Turkey breast is the perfect choice for a moist and delicious Thanksgiving Day meal. We’ll teach you everything you need to know to cook a moist, delicious turkey breast for the holidays.

sliced turkey breast with gravy on a black plate


 

It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without turkey, but sometimes you don’t need a whole bird. Maybe you prefer all white meat, or maybe you’re only serving a smaller group. Turkey breast is perfect holiday dinners for smaller gatherings!

Whatever the reason you’re going to need to know the best way to cook a turkey breast!

We’ll walk you through 3 easy ways to cook a turkey breast, oven, slow cooker, and pressure cooker (Instant Pot). Simple solutions for making a moist, tender turkey for Thanksgiving this year!

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ingredients to cook turkey breast for thanksgiving

Types of Turkey Breast

Bone-in: We recommend bone-in turkey breast because typically you get more flavor when you cook meat with the bone-in. If you want to cut down on cook time you can often find bone-in turkey breast sold as a split breast so it has been cut into two pieces. You get the same amount of meat but it is in small chunks so it takes less time to cook through.

Boneless turkey breast: This type of turkey breast has been cut open and deboned It is usually wrapped in twine to hold it together. It is a great option, though typically a little more expensive since the butcher has done the work of removing the bone.

Skin or No Skin?

The fat under the skin on the turkey helps to keep the meat extra moist. Without the skin helping to hold in the juices a turkey breast can dry out.

If you choose to go with a skinless turkey breast make sure you keep it covered when roasting to help keep the meat moist.

Equipment You’ll Need

To properly cook a turkey breast in the oven you’ll want a roasting pan with a lid. In a pinch you can use a baking dish instead.

If your roasting pan doesn’t have a lid (or you’re using a baking dish) you can use aluminum foil to cover the turkey as it cooks.

turkey breast sliced on a black platter with oranges and cranberries

How to Cook Turkey Breast in the Oven

Cooking a turkey breast in the oven is simple. This simple turkey breast recipe will result in perfectly juicy meat every time.

Step 1 – Prepare your roasting pan. Many come with a rack in the bottom that will keep your turkey lifted up and out of the drippings. We actually prefer to remove the rack and instead we place our turkey breast right on top of a layer of celery stalks, carrots, onions, and cloves of garlic.

Pour chicken broth over the veggies. This will create steam as the turkey cooks which will help keep it moist.

Step 2 – Prepare the turkey. Pat your turkey breast dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl combine the butter, salt, poultry seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Mix well to make a paste.

Rub the seasoned butter mixture over the turkey breast.

Step 3 – Bake. Lay the turkey breast on top of the vegetables breast meat up. Cover with the roasting pan lid or aluminum foil.

Place the turkey breast in the oven and bake for 20 minutes per pound or until a meat thermometer placed in the thickest part of the breast shows the internal temperature is 160 degrees F.

If you are cooking a turkey breast with the skin on you will remove the lid in the last 20 minutes of baking. This will allow the skin to crisp up.

Note: Cooking time will vary based on the turkey you chose to use. A boneless turkey breast tends to cook faster than a bone-in turkey breast. You will want to check with a meat thermometer to ensure doneness.

Step 4 – Let it rest. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully move the turkey breast to a cutting board. Loosely tent with foil. Let the turkey breast rest for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

This is the perfect time to strain those turkey drippings to make turkey gravy.

Step 5 – Serve. When ready to serve carve the turkey into slices and place the slices on a platter.

How Long to Cook Turkey Breast in the Oven

At 325 degrees F a turkey breast is cooked for 20 minutes per pound, until it reaches 160 degrees F. Once it reaches this temperature remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven.

Cooking time will vary based on the turkey you chose to use. A boneless turkey breast tends to cook faster than a bone-in turkey breast. You will want to check with a meat thermometer to ensure doneness.

You’ll want to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Turkey is fully cooked at 165 degrees F.

turkey breast in slow cooker

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

Cooking a turkey breast in a slow cooker is a great, no-fuss way to make your Thanksgiving turkey. I love it because it frees up space in the oven!

Check out our recipe for slow cooker turkey breast for detailed instructions.

Slow cooker cook times will vary based on the size of your turkey breast. 

To help you out, below are approximate cook times based on weight. Your turkey is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. 

We highly recommend purchasing an instant read thermometer for this. It takes all of the guesswork out of cooking meats!

Cook times for slow cooker turkey breast:

  • 2 to 3 pounds: 4 to 4.5 hours on Low
  • 4 to 5 pounds: 5 to 5.5 hours on Low
  • 6 to 7 pounds: 6 to 6.5 hours on Low
turkey breast in instant pot

Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Another way to free up oven space is using a pressure cooker (Instant Pot). We have a simple recipe for Instant Pot turkey breast. It’s a quick and easy way to feed a small gathering for the holidays we’ve even got easy instructions for gravy so you can make a complete turkey dinner!

