Citrus Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

If you’re anything like me, cooking a huge Thanksgiving turkey can be really nerve-wracking. It’s a big deal, and when it’s the star of the dinner, you really need it to be amazing.

So I actually prefer to cook a turkey breast instead! Not only are they smaller and easier to cook, they’re also a lot more economical, and easier to fit in your freezer and/or refrigerator.

This recipe takes the easiness factor up a notch by using a boneless turkey breast roast. With no bone, the turkey breast cooks quicker, and carving is so much easier!

In fact, this is a great dinner idea for a non-holiday meal. You get all the comfort of a classic holiday main course, but without being so involved.

How to make roasted boneless turkey breast?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Make the butter. The key here is to make sure the butter is nice and softened, otherwise it won’t mix together well.
2. Butter the turkey breast. I like to add my turkey breast on top of some aromatics (like onion, citrus, fennel, and herbs) for added flavor.
3. Roast. Make sure you loosely cover the baking dish with foil after 20 minutes, to keep the butter from burning.
4. Rest and serve. Resting is important with meats, since it allows the juices inside to redistribute, and will yield a juicier turkey when sliced.

Variations of this recipe

• Skin-on turkey breast – if you have a boneless turkey breast with the skin on, you can use that for this recipe with no changes to roasting time. Roast the turkey skin-side up, and rub some of the butter underneath the skin, as well as on top.
• Dried herbs – dried herbs are more potent than fresh, so if you’d like to use dried rosemary, sage, and thyme, use about 1/2 tsp of each.
• Smoked paprika – if you have smoked paprika on hand, and would like a little smoky flavor added, feel free to use the smoked paprika instead of regular.
• Salted butter – if you have salted butter, you can use that instead of the unsalted that’s called for. Just reduce the kosher salt in the butter by about half.
• Extra flavor boost – try adding about 1/2 cup dry white wine to the baking dish before roasting the turkey.
• Alternate cooking methods – this recipe can also be cooked in the slow cooker or air fryer, check out the “chef tips” section right below the recipe for all the details.

Making boneless turkey breast ahead of time

Turkey tastes best when made fresh, so I don’t recommend making this recipe entirely ahead of time.

However, parts of this recipe can be made ahead.

Ways to prep ahead for this recipe:

• Butter – the citrus herb butter can be combined and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Let the butter sit out at room temperature until softened before using.
• Aromatics – the onion, fennel, orange, and lemon can be cut/sliced and kept refrigerated for several days.

Freezing

Leftover turkey can be sliced and frozen for long term storage. Just add the slices to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 6 months.

Thaw in the refrigerator and heat up to enjoy!

Storage

Leftover turkey breast should be refrigerated in an airtight container and enjoyed within 3-4 days.