Garlic, rosemary and thyme are mixed into butter and rubbed over this bone-in turkey breast, including beneath the skin where possible. It roasts on a rack above chicken broth; check the thickest parts with a thermometer and let it rest before carving.
AI illustration: The recipe image was created with AI. The finished dish may look different.
Why you will like this recipe
- Herb butter over and under the skin. Mix softened butter with garlic, rosemary and thyme, then rub it onto the turkey breast and beneath the skin where possible.
- A rack above the broth. The bone-in breast roasts on a rack with chicken broth in the pan beneath it.
- Temperature checked before resting. Check several thick areas without touching bone and let the turkey rest before carving.
Substitutions
A boneless turkey breast cooks faster; verify temperature early. Olive oil can replace butter.
Ingredient choices and cooking cues
Softened butter is easier to spread under the turkey skin than melted butter, which tends to run into the roasting pan. Work gently wherever the skin separates naturally, leaving it intact so it still covers the breast. Butter on the outside carries the garlic and herbs across the surface; butter underneath places those flavors closer to the meat. Starting with a dry surface also helps the coating stay where it is spread.
The rack keeps the breast above the broth instead of sitting directly in it. That arrangement lets the pan collect juices while the exposed surface roasts. Broth in the pan is therefore not a signal that the breast should be repeatedly soaked from above. The skin’s color and the meat’s temperature answer different questions: browning shows how the surface is developing, while the thermometer checks the thick interior.
A breast of this size can have noticeably different thicknesses from one side to the other. Check the several thick areas required by the method rather than relying on the first reading. If the outside becomes dark before those checks reach the specified temperature, the loose foil tent manages further browning while roasting continues. Preserve the full resting period before carving so serving does not begin immediately after the oven stage.
Use a thermometer rather than color or time alone, and sanitize every surface that touched raw poultry.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate carved turkey within 2 hours for up to 4 days. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C).
Recipe card
Garlic Herb Roast Turkey Breast
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Set the turkey breast on a rack in a roasting pan.
- Mix butter, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pat turkey dry and rub the mixture over and under the skin where possible.
- Pour broth into the pan. Roast for 75 to 95 minutes, tenting loosely if the skin browns too fast.
- Check the thickest part in several places without touching bone. Remove when it reaches 165°F (74°C). Rest for 20 minutes before carving.
Notes
Estimated nutrition per serving
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Energy | 385 kcal |
| Protein | 48.7 g |
| Fat | 20.8 g |
| Saturated fat | 6.6 g |
| Carbohydrate (including fiber) | 1.1 g |
| Fiber | 0.2 g |
| Sugar | 0.1 g |
| Sodium | 458 mg |
Estimates are calculated from the ingredient amounts and standard food composition references, divided into the stated number of equal servings. They are not laboratory measurements. Brands, substitutions, optional additions and portion sizes can change the result. Optional toppings, extra side dishes and unspecified added salt are excluded from the base estimate.
Together in the kitchen
Check the turkey breast with a thermometer in several thick areas until the required final temperature of 165°F (74°C) has actually been reached, then let the meat rest for 20 minutes before carving.
Kitchen Testing Note
In my test, actually measuring the required 165°F (74°C) in several thick areas of the turkey breast, followed by the full 20-minute rest specified in the recipe card, gave a juicy result.
Frequently asked questions
Can I prepare it ahead?
Mix the herb butter one day ahead. Apply it shortly before roasting.
How much turkey per person?
A bone-in breast of this size serves about 6 to 8 people with side dishes.
Does the same timing work for a boneless breast?
No direct timing conversion is provided here. A boneless piece may be rolled or shaped differently, changing its thickness and cooking behavior. The stated window belongs to the bone-in breast size in the recipe, with the specified thermometer checks determining its finish.
Can dried herbs replace the fresh rosemary and thyme?
Dried herbs are more concentrated and have a different texture, so the fresh-herb quantities should not be transferred unchanged. They can also become prominent on the exposed surface. Fresh rosemary and thyme give the closest match to this recipe’s butter coating.
What if the turkey skin darkens before the centre is ready?
Tent the breast loosely with foil as directed and continue roasting. Browning describes the surface, not the centre: check several thick areas without touching bone, and use 165°F (74°C) as the required temperature before the 20-minute rest.
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