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oven roasted turkey breast

Roasted Turkey Breast

Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword thanksgiving, turkey
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 6
Author Spoonful of Green

Equipment

  • Roasting Pan

Ingredients

  • 1 8-10 lb turkey breast
  • 2 bulbs fennel, quartered
  • 2 lemons, halved
  • 1 head garlic, cut in half
  • 1 bunch thyme
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter

Instructions

  • Preheat over to 350°. Cut the fennel bulbs into quarters, discard the stems. Cut the lemons into halves and cut the garlic bulb in half (no need to peel).
  • In a mixing bowl, combine 4 tablespoons (½ stick) of butter, the juice of 1 lemon and the leaves from 5 sprigs of thyme. Mix to combine.
  • Remove the turkey breast from packaging, discard bag of gravy if present. Pat dry with paper towels.
  • Season the inside and out generously with salt and pepper.
  • Stuff the cavity with the garlic, 1 bulb of fennel, 5 sprigs of rosemary, 1 lemon. Place the turkey in the roasting pan breast side up. Use the remaining fennel bulb quarters to prop the turkey up in place.
  • Pour the lemon butter mixture over the turkey. Cut the remaining butter into ¼ inch pads. Using your fingers or a pairing knife, loosely separate the skin from the breast meat. Slide in the pads of butter and remaining rosemary sprigs.
  • Pour in 1 cup of broth into the bottom of the roasting pan, loosely tent with foil and place on the lowest rack in oven.
  • Roast for 2 hours, basting every 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue roasting until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°
  • Transfer from the roasting pan to a large cutting board. Cover with foil for 20 minutes before carving.
  • If you plan to make pan gravy, hold on to the drippings in the roasting pan.