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This Oven Roasted Turkey Breast is juicy, tender, and full of flavor, thanks to a simple marinade made with honey, lemon juice, garlic, and spices. It’s easy to prepare and perfect for Thanksgiving, holiday dinners, or anytime you want roasted turkey without cooking a whole bird.
I love making turkey breast when I’m feeding a smaller crowd. It’s easier to prepare than a whole turkey, takes less time to cook, and makes delicious leftovers for sandwiches, soups, and salads.
As a certified nutrition coach, I also keep the marinade simple, using ingredients I already have. The honey adds just a touch of sweetness, while the lemon, garlic, and herbs give the turkey plenty of flavor.
Why Make Turkey Breast Instead of a Whole Turkey?
If you’re only feeding a few people, there isn’t always a reason to cook a whole turkey. A turkey breast is smaller, easier to handle, and takes much less time to cook. You also don’t have to worry about carving an entire turkey.
It’s a great option for a smaller Thanksgiving dinner, Sunday dinner, or anytime you’re craving roasted turkey without all the work.
Key Ingredients
Boneless Turkey Breast: I use a 2- to 4-pound boneless turkey breast for this recipe. If you prefer bone-in turkey breast, you can use it, but it will take longer to cook.
Honey: Honey adds a little sweetness to the marinade and helps the turkey develop a beautiful golden color as it roasts. Honey works well too.
Fresh Lemon Juice: Adds acidity and balances the honey’s sweetness.
Garlic: Fresh garlic gives the marinade plenty of flavor. When you can, I recommend using fresh cloves instead of garlic powder.
Olive Oil: Olive oil helps coat the turkey and carries the marinade’s flavors over the meat. You can also use avocado oil or melted butter.
Chili Flakes: A little chili flake adds subtle heat. If you’re serving this to kids or anyone who doesn’t like spicy food, you can reduce the amount or leave it out completely.
Can I Use Turkey Tenderloins?
Yes. Turkey tenderloins are smaller and cook much faster than a whole turkey breast.
Start checking them around the 30-minute mark, depending on their size, and remove them once they reach 165°F.
Tips for the Best Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Use a meat thermometer: Turkey breast is lean and can dry out quickly if overcooked. Check the thickest part and remove it from the oven once it reaches 165°F.
- Marinate ahead of time: If possible, prepare the turkey the night before and let it marinate in the refrigerator. This gives the flavors more time to develop.
- Don’t skip the resting time: Let the turkey rest for about 10 minutes before slicing to help keep it juicy.
- Cover with foil if needed: If the top starts browning too quickly, loosely cover it with foil while it finishes cooking.
- Slice against the grain: Cutting across the muscle fibers makes the turkey easier to chew.
- Save the pan juices: Spoon some over the sliced turkey before serving for extra flavor. Make sure the juices are thoroughly cooked before using them as a sauce.
How To Make Roasted Turkey Breast
Prepare the turkey: If using frozen turkey breast, thaw it completely in the refrigerator. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
Make the marinade: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, lemon juice, minced garlic, chili flakes, salt, and black pepper.
Marinate the turkey: Place the turkey breast in a large zip-top bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over it and turn to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate overnight if possible, or for at least 30 minutes.
Roast: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Transfer the turkey to a roasting pan or baking dish and roast for about 60 minutes, depending on its size and thickness. Use a meat thermometer to check that the thickest part reaches 165°F.
Rest and serve: Remove the turkey from the oven, loosely cover with foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the pan juices, if desired.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcooking the Turkey: This is the most common reason turkey breast turns out dry. Check the temperature early.
- Skipping the Marinade: The marinade is what gives this turkey its maple, lemon, and garlic flavor. Even a short marinating time is worth it.
- Cutting the Turkey Right Away: Give it a few minutes to rest before slicing.
- Using Time Instead of Temperature: Every turkey breast is a different size and shape, and ovens vary. Use the cooking time as a guide and the thermometer as your final check.
- Slicing With the Grain: Always try to slice against the grain for more tender pieces.
How Do I Keep Turkey Breast From Drying Out?
The biggest thing is to avoid overcooking it. Turkey breast is lean, so it can become dry if it stays in the oven too long. Start checking the temperature before you think it’s done, and remove it once the thickest part reaches 165°F.
Also, don’t skip the resting time. Letting the turkey rest for about 10 minutes before slicing helps keep it juicy.
Common Questions
Thawing a turkey breast is simple. Plan ahead and thaw it in the fridge at least a day in advance. Assuming the turkey breast is between 3 and 5 lbs. Anything larger may take longer than 24 hours to thaw. Don’t forget to place it in a dish to prevent leaks in your fridge.
It was most likely overcooked. Turkey breast is lean and doesn’t need to stay in the oven once it reaches 165°F.
You can roast it uncovered so it can brown nicely. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the rest of the cooking time.
No. Even 30 minutes in the marinade will add flavor, but overnight is best if you have the time. Always marinate the turkey in the refrigerator.
Yes, but a bone-in turkey breast will usually take longer to cook. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness rather than relying on the recipe’s cooking time.
