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roast bone-in turkey breast on a white plate.
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How to Cook a Bone In Turkey Breast

Learn how to cook a juicy bone-in turkey breast with crisp, golden skin using simple ingredients and an easy roasting method. Perfect for small gatherings, holidays, or Sunday dinner with leftovers.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 55 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 743kcal
Author: Cara Lanz

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350. Lower the oven rack to the bottom ⅓ of the oven.
  • Place the turkey breast onto a sheet pan and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Rub the softened butter over the entire turkey breast. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Place the turkey breast side up on a rack in a roaster pan (see notes if you don't have a rack).
    Optional and highly recommended: insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. Otherwise, use an instant-read digital thermometer to check the internal temperature.
  • Cook the turkey breast for 13-15 minutes per pound. Do not baste. This 7-pound turkey breast took 1 hr. 45 min.
    Roast until the thermometer registers 150-155. If the skin becomes too dark during roasting, loosely tent it with foil.
  • Remove the turkey breast from the oven, loosely tent it with a large piece of aluminum foil, and let it rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.
    To carve, slice along the side of the breastbone to release the entire breast half. Repeat on the other side. Place the chicken breast halves skin-side up on a cutting board. Slice each breast half across the grain into even pieces.

Notes

  • To avoid cross-contamination, wash your hands after touching raw poultry, before touching anything else.  
  • Pat the turkey completely dry with paper towels to help the butter and seasonings adhere.  
  • For crispy skin, store it uncovered in the bottom shelf of the fridge for up to 24 hours.
  • For a DIY roasting rack, form lengths of aluminum foil into coils and place them at the bottom of the pan. 
  • A wired probe thermometer is the best way to prevent overcooking. 
  • Let the meat rest after roasting to let the juices redistribute. 

Nutrition

Calories: 743kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 113g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 317mg | Sodium: 1069mg | Potassium: 1mg | Sugar: 0.003g | Vitamin A: 117IU | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.002mg