1 tablespoon of salt under and on top of the skin and on the bottom of the turkey breast, then set it on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate it overnight. Be sure to leave the salt out of the recipe if you brine!
No. Roasting it uncovered is what gives you that golden, crispy skin. Only cover it loosely with foil if the skin starts getting too dark before the turkey is done.
Yes. Fresh herbs give the best flavor, but you can use dried. Use about one-third as much, since dried herbs are more concentrated.
In the refrigerator, plan on about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds, so a 3 pound split breast needs about a day. In a pinch, you can thaw it in its packaging in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes and allowing about 30 minutes per pound. Cook it right away if you use the cold water method.
📖 Recipe
Herb Roasted Split Turkey Breast
Equipment
Ingredients
Turkey
- 3 pound bone-in split turkey breast
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
Herb Butter
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the herb butter by combining the chopped herbs, 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and softened butter in a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Place an oven rack in the middle of your oven and preheat to 425°F.
- Season the bone side of the turkey with 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Use your fingers to separate the skin from the meat. Be careful not to tear the skin or completely separate it from the meat. Rub the herb butter under and on top of the skin to coat the turkey breast. Sprinkle the poultry seasoning over the top.
- Place the turkey on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, or in a large baking dish. Place any leftover herbs underneath the turkey for additional flavor.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F. Continue cooking for around 1 hour, until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 160°F in the thickest part of the meat. If the skin begins to get too dark, cover it loosely with foil to prevent burning.
- Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, and rest for 15 minutes. The temperature will rise to about 165°F as it rests. If it hasn't reached 165°F after resting, return it to the oven for a few minutes, then carve.
Notes
- Cook time: Plan on roughly 25 minutes per pound. Always cook to temperature, pulling the turkey at 160°F in the thickest part.
- Brining: If you dry brine the turkey breast, omit the salt in the recipe.
- Herb butter: Make it up to 2 weeks ahead and refrigerate. Let it soften before spreading.
- Carving: Cut the meat away from the bone in one piece, then slice across the grain. See the post for step-by-step carving instructions.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Nutrition: Estimate based on Morton kosher salt and a turkey breast that hasn't been pre-brined.
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
Diane Perris says
I'm going to try this but am concerned about it drying out without it being covered. Many other recipes say to tent it with foil until the end to prevent drying out, and then taking the foil off to crisp up the skin. Thoughts?
Nancy Pitts says
Came out really delicious, nice an juicy and full of flavor. I made a gravy with the pan drippings and that added to the yum.
Wisco says
Thanks for this recipe! Saved the day. My first attempt at turkey from scratch, and it was moist and delicious!
Leah says
after temperature is reduced to 350 approximately how long should we cook it can you give us an idea ballpark figure
Scott says
It should be around 1 hour. Sorry that was in the post but not the recipe card itself. I have updated that now!
Suburban mom says
Made this tonight, with a kosher turkey breast half from Trader Joe’s. Was only about 2 pounds so less oven time, and didn’t need all the herb butter (so save the rest for another dinner). Was so delish! And easy! Made kitchen smell really good. I cooked the turkey along with a sheet-pan of cut-up sweet potatoes, red onion, and yellow squash cause that’s what I had. Definitely a keeper. Thanks!
Scott says
Thanks so much!
Deb says
I have made this before and it was excellent! Tender, tasty & moist! Plan to make again and roast the breast atop homemade stuffing. How much time do you think I should add for turkey for each 160?
Thank you again for this great recipe! A keeper.
Scott says
Hi Deb, Cooking it over stuffing shouldn't make too much of a difference in the cook time. I'd probably plan for around 10 to 15 minutes more, but keep a close eye on the temp of the turkey after an hour so it doesn't overcook. I'd suggest that you let the stuffing cook while the turkey rests to get it to 165F.
Thanks for commenting!
Scott