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Herb-Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey Breast
For tables of four to six, a whole turkey is often more bird than anyone needs. This bone-in breast gets the same herb butter treatment as a whole turkey, roasts faster, and carves into clean, juicy slices with far less oven-juggling on the day.
Method
Make the herb butter
Mix the softened butter with sage, rosemary, thyme, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
Season the turkey
Gently loosen the skin over the breast and spread two-thirds of the herb butter directly underneath. Rub the remaining butter over the outside skin.
Set up the roast
Place the breast in a roasting pan, squeeze the lemon halves over it and tuck them underneath, then pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the pan.
Roast
Roast at 375°F (190°C) for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes, basting once or twice with pan juices, until a thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) at the thickest point.
Rest and carve
Tent with foil and rest for 15–20 minutes before carving — this keeps the slices from drying out.
Kitchen notes
If the skin browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil partway through roasting. The pan juices make a fast, excellent gravy base — just whisk in a little flour and simmer.
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