When using the Instant Pot, you’ll cook the breast for 6 minutes per pound. 

No matter how long we cook it for, we always add an additional 15 minutes of natural release time before opening the lid to ensure the meat is extra tender. 

To be safe, we also use an instant-read meat thermometer in the thickest part of the turkey to make sure the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. If it does not reach the proper temperature, you can cook for another 1 to 2 minutes on high pressure and then allow the natural release again. That should bring it up to temperature.

Thanksgiving turkey breast on a black platter with sides

At What Temperature Should I Cook a Turkey Breast?

We recommend cooking turkey breast at 325 degrees F. This low heat helps maintain the moisture in the tender meat as it roasts.

When Cooking a Turkey Does the Breast Go Up or Down?

You can cook a turkey breast up or down and you’ll get the same delicious results. We suggest you cook it breast up if there is a skin on your turkey breast to keep it from sticking to the roasting rack (if you’re using one).

Should a Turkey Breast be Cooked Covered or Uncovered?

We find that covering your turkey helps to maintain the moisture giving you a tender juicy turkey breast that is perfect for Thanksgiving dinner.

If you are cooking a skin-on turkey breast you will want to remove the foil in the last 10 minutes of cooking so that the skin can fully crisp.

If you’re cooking it in the slow cooker or Instant Pot you’ll want to cook it breast side up so that it doesn’t sit in the juices as it cooks.

Why is My Turkey Breast Dry?

A turkey breast dries out when it is over cooked. That’s why you want to cook the breast meat at a low, slow temperature, and keep it covered to help hold in the moisture.

If you’re using a skin-on turkey breast you’ll remove the covering in the the last 20 minutes to allow the skin to crisp.

Turkey Gravy on a spoon drizzled over turkey breast

Don’t Forget the Gravy!

You can use the pan drippings to make turkey gravy with lots of extra flavor. 

To store the pan juices, remove the vegetables and throw them away. Next, place a fine mesh strainer on a large bowl and pour the drippings through the strainer to remove any lumps. 

Let cool completely and skim any excess fat off of the top. You can store the drippings in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

What to Serve With Turkey

Every good turkey breast needs some amazing sides. These are some of my family’s favorites.

Turkey Leftovers

I think turkey leftovers may be my favorite part! The day after Thanksgiving we make a big batch of Thanksgiving Leftovers Sliders or if it’s just me I’ll make myself a Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwich this panini using our cranberry salsa is pretty awesome too!

If you’re looking for a dinner recipe give our Turkey Shepherd’s Pie or our Turkey with Marsala Sauce a try.

Like this recipe?
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Servings: 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Resting Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes

Turkey Breast in the Oven

This simple recipe for oven roasted turkey breast is the perfect choice for a moist and delicious turkey dinner.
sliced turkey breast with gravy on a black plate
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Chop the celery and carrots in half. Cut the onion into six wedges, and peel and crush the garlic.
  • Place the celery, carrots, onion, and garlic in the bottom of your roasting pan and pour in the chicken broth.
  • Pat your turkey breast dry with a paper towel.
  • In a small bowl combine the butter, salt, poultry seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Mix well to make a paste.
  • Rub the seasoned butter over the turkey breast.
  • Lay the turkey breast on top of the vegetables breast up.
  • Cover with the roasting pan lid or aluminum foil.
  • Place the turkey breast in the oven and bake for 20 minutes per pound or until a meat thermometer shows the internal temperature is 160 degrees F. See note 1
  • If you are cooking a turkey breast with the skin on you will remove the lid in the last 20 minutes of baking. This will allow the skin to crisp up.
  • Remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully move the turkey breast to a cutting board. Loosely tent with foil. Let the turkey breast rest for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
  • When ready to serve carve the turkey into slices and put on a platter.

Notes

1. Cooking time will vary based on the turkey you chose to use. A boneless turkey breast tends to cook faster than a bone-in turkey breast. You will want to check with a meat thermometer to ensure doneness.

Nutrition

Serving: 8ounces, Calories: 515kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 99g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 257mg, Sodium: 1804mg, Potassium: 1239mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 3848IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 91mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition Disclaimer: We are not certified nutritionists. Nutrition facts are an estimate and are provided as a courtesy. They are generated by an online API which recognizes ingredient names and amounts and makes calculations based on the serving size. Results may vary.
Author: Kat Jeter & Melinda Caldwell
Course: Main
Cuisine: American
Keyword: how long to cook a turkey breast, how to cook turkey breast
Handwritten signature for Kat & Melinda