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–+ servings

Dutch Oven Herb Butter Turkey Breast

Servings 6 servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 20 minutes
4.99 from 60 votes
Perfect main dish for a small Thanksgiving dinner! Turkey Breast is seasoned with garlic herb butter seasoning and roasted in a Dutch Oven. Flavorful, juicy and moist!
ByMinShien

Ingredients
 

  • 4-6 lbs turkey breast skin-on, bone-in
  • 6 tbsp salted butter melted or softened
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 lemon zest and juice
  • 2 tsp salt plus more
  • 1 tsp black pepper plus more
  • 1 large onion slice into large chunks
  • 1/2 -1 cup chicken broth or turkey broth

Instructions
 

  • Make sure turkey breast is completely defrosted and pat dry with a paper towel if it is wet.
  • Remove leaves from fresh thyme and rosemary. Chop rosemary leaves into smaller pieces. In a bowl, combine melted/softened butter, minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Mix well.
  • Add onion pieces to a Dutch oven (at least 6 qt) and spread them out evenly, then add chicken broth until onions are half way submerged in chicken broth. Onions should NOT be floating in chicken broth.
  • Pre-heat oven to 350℉
  • Place turkey breast onto the Dutch oven with the opening side up. Generously sprinkle salt and black pepper inside turkey and use hand to spread spices out evenly.
    Salt and pepper in the insides of the turkey breast
  • Flip turkey over so that one of the breast side is facing upwards. Use fingers to loosen turkey skin but be careful not to break it.
  • Add 1/3 of the butter mixture under skin of one side of the breast and use finger to press down on the skin to spread the butter around under the skin. Do the same for the other side of the breast.
    Butter mixture under the skin of one side of turkey breast
  • Spread the rest of the butter to other parts of the meat without skin.
  • Place turkey breast side up (see picture - this is also the position turkey breast is baked in) and sprinkle salt and pepper generously all over the skin.
    Chicken breast side up in Dutch oven
  • Bake UNCOVERED for 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove to monitor internal temperature with a meat thermometer. If internal temperature at the thickest part of the breast is 165℉ or above, remove turkey breast from oven immediately. If not, continue cooking UNCOVERED. However, if skin is already golden brown, cover Dutch oven with lid. Check on turkey every 15-30 minutes. Turkey is done whenever the thickest part of the turkey breast reaches internal temperature of 165℉. The goal is to remove turkey breast from oven once it reaches 165℉, and catching it before temperature rises too much above 165℉. If turkey breast is still not fully cooked after a total of 2 hours in the oven, go ahead and cover with lid and bake until internal temperature reaches 165℉. (See Recipe Notes)
  • Once turkey is done, remove from oven, remove lid, and loosely cover with aluminum foil. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
  • Carve into smaller pieces. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Oven-baking turkey breast: If internal temperature of the thickest part of the turkey breast rise too much above 165℉, turkey will be dry and no longer juicy. The ideal scenario is to get turkey out of the oven as soon as it reaches 165℉. Cook time for turkey breast varies significantly depending on the size of turkey, initial internal temperature of turkey etc. As a point of reference, my 5 lbs bone-in, skin-on turkey breast took about 2 hours to cook.

Nutrition

Calories: 424kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 66g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 193mg | Sodium: 1571mg | Potassium: 818mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 438IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg