This herb roasted split turkey breast recipe uses a simple but flavorful herb butter to produce moist, juicy turkey meat and delicious crispy skin. It's perfect for a holiday meal or any time of the year!
Jump to:
Why this recipe works
A simple herb butter coating bastes the turkey breast as is roasts to flavor the meat and keep it moist and juicy. And a typical split turkey breast will cook in around an hour, so it's perfect to pair with some easy side dishes like my instant pot mashed potatoes and garlic green beans for a stress-free Thanksgiving meal!
What is a split turkey breast?
A split turkey breast is where the breast portion of the turkey is cut into two halves. They are typically sold bone-in and skin-on and are around 3 pounds in size. 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.
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 with foil and allow the meat to rest for at least 15 minutes. This period is important to allow the juices time to redistribute and keep the meat moist. The internal temperature should continue to rise to a final temperature of around 165°F.
When cooking turkey, I highly recommend using a digital thermometer (affiliate link) with a leave-in probe inserted into the thickest part of the meat. This allows you to monitor the temperature throughout the cooking process and avoid dry, overcooked meat at your holiday meal.
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!
Turkey Tips and FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheat individual portions in a microwave until just warmed through, or for lager servings, cover and reheat your leftovers in a 275°F oven until warm.
I don't find it necessary to brine a split turkey breast. Brining helps turkey meat retain moisture while cooking, but a split breast will cook much quicker than a whole turkey, so they don't lose as much moisture during the cooking process.
If you do want to brine your turkey, I recommend using a dry brine. To do this, rub around 1 tablespoon of salt under and on top of the skin and on the bottom side of the turkey breast. Then transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate overnight.
Be sure to omit the salt from the recipe if you do choose to brine your bird!
📖 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 and tent with foil then allow it to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Notes
- 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.
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.
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