A 4-pound (1.8 kg) fresh, bone-in turkey breast takes about 1 hour 40 minutes to roast at 325°F (163°C), though the thermometer—not the clock—determines when it is done. This simple version seasons the breast with herbs, lemon, and garlic, then roasts it over onion and broth for tender slices and flavorful pan juices.
Plan on roughly 20–25 minutes per pound as a starting estimate, but size, shape, and your oven can change the timing. Allow about 20 minutes for the meat to rest after roasting; that pause makes it easier to carve neatly.
Ingredients
- 1 fresh bone-in, skin-on turkey breast, about 4 lb (1.8 kg), fully thawed if previously frozen
- 1 medium yellow onion, about 5 oz (150 g), cut into thick wedges
- 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
- 1 medium lemon, about 4 oz (120 g), halved
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 1¼ tsp (7 g) fine salt, or 2 tsp (6 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder
- 1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme
- ½ tsp (0.5 g) dried rosemary, crumbled
- 1 tsp (2 g) paprika, sweet or smoked
Instructions
- Heat the oven and prepare the pan. Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 325°F (163°C). Arrange the onion wedges in a roasting pan or oven-safe baking dish just large enough to hold the breast. Pour the broth into the pan around the onion; the onion will lift the turkey slightly above the liquid and flavor the drippings.
- Prepare the turkey. Remove the breast from its packaging and take out any neck or giblet packet tucked inside. Do not rinse raw poultry, since splashing water can spread germs around the sink. Pat the skin and exposed meat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Dry skin browns more readily, while excess moisture can make the surface steam.
- Mix and apply the seasoning. Stir together the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, and paprika in a small bowl. Rub the mixture evenly over the skin and, where accessible, beneath the skin without tearing it. If the breast has a cavity, squeeze one lemon half inside; set the other half cut-side up in the roasting pan. The lemon adds fragrance but is not needed for safe cooking.
- Position the breast. Place the turkey skin-side up on top of the onions. Tuck the wing tips behind the breast if they are loose, so they do not stick out and overbrown. Leave the skin uncovered. If your pan is shallow, check that the broth is below the breast rather than washing over the seasoned skin.
- Roast, checking the temperature as it cooks. Put the pan in the oven and roast for about 1 hour 40 minutes. Begin checking at 1 hour 20 minutes, because breast shape and oven performance affect the finish time. The USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature for poultry is 165°F (74°C); check it with a food thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, avoiding the bone, and verify more than one thick area. Continue roasting if any reading is below 165°F (74°C), checking again every 10–15 minutes. If the skin is already deeply browned before the center is ready, loosely tent the breast with foil.
- Rest before carving. Transfer the cooked breast to a cutting board and rest it for 20 minutes, loosely covered with foil. The temperature must have reached 165°F (74°C) before it leaves the oven; resting is for juicier, easier carving, not a substitute for reaching the safe temperature. Save the onion and pan juices if you want to serve them alongside the meat.
- Carve and serve. Cut along one side of the breastbone, then follow the bone with the knife to remove each breast lobe. Slice the meat across the grain into even pieces, keeping the slices together if you are arranging them on a platter. Spoon a little warm pan juice over the slices, and offer additional juices at the table.
Tips
- Use temperature rather than appearance. Brown skin and clear-looking juices do not prove that the center is safely cooked. A digital instant-read thermometer is the most dependable guide. Insert the probe from the side into the thickest portion so the tip sits in the meat rather than touching bone or entering the cavity.
- Adjust salt for the turkey you bought. Some packaged breasts are labeled “enhanced,” “self-basting,” or “contains a solution.” They may already contain salt, so reduce the added salt by half or follow the package’s sodium information. If the breast is brined, taste the pan juices before adding any more salt.
- Keep the skin uncovered unless it browns too fast. Covering the whole time traps steam and tends to soften the skin. A loose foil tent is useful only when the skin has browned enough while the meat still needs time to reach 165°F (74°C).
- Keep raw poultry cold until you are ready. Refrigerate a fresh breast at 40°F (4°C) or colder and cook it within 1–2 days of purchase. Keep it separate from ready-to-eat foods, and wash hands, utensils, and work surfaces after contact with raw turkey. If frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the sliced breast warm with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, green beans, or a crisp salad. The pan juices are a quick, light accompaniment: spoon off excess fat if desired, then pour the remaining liquid and softened onions into a small saucepan and heat until steaming. For a thicker gravy, whisk 1 tbsp (8 g) flour into 1 tbsp (14 g) melted butter in a saucepan, cook briefly, then gradually whisk in 1 cup (240 ml) strained pan juices or broth and simmer until thickened. Taste before seasoning, especially if the turkey was salted or enhanced.
