This easy boneless turkey breast Thanksgiving recipe makes tender, juicy, and flavorful roasted turkey you can serve on Thanksgiving day.  A simple garlic butter herb rub keeps this boneless turkey breast roast moist and tender while the vegetables beneath slowly infuse everything with flavor.

This easy roasted boneless turkey breast recipe is a great alternative to cooking up a whole turkey, because it takes up less time and the prep is a cinch! Just rough chop a few vegetables, make a butter rub, bake, let rest, and serve.  You can even prep the entire turkey breast in advance the night before, if desired, then pull out and bake when ready!

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With just a few minutes of prep and a shorter cooking time, this easy roasted turkey breast makes a crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving turkey you serve up with simple gravy made from the drippings in the roasting pan.  

This simple roast turkey breast is perfect for those of you who want to serve up a delicious traditional turkey dinner with none of the fuss and all of the flavor in a fraction of the time.  Here’s how you’ll pull it all together…

To Make This Boneless Turkey Breast Thanksgiving Recipe, Grab A Few Things First…

• One 4 to 5 lb boneless turkey breast with skin on
• 2 large carrots – large chopped
• 1 large white onion – large chopped
• 3 ribs celery – large chopped
• 6 tbsp softened salted butter – such as Kerrygold
• 2 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt
• 1 tsp cracked pepper
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tsp good fruity olive oil
• 1/4 cup dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio
• 1/2 cup chicken stock

You can buy the fresh herbs individually or you can pick up a nifty pack of roasting herbs which, conveniently enough, comes with a fresh blend of rosemary, parsley, and thyme.

Rough Chop Mirepoix Vegetables and Add To the Bottom of the Pan

Remove fresh boneless skin on turkey breast from the fridge and place turkey breast on the counter to sit at room temperature while you prepare the mirepoix vegetables and herb butter rub.  

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F and grab a 9×13 baking dish.  Rough cut carrots, onion, and celery stalks into larger one and half inch pieces and toss into the bottom of the roasting pan or baking dish. Set aside. This will serve as a ‘rack’ for the boneless turkey roast.

I actually picked up this neat set of Staub baking dishes and use the different sizes in everything from cobblers to lasagna to roasts just like this one. You can see in some of the pictures that I’m using the largest size in the set for our turkey breast roast recipe. In my opinion, I prefer these baking dishes over metal, because they distribute heat flawlessly. This makes the cooking times overall more predictable and reliable keeping the whole process simple and easy. I highly recommend!

Make a Moisture-Sealing Butter Rub with Garlic and Fresh Herbs

Add 6 tablespoons of salted softened butter to a small mixing bowl.  To the same bowl add fresh chopped parsley, fresh chopped rosemary, and fresh chopped thyme. I like to use Kerrygold butter for rich flavor and moisture!

Now add 4 cloves of fresh minced garlic to the bowl with herbs and butter.  Next, sprinkle in the coarse kosher salt and cracked pepper.  Drizzle in a bit of good fruity olive oil, about 2 teaspoons.  Stir all ingredients together until butter, herbs, garlic, olive oil, and seasonings are evenly combined into a smooth fragrant paste.

Rub Your Boneless Turkey Breast All Over with Fragrant Garlic Herb Butter

Working on a clean surface, remove the boneless turkey breast from any packaging and flip the turkey breast over (so that it is skin side down).  Rub the herb butter all over the bottom side of the turkey breast.

Now flip the turkey breast back up so that it is skin side up.  Using your fingers, gently separate the skin from the breast meat.  Separate the skin as far back as possible stopping about an inch or so from the end of the other side of the breast (so that the skin is still sealed on one side).  This creates a pocket that will hold in some of the butter herb rub beneath the skin.

Rub some of the garlic butter rub beneath the separated skin.  Smooth the skin back down gently pressing flat with your hands to evenly press the skin back the way it was.