Yes! Turkey tenderloins work well with this marinade. Since they’re smaller, they will cook faster. Start checking them around 25-30 minutes and cook until they reach 165°F.
Storing and Reheating leftovers
- Have extra turkey? Use it to make my Leftover Turkey Soup with vegetables and orzo. It’s an easy way to turn Thanksgiving leftovers into another delicious meal.
- Store leftover turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, freeze the sliced turkey in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, place the turkey slices in a covered baking dish with a splash of broth or pan juices. Warm in the oven until heated through to 165°F. Adding a little liquid helps prevent the turkey from drying out.
What to Serve With Roasted Turkey Breast
This turkey is perfect for a Thanksgiving-style dinner. Serve it with:
- Boursin Mashed potatoes
- Sweet potato casserole
- Roasted sweet potatoes
- Maple roasted carrots
- Green beans Casserole
- Roasted Brussels sprouts
- Roasted Butternut squash
- Orange Cranberry sauce
- Thanksgiving Stuffing
- Turkey Gravy
- Homemade Dinner rolls
What to Do With Leftover Turkey
Leftover turkey is one of my favorite parts of making a roast. You can use your leftovers in so many leftover turkey recipes. Try them in:
- Turkey sandwiches or wraps
- Turkey soup like this leftover turkey soup or this turkey lemon rice soup
- Turkey salads or Turkey grain bowls
- Quesadillas or Pasta
- Add over Salads
Recipe Variations
- Maple Herb Turkey Breast: Swap the honey with maple syrup and add fresh rosemary, thyme, or sage to the marinade for a more classic holiday flavor.
- Garlic Herb Turkey Breast: Skip the honey and add more garlic along with rosemary, thyme, and parsley for a savory version.
- Butter Herb Turkey Breast: Instead of olive oil, use softened or melted butter with fresh herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper.
More Turkey Recipes
- Turkey Pumpkin Chili
- Easy Ground Turkey Meatloaf
- White Bean Turkey Chili
- Easy Garlic Herb Turkey Roast
Thank you so much for being here and for cooking along with me. If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and ⭐️ rating below.
Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 4 pounds Boneless turkey breast , close to 4 lbs, halved, skin removed
For the marinade
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil, or avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons honey, maple syrup or agave will also work
- 3 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
- 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons Chili Flakes
- 2 teaspoons Sea Salt
- 1 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Pat the 4 pounds Boneless turkey breast dry.
- In a small bowl, combine all marinade ingredients. (2 tablespoons Olive Oil, 2 tablespoons honey, 3 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice, 4 Garlic Cloves, 2 teaspoons Chili Flakes, 2 teaspoons Sea Salt, and 1 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper)
- Place the turkey breast in a gallon Ziploc bag with the marinade, and mix well in the bag. For best results, refrigerate overnight to marinate.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Transfer the turkey breast to an ovenproof dish or roasting tray and keep it on the counter for about 20 minutes to get close to room temperature.
- Place it in the preheated oven and roast for about 60 minutes, until the juices run clear when pierced with a fork and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the turkey reads 165°F.
- Allow it to rest, covered with foil, for 10 minutes before carving.
Notes
- Serving size: About 8 oz (½ lb) raw turkey per person, which will give you roughly 5 to 6 oz cooked turkey per serving.
- This recipe uses about 4 pounds of boneless, skinless turkey breast. Cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness.
- Marinate overnight in the refrigerator for the best flavor, or for at least 30 minutes if short on time.
- The recipe uses 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes. Reduce the amount for a milder turkey breast.
- Roast at 375°F until the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Use a meat thermometer for accuracy.
- If the turkey starts browning too quickly, loosely cover it with foil.
- Let the turkey rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain.
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this dish following the recipe using the 3x portion. I used turkey breast tenderloin instead but had over 7 lbs of meat. Somehow the marinade ended up incredibly spicy, there was too much red chili flakes. Hope to try it again but a warning to be careful with the amount of Chili Flakes.
I would definitely only use what you can handle. Will leave a note on there.
I had turkey breast tenderloins, so I halved those (there were four) and cooked it for about 30-35 minutes, and they came out great! Would definitely try it again 🙂
Perfect!
I’m making this tomorrow for dinner. Seeing that I’m up every morning at 3:45 am I’ll make the marinade in the morning and allow it to rest I. The sauce all morning till about noon and then cook it off. I lost pictures once I’m done.
Thanks for sharing
Looking forward to seeing this.
Well as promised I cooked this delicious roasted maple (is used organic honey) turkey breast. It came out so pretty golden brown and the marinade in the pan made a sauce. The smell of the breast just made my house smell o so good. There’s no option for me to upload my photo. Thanks for sharing
Made this for Covid thanksgiving and liked it so much we made it again for Christmas dinner. Even my daughter who “doesn’t like turkey” likes this dish. Thank you!!
Thank you. So happy you guys loved it.
Family favourite! Thank you!
Sometimes I add some guava/apple juice to the bottom of the pan while it’s cooking and baste every so often.
Sounds like a great idea