Honey Butter Roasted Turkey Breast
Honey Butter Roasted Turkey Breast is certainly worth gathering around the table for! If you have a smaller crowd to feed this Thanksgiving or Christmas, consider roasting a turkey breast instead of the whole bird. This recipe always turns out so juicy and flavorful from the zesty, herbaceous honey butter!
Honey Butter Roasted Turkey Breast
If cooking a whole bird intimidates you, have no fear – you can roast a turkey breast with ease! With that being said, you can always roast a whole turkey on Thanksgiving using my super simple recipe if you have more mouths to feed! Turkey breasts (3-4 lbs) are ideal for serving when you’ve got about two to four people gathered around your holiday table.
This turkey breast recipe might just be your new favorite holiday entree. It’s tender, juicy, and so easy to slice and serve after roasting in the oven for just 30-40 minutes. That’s much quicker than a whole turkey! I love the different flavors that are really infused into the meat from the honey butter that gets slathered all over the breast.
Butter is all dressed up with honey, freshly squeezed orange juice and zest, sage, rosemary, and some salt and pepper. It’s tangy, sweet, zesty, and delightfully aromatic from the herbs! You’ll love the smell of this roasted turkey breast recipe when it’s cooking in the oven. Don’t be too surprised when you have people strolling into your kitchen asking “is it ready yet?!”
How to Make Honey Butter Roasted Turkey Breast
Here’s how to make this simply stunning Thanksgiving centerpiece! Scroll to the bottom of this page for more detailed ingredients and step-by-step instructions.
- Preheat. Preheat the oven to 425°F first, that way it’s nice and hot by the time you have the turkey breast prepared.
- Prepare. Pat the entire turkey breast dry with a paper towel. Then, place it in the middle of a baking sheet.
- Make the butter. Combine butter, honey, orange juice, zest, salt, sage, rosemary and pepper until combined in a mixing bowl.
- Rub the turkey. Rub the honey butter all over the turkey breast to coat on all sides.
- Roast the turkey. Transfer the turkey breast to the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160°F.
- Let rest. Remove the turkey breast from the oven and cover it loosely with foil. Let it rest for about 10-20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you’ll need to make this gorgeous roasted turkey breast recipe:
- Turkey Breast – I use a 3-4lb boneless turkey breast for this recipe. This should serve anywhere between 2-4 people, depending on how many sides you also serve.
- Butter – It needs to be adjusted to room temperature. Also, I enjoy using salted butter for added flavor but you can use unsalted instead if preferred.
- Honey – I recommend using local organic honey if you can find some!
- Orange – You’ll need the juice and zest of one fresh orange.
- Salt and Pepper – Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper are preferred.
- Herbs – Fresh sage and rosemary create the most wonderful aromatic element and herb-y flavor that you’ll love!
Storage
Have any left over turkey meat? You’re in luck! I love using leftovers in recipes like turkey noodle soup, hot open faced turkey sandwich and Thanksgiving turkey stromboli!
Let the roasted turkey breast cool to room temperature prior to storing in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
You can also freeze cooked turkey breast for up to 3 months. Let it slowly thaw in the fridge prior to reheating or using in one of the recipes mentioned above!
Enjoy more of my favorite holiday entrees!
- Crockpot Turkey Breast
- Cornbread Stuffed Turkey Roulade
- Riesling-Cranberry Glazed Spiral Ham
- Crockpot Ham with Pineapple Brown Sugar Glaze
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Get the Recipe: Honey Butter Roast Turkey Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb boneless turkey breast
- 1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup honey
- Juice of 1 orange and zest
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet or roasting pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425˚F.
- Pat the turkey breast dry with a paper towel and place on a baking sheet.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, honey, orange juice, zest, salt, sage, rosemary and pepper until combined.
- Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey breast to coat all sides.
- Transfer to the oven and roast for 30-40 minutes or until an instant read thermometer registers 160˚F.
- Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Rest the turkey breast for 10-20 minutes.
- Slice and serve.