For a smaller meal, serve a few slices with bread or rolls and a simple vegetable side. Leftover slices are also useful cold in sandwiches, or warmed gently and served over rice, noodles, or a grain bowl. If serving a crowd, carve only what you need at first and keep the rest of the breast whole; the larger piece is less likely to dry out while waiting.
Variations
Use fresh herbs. Replace the dried thyme and rosemary with 1 tbsp (3 g) chopped fresh thyme and 1 tsp (1 g) finely chopped fresh rosemary. Fresh herbs give a brighter, greener aroma; the dried amounts are more concentrated, so do not swap them spoon-for-spoon.
Change the seasoning. For a citrus-herb profile, add 1 tsp (2 g) finely grated lemon zest to the oil mixture. For a warmer, savory flavor, replace the paprika with ½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin and add ½ tsp (1 g) ground coriander. Keep the salt and the cooking method the same.
Roast a boneless breast. A boneless breast can be prepared with the same seasoning, but its shape and weight may differ, so do not rely on the timing for a 4-pound bone-in breast. Start checking earlier and use a thermometer in the thickest section. A tied or rolled breast may cook unevenly if the roll is especially thick.
Make it dairy-free or gluten-free. This recipe is already dairy-free as written. The optional gravy can be made gluten-free by thickening the pan juices with a cornstarch slurry instead of flour: stir 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch with 1 tbsp (15 ml) cold water, whisk it into simmering juices, and cook until thickened. Check that your broth is suitable for your needs.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate cooked turkey within 2 hours of cooking, sooner if the room is very warm. Remove the meat from the bone and store it in a shallow, airtight container with a spoonful of pan juice to help it stay moist. Properly refrigerated cooked turkey keeps for 3–4 days. Freeze portions in airtight freezer-safe packaging for best quality for about 2–3 months; thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat only the amount you plan to eat. Cover slices with a little broth or pan juice and warm them in a covered baking dish at 325°F (163°C) until the center reaches 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer. A microwave also works: cover the slices, heat in short intervals, and turn or rearrange them so they warm evenly to 165°F (74°C). Avoid repeatedly reheating the entire batch, which can dry the meat and makes it harder to handle leftovers safely.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does fresh turkey breast take to cook per pound?
At 325°F (163°C), a bone-in breast often needs about 20–25 minutes per pound, so a 4-pound breast may take roughly 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes. Treat that as a planning estimate, not a guarantee: shape, starting temperature, pan, and oven all affect the time. Begin checking early and cook until the thickest meat reaches 165°F (74°C).
Does fresh turkey breast cook faster than frozen turkey breast?
A fully thawed fresh breast and a fully thawed breast that was previously frozen cook according to their size and shape; the label “fresh” alone does not provide a reliable time adjustment. A frozen breast needs to be thawed safely in the refrigerator before following this recipe. Do not roast a breast that is still frozen in the center using the timing given here, since it will take longer and can cook unevenly.
Where should I put the thermometer in a turkey breast?
Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, approaching from the side if that makes it easier to avoid the bone. Check another thick area as well, since one spot can be warmer than another. If the breast is boneless and rolled, measure near the center of the thickest section. Clean the thermometer after checking undercooked poultry.
Should I cover turkey breast while it roasts?
Roast it uncovered to give the skin a chance to brown. If the surface becomes dark before the interior reaches 165°F (74°C), loosely lay foil over the top for the remaining cooking time. Do not seal the pan tightly: a close cover holds in steam and can soften the skin. The broth belongs around the meat, not poured over its skin.
How long should turkey breast rest, and can I rest it longer?
A 20-minute rest is a practical amount of time for this breast and gives the juices a chance to settle before slicing. Keep it loosely tented rather than tightly wrapped, which can soften the skin. If dinner is delayed, keep the turkey hot rather than leaving it at room temperature for an extended period, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Why is my turkey breast dry even though I followed the time?
Time is only an estimate, and breast meat can dry out if it stays in the oven after it has reached 165°F (74°C). Check early with a reliable thermometer and remove it as soon as the thickest areas meet the safe minimum. Slicing across the grain, resting before carving, and serving the meat with pan juices also help make each portion more pleasant to eat.
Related
- Eggnog Recipe: A Smooth, Cooked Holiday Classic
- Eggnog Recipe UK: A Creamy, Gently Spiced Classic
- Eggnog Recipe No Sugar: Creamy and Smooth
More recipes to cook
Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).