How Long to Cook Half a Turkey Breast

A 3½- to 4-pound bone-in half turkey breast takes about 1 hour 40 minutes to roast at 350°F (175°C), followed by a 20-minute rest; begin checking at 1 hour 20 minutes. Roasted with a simple herb butter, it makes tender, easy-to-slice turkey for a small holiday meal or a weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

1 bone-in, skin-on half turkey breast, 3½ to 4 lb (1.6 to 1.8 kg)
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (28 g)
1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)
1 tsp fine sea salt (6 g)
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (1 g)
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced (6 g)
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary (about 3 g)
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (about 1 g), or ½ tsp dried thyme (about 0.5 g)
½ lemon, cut into wedges (about 60 g)
1 medium yellow onion, cut into thick wedges (about 150 g)
1 cup low-sodium chicken or turkey broth (240 ml)

Instructions

Prepare the turkey and pan. Set the oven rack in the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Take the turkey out of its packaging, remove any packet of giblets, and pat the skin and exposed meat dry with paper towels. Dry skin browns more readily than damp skin. If the breast is tied with oven-safe twine, leave it in place; remove any plastic parts. Put the onion wedges and lemon in a roasting pan or oven-safe skillet, then pour in the broth. The vegetables lift the breast slightly and flavor the pan juices.
Season the breast. Stir the softened butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, and thyme together in a small bowl. Gently loosen the skin over the breast with your fingers, taking care not to tear it. Spread about half of the butter mixture under the skin, then rub the rest over the outside. If the skin will not loosen easily, spread the mixture over it instead. Place the breast skin-side up on top of the onion and lemon, with the thickest part facing the center of the pan.
Roast until safely cooked. Put the pan in the oven and roast without covering it. For a 3½- to 4-pound bone-in half breast, plan on about 1 hour 40 minutes, but weight, shape, starting temperature, and oven accuracy all affect the timing. Begin checking at 1 hour 20 minutes: insert an instant-read food thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, without touching bone. The USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature for poultry is 165°F (74°C); roast longer and recheck if the reading is lower. Take the turkey out only after it reaches that temperature.
Rest before carving. Transfer the cooked breast to a warm board or platter, tent it loosely with foil, and rest for 20 minutes. Resting gives the juices time to settle and makes carving easier; do not tightly wrap the skin, which can soften it. Keep the pan juices for serving. If you want to skim off fat, let the liquid stand briefly so the fat rises, then spoon it away.
Carve and serve. Cut along the breastbone and follow the rib cage with a sharp knife to remove the meat in large sections. Slice across the grain into even pieces and arrange them on a platter. Spoon a little warm pan juice over the slices, or serve it on the side. If the breast is boneless rather than bone-in, use the same temperature target, but start checking earlier because it may cook faster.

Tips

Use temperature, not the clock, as the final test. The cooking time is a useful estimate for the specified size, not a guarantee. A narrow breast may finish sooner than a broad one of the same weight, and ovens can run hot or cool. Check in the thickest part of the meat and take more than one reading if the shape is uneven. Avoid touching the bone with the thermometer because it can give a misleading reading.
Check whether the turkey is already salted. Some packaged turkey breasts are labeled enhanced, seasoned, or brined. These may contain added salt, so reduce the recipe’s salt or leave it out and season lightly at the table. If the label is unclear, check the ingredients list for salt or a solution before seasoning.
Adjust herbs to what you have. Dried thyme works in place of fresh, as listed; use about half as much because dried herbs are more concentrated. You can swap the rosemary for chopped sage or parsley, or use a small pinch of dried rosemary. Fresh herbs are easy to find in many grocery stores, but dried herbs are a practical substitute with a slightly less fresh, leafy flavor.
Keep the skin uncovered in the oven. A lid or tight foil cover traps steam and can leave the skin soft. If the skin becomes deeply browned before the center reaches 165°F (74°C), loosely lay a piece of foil over the breast for the remaining cooking time. Avoid adding extra liquid directly over the skin.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the carved turkey with the roasted onion and lemon, plus a spoonful of the savory broth from the pan. For a classic dinner, pair it with mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, green beans, or a crisp salad. Dinner rolls or crusty bread are useful for soaking up the juices. If you are serving a holiday-style meal, cranberry sauce adds a tart contrast, while a simple gravy can be made separately or prepared from the pan liquid after straining and seasoning it.

