Roasted Turkey Breast
This Roasted Turkey Breast with Cranberry Stuffing is perfect for Thanksgiving dinner when you are having a small family holiday that does not require a whole big turkey. Not everyone has huge Thanksgiving get-togethers, right? Making a roasted turkey breast is faster, easier, and really it’s a wonderful family meal for any day of the year.
This turkey dinner really is quite easy to make and so delicious! The turkey breast is coated in a garlic herb butter and it comes out flavorful and the skin is nice and crispy. Another big bonus of making this Thanksgiving meal is that you do not have to deal with a turkey carcass! You get your turkey, stuffing, and cranberries all in one pan. Really, what more do you need? Ok, for Thanksgiving, maybe a few more things. Not to worry, I’ve got you covered!
Side Dishes for Turkey:
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Fresh Cranberry Sauce
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
- Roasted Green Beans
- Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole
- Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots
- Creamed Spinach
- Roasted Cauliflower with Rosemary
- Roasted Potatoes
- Easy Cheddar Biscuits
- Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Note: The printable recipe is located at the end.
Roasted Turkey Breast Ingredients
- Fresh Boneless Turkey Breast (skin-on) – If you are using a frozen turkey breast thaw 24 – 48 hours in the refrigerator.
- unsalted butter – softened
- olive oil
- lemon juice
- minced garlic
- kosher salt
- ground sage
- dried thyme
- freshly ground pepper
Cranberry Stuffing Ingredients
- chicken broth – or turkey broth
- 4 – 5 cups seasoned stuffing mix (2 – 6oz. packages)
- unsalted butter
- dried cranberries
- garlic – minced or chopped
How to make a Roasted Turkey Breast with Cranberry Stuffing
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
In a small bowl, add the softened butter, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper, then stir well to combine.
Carefully loosen the skin of the turkey breast. Spread some of the butter mixture under the skin, and then spread the rest all over the turkey, top and bottom. Place the turkey into the prepared baking dish, skin side up.
Now make the cranberry stuffing. In a large pot, add the butter, minced garlic, and broth. Melt the butter over medium-high heat, stirring to combine and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the seasoned stuffing mix and dried cranberries. Place the lid on the pot and allow it to sit covered for 5 minutes to soak up the broth. Remove lid and give it one last stir.
Spoon the stuffing into the baking dish around the turkey breast.
Place the turkey and stuffing on the center rack of your oven. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue baking for an additional 30 – 45 minutes, or until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Once finished, carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before carving.
Turkey Cooking Tips:
I used a fresh boneless turkey breast with the skin on. If you are using a frozen turkey breast, you must thaw it in advance for 24 – 48 hours in the refrigerator.
The internal temperature of the turkey must be 165 degrees Fahrenheit for it to be fully cooked. The turkey can be removed from the oven once it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit since it will continue to cook a little bit.
Check the turkey with a meat thermometer after it has cooked for 1 hour. Check the temperature of the turkey by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. Cooking times can vary based on the size of your turkey breast and your oven. For reference, my turkey breast was 3.5 lbs. and perfect after a total of 1 hour and 10 minutes in the oven.
Roasted Turkey Breast with Cranberry Stuffing
Ingredients
Roasted Turkey Breast Ingredients:
- 3-4 lb Fresh Boneless Turkey Breast skin on
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground sage
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
Cranberry Stuffing Ingredients:
- 3 1/2 cups chicken broth or turkey broth
- 5 cups seasoned stuffing mix 2 - 6oz. packages
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, add the softened butter, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper, then stir well to combine.
- Carefully loosen the skin of the turkey breast. Spread some of the mixture under the skin, and then spread the rest all over the turkey, top and bottom. Place the turkey into the prepared baking dish, skin side up.
- Now make the cranberry stuffing. In a large pot, add the butter, minced garlic and broth. Melt the butter over medium-high heat, stirring to combine and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the seasoned stuffing mix and dried cranberries. Place the lid on the pot and allow it to sit covered for 5 minutes to soak up the broth. Remove lid and give it one last stir.
- Spoon the prepared stuffing into the baking dish and spread around the turkey breast.
- Place the baking dish on the center rack of your preheated oven. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue baking for an additional 30 - 45 minutes, or until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Check the turkey with a meat thermometer after it has cooked for 1 hour.
Notes
- I used a fresh boneless turkey breast with the skin on. If you are using a frozen turkey breast, you must thaw it 24 - 48 hours in the refrigerator.
- The internal temperature of the turkey must be 165 degrees Fahrenheit for it to be fully cooked. The turkey can be removed from the oven once it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit since it will continue to cook a little bit.
- Check the temperature of the turkey by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.
- Cooking times can vary based on the size of your turkey breast and your oven. For reference, my turkey breast was 3.5 lbs. and perfect after a total of 1 hour and 10 minutes in the oven. Check the turkey with a meat thermometer after it has cooked for 1 hour.
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