Lemon, Garlic and Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

A roasted boneless turkey breast is delicious and this recipe gets a lot of flavor from the lemon, garlic and herb marinade and the flavored butter.

Do you prefer white meat over dark meat on a turkey? I know in my family, everyone has their own personal favorites – some like the dark meat, some only like breast meat and there are others who like the wings.

There are several reasons why you should prepare a turkey breast. 1. If you prefer the white meat to the dark. 2. If you have a small gathering for Thanksgiving or another dinner when you don’t want to make a 15-pound bird. 3. If you have a really large gathering and having more meat would be a good idea, but you don’t want to make 2 birds. Roasting a turkey breast is much easier and takes less time than roasting a whole turkey.

I used a lemon, garlic and herb butter to rub all over the turkey to give it lots of flavor. The butter seeped into the turkey as it roasted and made it really juicy. Even the leftover turkey was really tender and packed with flavor. I used a boneless turkey breast, but you can also use a bone-in turkey breast and it will work just as well. I think the boneless option looks a little neater, since it’s tied up like a roast, and it’s a bit easier to serve since you won’t have to cut the bone off. The lemon, garlic, and the assortment of fresh herbs really penetrated into all of the meat, since I marinated it overnight and the flavors complement each other really well. I would suggest making this for any other holiday when you’re having company and any day of the week for your family, not just on Thanksgiving.

Video of How to Roast a Turkey Breast With Lemon, Garlic and Herb Butter:

Ingredients:

boneless turkey breast (about 3 lbs), you can buy a boneless turkey breast roast with the bone already removed, or buy a turkey breast with the rib bones and remove the bones yourself. Watch the video to show detailed instructions on how to remove the turkey breast bone.
softened butter – the butter needs to be softened to room temperature for you to be able to mix the flavored butter easily
garlic – the garlic will be sautéed until it is golden brown before adding to the butter
fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, etc.
lemon zest and lemon juice
salt, ground black pepper

Instructions:

Remove the turkey breast bone. I show the detailed instructions on how to remove the breast bone in the video of this recipe. Use a knife to careful cut the breast meat from the breast meat. Take care to keep the two breast halves together and the skin intact.
Season the turkey breast with salt and ground black pepper on all sides.

Flavored Butter – Lemon, Garlic and Herb Butter

In a skillet, melt about 1/2 Tablespoon of butter and cook the garlic on low heat just until it becomes fragrant and slightly golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
Combine the softened butter with the sautéed garlic, the fresh herbs, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt and ground black pepper to taste. Mix until smooth.
Rub the garlic herb butter all over the underside of the turkey and under the skin. Depending on the size of the turkey breast you are using, you might have some butter left over.
Use kitchen twine to tie around the turkey to keep it in a neater package and so that it cooks more evenly. Tie the twine as tight as you can. If you have any butter left over, rub the remaining herb butter mixture on top of the turkey breast. For best results, leave the turkey to marinate overnight, but you can also roast it immediately. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet or baking pan and cook until the turkey reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer. A 3 lb boneless turkey breast will take approximately 1 hour to roast. Allow the turkey to rest for about 10 minutes before removing the kitchen twine and slicing it to serve. *You can also butterfly the turkey, by cutting into the thickest portion of the turkey breast, keeping the knife 1/2 inch above the cutting board and stopping 1/2 inch from the edge of the breast. Open it like a book. Pound the turkey breast gently to get an even thickness. You will then roll up the turkey breast before tieing it up with kitchen twine. *You can also use a bone-in turkey breast for this recipe. Season the turkey breast on both sides with salt and pepper. Rub the lemon herb butter under the skin and on top of the skin. You will not need to use kitchen twine for the bone in turkey. Continue with the rest of the recipe as directed.