Juicy garlic herb turkey breast is roasted in a rich garlic herb butter and served with a tangy cranberry compote – perfect for a smaller-scale Thanksgiving dinner!
Thanksgiving is only a few short weeks away and I’ve got you covered if you’re looking for a last-minute turkey option for your feast!
I know that a lot of people have smaller Thanksgiving gatherings so this year I wanted to focus on a smaller-scale turkey option. Enter, this absolute gem of a turkey breast that more than holds its own on any table.
There’s nothing too complex about this recipe, but wow, does it ever deliver. I’m talking a simple garlic herb butter that soaks into every inch of this juicy turkey and a lovely cranberry compote action on top to round things out.
So simple, but I’m not exaggerating when I say that we’ve made this recipe FOUR times so far this fall and it’s not even Thanksgiving yet!
If you’ve never tried roasting your own turkey, let this be the recipe to convince you to make the jump! I’m sharing all my techniques behind a moist and juicy turkey and I promise you’re going to nail it.
This Turkey Breast features…
- A rich and flavorful garlic herb butter brushed all over
- An impeccably moist and juicy interior
- Sweet and tangy cranberry compote for serving
Making the Turkey Breast
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Turkey breast
- Garlic
- Unsalted butter
- Parsley
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Shallots
- Cranberries
- Red wine
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Orange zest
Bone-In or Boneless
Either cut will work for this recipe, just be aware that using bone-in will take a bit longer to cook than boneless. Always use a kitchen thermometer inserted in the thickest part of turkey (not touching the bone) to determine doneness.
I recommend looking for a turkey breast that is between 2-5 pounds. Fresh or frozen turkey breast works great with this recipe, just make sure you plan ahead of time for thawing. A good rule of thumb is to plan on 1 day of thawing per each 4-5 pounds of turkey.
Tips for Perfect Roast Turkey Breast
- Remove turkey from fridge 30 minutes before roasting – this helps the turkey come to room temperature a bit and gets it ready for roasting.
- Use fresh garlic and herbs – this makes all the difference flavor-wise.
- Rub garlic herb butter underneath and on top of skin – this infuses so much flavor into the turkey and really helps the skin crisp up.
- Roast turkey 1 to 1-1/2 hours – it will take approximately 20-25 minutes of roasting per pound of turkey.
- Baste turkey – this helps keep the turkey juicy while it roasts. I typically baste the turkey 2-3 times throughout roasting.
- Use kitchen thermometer – insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the breast to gauge doneness and add additional roast time as needed until your turkey reaches 160F.
- Allow turkey to rest – allow to rest uncovered 20 minutes before carving. Use this time to make the cranberry compote.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this turkey.
- Serve with gravy – skip the cranberry compote and make a gravy from the drippings instead.
- Use different fresh herbs – try fresh thyme or sage.
- Make compote alcohol-free – replace the red wine with apple cider or juice.
Storing and Freezing Turkey
Leftovers of this turkey store well in refrigerator up to 6 days and work great in a variety of dishes such as soups, sandwiches, salads, or casseroles.
To freeze turkey, store slices in a sealable bag and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw turkey completely in refrigerator before using.
This turkey really is a Thanksgiving masterpiece! Small enough for a more intimate gathering but not lacking in performance either. Every slice practically melts in your mouth it’s so juicy.
And with a heavy spoonful of tart compote on top? Pure Thanksgiving on a plate.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More turkey favorites you’ll love!
Garlic Herb Turkey Breast with Cranberry Compote
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Ingredients
Garlic Herb Turkey Breast
- 1 (3-5 lb) boneless or bone-in skin-on turkey breast (see notes*)
- 4 medium cloves garlic, minced plus 1 additional small head for roasting with the top trimmed off to expose cloves
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary plus extra sprigs for roasting
- 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 2 medium shallots, halved
Cranberry Compote
- 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 3/4 cup dry red wine
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Instructions
Garlic Herb Turkey Breast
- Preheat oven to 350F. Arrange a roasting rack in a medium baking dish and place turkey skin side-up on top. Season turkey all over with salt and pepper, rubbing underneath and on top of the skin. Set aside for a moment.
- In a small bowl, combine softened butter, 4 cloves minced garlic, parsley, rosemary, and sage. Season butter with salt and pepper to taste.
- Rub half of butter all over turkey breast, using your fingers to rub underneath the skin and on top. Scatter small garlic head, shallot halves, and additional rosemary sprigs around turkey.
- Roast turkey breast at 350F for 1 to 1-1/2 hours (about 20-25 minutes of cooking per pound of turkey) basting 2-3 times throughout roasting with pan drippings until turkey registers 160F when a kitchen thermometer is inserted in the thickest part of turkey (do not touch the bone if using bone-in turkey)
- Remove turkey from oven and brush all over with remaining half of garlic herb butter. Allow turkey to rest uncovered 20 minutes while you make the cranberry compote.
Cranberry Compote
- Combine all compote ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow compote to simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce is reduced and thickened.
- Carve rested turkey into thin slices and serve warm with cranberry compote on top. Enjoy!
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