Use remaining butter mixture to smear all over the top of the turkey breast.  Evenly spread the last of the butter rub all over the top.

Transfer Thanksgiving Boneless Turkey Breast Roast To A Baking Dish

Now transfer the seasoned turkey to the baking dish by placing the turkey breast over the chopped vegetables we placed in the dish earlier.

Add White Wine and Chicken Stock To The Baking Dish

Reaching in from a corner of the roasting pan, gently drizzle in the white wine and chicken stock.  It will spread around in a single layer beneath the vegetables and the turkey meat.

I like to use chicken stock rather than chicken broth along with a good dry white wine such as pinot grigio wine or pinot gris wine. You’ll only use up a splash and be able to serve the rest at dinner to pair with the boneless turkey breast roast. It will add so much flavor while pairing well with the finished meal.

These two extra ingredients infuse great flavor into the turkey drippings. In turn, it makes a mouthwatering gravy, if you decide to use the drippings in an easy Thanksgiving gravy made with the pan juices.  

Place Boneless Thanksgiving Turkey Breast In A Preheated Oven and Bake

Place Thanksgiving boneless turkey breast in a 325 degrees F preheated oven and roast uncovered for about an hour and a half or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 160 degrees F.

Some ovens are hotter and faster and some take a little more time.  Adjust the time accordingly as needed.  

My 4 lb boneless turkey breast read 160 degrees F on my thermometer right around the hour and a half mark.  Test your turkey breast around an hour and 20 or an hour and 15 minutes and take a read.  If it’s still at 140 or less, leave your boneless turkey breast in the oven another few minutes until you hit the 160 degree mark.  This may occur sooner for some of you if you are roasting a smaller turkey breast.

Turn On Broiler and Brown The Skin On Your Roasted Turkey Breast

When the temperature is reached, turn oven off and turn the broiler on high.  Stay right in front of the oven and do not walk way.  

This last part will happen quite quickly.  This last step will lightly crisp and brown the skin the rest of the way to a beautiful finish on the turkey breast.  Leave the roasted turkey breast, still uncovered, under the broiler for the 3 minutes to add an extra golden brown color to the top of the skin.  

Again, do not walk away from the oven this point.  If you leave and forget, the turkey will burn!  Pay close attention and don’t leave the kitchen. Set a timer for the short few minutes, if necessary, in case you get distracted!

Cover Loosely With Foil and Let Turkey Breast Rest

When time is up, remove immediately after and place on a serving platter or carving board.  Cover the breast loosely with foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes.  

From this point out you can stop right here and serve your roasted Thanksgiving boneless turkey breast as is with the pan juices drizzled on top, or you can make a quick delicious gravy!

What To Serve with This Roasted Boneless Thanksgiving Turkey Breast Recipe

•  Serve with roasted vegetables: like zesty golden roasted vegetable side dish or these pomegranate roasted sweet potatoes and beets.  
• Serve with easy vegetable sides: such as  brussels sprouts and roasted butternut squash or even these wonderful lemony pan-tossed sautéed green beans! Try these simple garlic roasted potatoes or even roasted carrots.
• Serve with Thanksgiving cocktails: This easy holiday spiced wine is always a winner at Christmas and Thanksgiving.  If you like something chilled, try an apple cider Thanksgiving sangria or this prosecco cranberry apple Thanksgiving punch complete with splashes of good bourbon.
• Serve with Thanksgiving desserts:  These easy puff pastry pumpkin pecan pinwheels can be served before or after the holiday meal with coffee and drinks. This gorgeous puff pastry pumpkin apple Thanksgiving tart doesn’t fall too far behind, either…

I hope this easy boneless turkey breast Thanksgiving recipe helps to save you some time in the kitchen while keeping guests happy and asking for more!  Delicious, comforting, festive holiday foods are the best way to celebrate the season with the ones we love the most!

For extra recipes, drinks, and last minute decor ideas, be sure to check the Thanksgiving page!

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