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Butter Herb Roasted Turkey

Butter Herb Turkey Breast

Butter Herb Turkey Breast is a great recipe to have up your sleeve. It is the simpler and quicker version of our Whole Roasted Turkey. There is no marinating, no brining. It’s a just season and roast kind of recipe.

Turkey breast gets a bad rap for being dry and flavorless. This recipe is going to change all of that for you. The intense fragrance and flavor of the herbs folded into butter keeps simple turkey breast very tasty and moist. The lemon and apple cider vinegar add a little zip to balance the oil and butter in this recipe. 

We like to use a whole bone-in turkey breast that is two breasts joint by the bone. It looks just like a whole turkey without the legs, thighs or wings attached. Keeping the breast on the bone also adds to the flavor of this bird. You can also use a split breast which is one breast on the bone. That will take about 60 minutes to cook since it is a smaller piece.

Our turkey breast is perfect on its own or as an addition to a whole turkey if you have a lot of guests. Everyone always goes for the breast meat. You can never have too much! It’s also perfect for leftovers. 

This herb butter is very versatile. You can use it for a whole turkey, chicken or fish. If you are using it to season a whole turkey, use the same process in our “roasted turkey recipe” just replace the mojo with these ingredients.

Our Tips for the Perfect Butter Herb Turkey Breast

  • Remove the turkey breast from the fridge 45 minutes before you are going to roast it.
  • When mixing the butter and herbs be careful not to over mix because the butter can curdle.
  • Don’t forget to season the inside cavity. It will add a lot of flavor to the breast.
  • As it roasts be sure to check the bottom of the pan. If the bottom darkens quickly, be sure to add some chicken broth. It will keep everything moist and make a natural sauce for the turkey.
  • Let the Turkey Breast rest for at least 30 minutes after roasting, to allow the juices to settle.
  • This is something we do as a weeknight meal a few times a week. It’s quick, easy and a departure from the usual chicken.  

It’s the tastiest turkey breast you’ve ever tasted!  

Butter Herb Turkey Breast

Recipe by Abuelas Cuban CounterCourse: EntreeCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Whole bone-In turkey breast (should be approximately 5 pounds)

  • 1 lemon, zest and juice

  • 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

  • 3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 stick of butter, melted 

  • 1 ½ tablespoons of salt

  • 1 tablespoon of creole seasoning 

  • 1 onion, quartered

  • 2 leeks, split in half lengthwise and thoroughly washed (If your leeks are very dirty you need to soak them in cold water and rinse them)

  • 2 sprigs of oregano, destemmed

  • 1 -2 cups of chicken or turkey broth

  • 10 sage leaves

  • 6 sprigs of thyme, destemmed 

  • 2 sprigs of rosemary, destemmed 

  • Freshly cracked pepper

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove the turkey breast from the fridge 45 minutes before you are going to roast it. You don’t want it to be too cold before placing in the oven.
  • In a food processor add the herbs, butter, ½ cup of olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and vinegar. Mix together until totally incorporated. Be careful not to over mix because the butter can curdle. Remove the herb butter onto a bowl and set aside.  
  • Line a sheet pan or roasting pan with the leeks, and some pieces of onion. Set aside. 
  • Clean the turkey breast under cold running water and pat dry. Don’t trim anything. Place the turkey breast on top of the leeks. 
  • Rub the turkey with the remaining oil and add salt, pepper and creole seasoning to the turkey. Let some of the seasoning spill over onto the leeks. Don’t forget to season the inside cavity. It will add a lot of flavor to the breast. Fill the cavity with pieces of onion and any leftover herbs you may have. 
  • Gently lift the skin and stuff some of the butter between the breast and the skin. Spread the butter all over the turkey. Don’t worry if it doesn’t spread perfectly. It is going to melt into the turkey as it cooks.  
  • Roast in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Then lower the heat to 350 degrees and continue to roast for 60 -70 minutes. As it roasts be sure to check the bottom of the pan. If the bottom darkens quickly, be sure to add some chicken broth. It will keep everything moist and make a natural sauce for the turkey. 
  • The breast is done once it reads 160 degrees and if you insert a knife the juices are clear. 
  • Allow the turkey breasts to rest for 30 minutes in the roasting pan. Don’t skip this step. It will continue cooking and allow the juices to settle in the meat. 
  • Remove the breasts whole from the bone. Carve into 1-inch pieces and leave in the juices so that it doesn’t dry out. If you transfer to a platter, pour juices at the bottom of the platter to keep the meat moist.