Roasted turkey is a popular choice of dish for the fall season, especially for Thanksgiving dinners. But don’t feel pressured to roast a whole turkey just for tradition’s sake. If you have a small family or if you don’t have enough time to prep and roast one, this is a perfect alternative.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
1 turkey breast (4-6 lbs), boneless and skin-on
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Rinse and pat dry turkey. Place the turkey skin side up on a rack of a roasting pan, or on a lightly greased 9x13 pan. In a small bowl, mash the butter, herbs, salt, and pepper. (Alternatively, you can use 1-2 tbsp olive oil in place of the butter, but also add 2 tsp paprika and 2 tsp oregano to the mixture.)
Lift the skin of the turkey and place 2 tablespoons of the mixture underneath. Lower the skin back down and smooth it out to cover as much meat as possible. Rub the remaining mixture on top of the turkey skin.
Roast the turkey in the oven for approximately 20 minutes per pound (80-120 mins) until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (use a meat thermometer for accuracy). Remove the turkey from the oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let it sit for 15 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Then slice and serve. Done!
Tips/Notes:
Boneless turkey breasts cook faster than bone-in turkey breasts
Cooking at a higher temperature (450 degrees F) and for a shorter time gives you the crispiness of the turkey skin. Stuffing some of the mixture underneath the skin also gives the skin some crispiness.
(recipe adapted from "Dinner then Dessert - Roasted Turkey Breast")