For a smaller, more casual meal, slice the breast thinly and serve it with rice, buttered noodles, or warm flatbread and a green vegetable. The bone can be saved for soup stock if you plan to use it promptly or freeze it. Remove leftover meat from the bone before storing, rather than leaving a large roast sitting out while everyone serves themselves.

Variations

Lemon-sage: Replace the rosemary with 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage (about 2 g), and add 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (about 2 g) to the butter. Sage gives the roast a more traditional holiday-herb aroma, while the zest brightens the seasoning. Keep the lemon wedges in the pan for their mild citrus flavor.

Smoky paprika: Add 1 tsp sweet paprika (about 2 g) and ½ tsp onion powder (about 1 g) to the butter mixture. This adds color and a warm, savory note without making the turkey hot. For a little heat, add a pinch of cayenne, around ⅛ tsp (0.3 g), rather than increasing the salt.

Boneless half breast: A boneless breast can use the same herb-butter seasoning, but its shape and weight vary, so do not rely on the bone-in timing. Check it earlier and roast until the thickest portion reaches 165°F (74°C). If it is tied into a compact roast, keep the netting on during cooking if the package says it is oven-safe, then remove it before slicing.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate cooked turkey within 2 hours of cooking. Remove the meat from the bone, divide it into shallow airtight containers, and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Store the pan juices separately if possible; a little juice poured over the meat can help it stay moist. Do not leave the breast at room temperature for longer than 2 hours, or longer than 1 hour if the room is above 90°F (32°C).

For longer storage, freeze sliced or pulled turkey in airtight freezer-safe containers or bags. For best quality, use it within 2 to 3 months, and thaw it in the refrigerator rather than on the counter. Reheat only the amount you plan to eat. Add a splash of broth or reserved pan juice, cover, and warm gently in the oven or microwave; check with a food thermometer and heat leftovers to 165°F (74°C). Reheating uncovered or at high heat can dry out the slices.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a half turkey breast take per pound?
At 350°F (175°C), a bone-in half breast in the 3½- to 4-pound range commonly takes around 25 to 30 minutes per pound, but the exact rate varies with shape and oven performance. Use that range only to plan when to begin checking. The reliable endpoint is 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, measured with a food thermometer.

Should I roast a half turkey breast covered or uncovered?
Roast it uncovered so the skin can brown. If the top becomes darker than you want before the meat is done, tent it loosely with foil. A tight cover traps steam and tends to soften the skin. Adding broth to the bottom of the pan helps keep the drippings from scorching, but the liquid should not cover the breast.

Do I need to bring the turkey to room temperature first?
No. It is not necessary to leave raw poultry sitting out to warm up before roasting. Pat it dry, season it, and put it into the preheated oven. A cold breast may take a little longer than the estimate, which is another reason to check temperature rather than depend on a fixed minute-per-pound calculation.

Can I cook a half turkey breast from frozen?
This recipe is written for a fully thawed breast. A frozen or partly frozen roast will take longer and season unevenly, so thaw it in the refrigerator before cooking when possible. Keep raw poultry refrigerated during thawing, place it in a container to catch drips, and do not thaw it on the counter.

Why is my turkey breast dry even though I followed the time?
It may have cooked past 165°F (74°C), or the thermometer may have been placed in a thinner part rather than the center of the thickest area. Start checking early, use an instant-read thermometer, and let the roast rest before slicing. Cutting thinly across the grain and serving the slices with pan juices also helps make the meat pleasant to eat.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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