The easiest way to prepare turkey on Thanksgiving day! This delicious foolproof Honey Maple Turkey Breast recipe will be the star ofthe show on Thanksgiving.
Hosting a smaller crowd for Thanksgiving? Not a fan of dark meat? Make this Honey Maple Turkey Breast instead of a full turkey.
A five-pound turkey breast will serve at least 6-8 people, and it is so much easier to prepare and serve (and store in your fridge). And don’t worry, you can still make Thanksgiving gravy.
Preparing a whole turkey can be a complete headache. You have to make sure it defrosts in time – aprocess which can take 3-4 days.
It can be a challenge to keep the white meat moist while making sure the dark meat cooks all the way through. It takes hours to cook. It’s not the easiest to carve.
Turkey breast cooks more quickly and carving it just requires cutting even slices of the meat. It takes some of the stress out of the holiday.
Another benefit to making turkey breast is that it takes up much less space in the oven, making it possible to cook (or reheat) side dishes while the turkey cooks.
Is it just me or is oven space always a major issue on Thanksgiving?
We loved this recipe. The turkey came out perfectly moist and the maple syrup and honey gave the gravy a sweetness that contrasted with the mustard and spices.
If you are expecting a big crowd on Thanksgiving, you might want to consider cooking a turkey breast in addition to a full bird.
You can probably fit the turkey breast in the oven alongside the full turkeywhile fitting two whole turkeys in one oven is probably impossible.
And since you can’t have thanksgiving turkey without gravy, here is a link to a post showing you how to make Thanksgiving gravy from scratch. It’s so easy, and I even made a video to show you step by step!
If you are looking for more Thanksgiving recipes – here are a few of my favorites:
Blue Cheese Potatoes Au Gratin
Thanksgiving Corn
Dill Cottage Cheese Rolls
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Pecan Pie with a Shortbread Crust
Bourbon Butterscotch Pie
Or if you want to try another turkey breast recipe – make this spinach and mushroom stuffed turkey breast. Stuffing a turkey breast is an easy way to add an extra burst of flavor!
Honey Maple Turkey Breast
The easiest way to prepare turkey on Thanksgiving day! This delicious foolproof Honey Maple Turkey Breast recipe will be the star of the show on Thanksgiving.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1Turkey Breast
- 2tablespoonsButterat room temperature
- 1/2cupMaple Syrup
- 1tablespoonHoney
- 1tablespoonWhole Grain Mustard
- 1/2teaspoonSmoked Paprika
- 1/2teaspoonOnion Salt
- 1/2teaspoonGarlic Powder
- 1/2teaspoonThyme
- 1/2teaspoonSalt
- 1/2teaspoonGround Black Pepper
- 2-4cupsChicken Broth
- For the Gravy:
- 1tablespoonButter
- 1tablespoonFlour
- 1/2cupWhite Wine
Instructions
Heat your oven to 325 degrees. Remove the turkey breast from its packaging and leave the string netting on, this holds the turkey breast together as it cooks.
Place the turkey breast in the center of a roasting pan. Rub the butter all over the turkey breast. Then mix the maple syrup, honey, mustard, smoked paprika, onion salt, garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper together. Spread a thick layer of the maple syrup and spice mix on the turkey.
Pour enough chicken broth in the bottom of the pan to coat it, this prevents any pan drippings from burning. This is important since you need the pan drippings to make gravy.
Roast the turkey breast at 325 degrees. Baste the turkey with the maple syrup and spice mixture every 30 minutes, and add more chicken broth to the pan as necessary. Continue this process until the turkey breast reaches 165 degrees.
Remove the turkey breast from the oven, and place it on a serving dish to rest while you prepare the gravy.
Scrape all of the pan drippings into a glass container (like a mason jar).
Melt the butter in a skillet and whisk in the flour. Then using a baster, suck up the pan drippings below the line of fat that rises to the top of the jar. Whisk all of these juices into the flour and butter. Whisk in the white wine. Bring to a simmer, and let the gravy thicken. Once thick, taste test and add salt and pepper if necessary. Strain the gravy to remove any lumps.
Remove the string netting around the turkey breast. Slice the turkey breast and serve it with the gravy.
What to save this honey maple turkey breast recipe for later? Pin this image:
FAQs
2- to 2½-pound bone-in turkey breast half: Roast at 325°F for 60 to 70 minutes. 2½- to 3-pound boneless turkey breast: Roast at 325°F for 40 to 60 minutes. 4- to 6-pound whole turkey breast: Roast at 325°F for 1½ to 2¼ hours. 6- to 8-pound whole turkey breast: Roast at 325°F for 2¼ to 3¼ hours.
Should turkey breast be covered or uncovered when roasting? ›
To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven. We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out; then, during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.
What are the ingredients in maple glazed honey coat turkey breast? ›
Ingredients: Turkey Breast, Water, Salt, Sugar, Dextrose, Pure Maple Syrup, Honey Sodium Phosphate, Natural Flavorings, Sea Salt.
Do you wrap a turkey breast in foil when baking? ›
MAKE a foil tent by placing a sheet of foil over turkey breast, leaving 1 inch between top of turkey breast and foil tent for heat circulation. Crimp foil onto long sides of pan. BAKE 1 hour remove foil tent to brown turkey breast. CONTINUE BAKING uncovered 1 to 1 3/4 hours longer or until meat thermometer reads 170°F.
How many hours do you cook a turkey at 325? ›
In general, you should plan to cook a turkey for around 15-20 minutes per pound of turkey at 325ºF to get to that temp.
- 10-12 pounds: cook 2 3/4 to 3 hours.
- 15-16 pounds: cook 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
- 18-20 pounds: cook 4 to 4 1/2 hours.
The Centers for Disease Control suggests never washing your poultry before cooking. The reason why: "Washing raw turkey can spread germs to other food.
Do you put water in the bottom of the roasting pan for turkey? ›
Place roast, skin side up, on a flat roasting rack in 2-inch deep roasting pan. Do not add water to pan. Roast uncovered according to Cooking Schedule or until meat thermometer in center of breast roast reaches 170° F and in center of turkey roast reaches 175° F.
Do you roast a turkey breast side up or breast side down? ›
The United States Department of Agriculture advises to cook a whole turkey breast side up during the entire cooking time. Turning over a large, hot bird can be dangerous and it's very easy to tear the skin, making the finished product less attractive.
Is Honeybaked turkey breast good? ›
Honey Baked™ Turkey Breast is a flavorful, high-quality turkey that you can feel good about serving. The low-fat, premium all-white meat is always tender, juicy and moist.
How to prep honey baked turkey? ›
Our whole turkeys are fully cooked and ready to enjoy. From thawed, take the turkey out of the refrigerator and remove from bag. Place in a roasting pan breast side up then loosely cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until warm. Carve, serve and refrigerate unused portions immediately.
No Nitrates or Nitrites added except for those naturally occurring in cultured celery powder and sea salt.
What are 2 ways to keep turkey from drying out? ›
5 Ways to Prevent Your Turkey from Drying Out
- Cook Pieces Instead of a Whole Turkey. ...
- If Cooking a Whole Turkey, Buy Frozen. ...
- Ditch the Plastic Pop-Up Timer; Use an Instant-Read Thermometer Instead. ...
- Elevate the Legs. ...
- Let the Turkey Rest.
First, allow your cooked turkey to sit for about 20 minutes before starting to carve. Beginning halfway up the breast, slice straight down with an even stroke. When the knife reaches the cut above the wing joint, the slice should fall free on its own.
What to season turkey with? ›
Stick with salt and pepper, put herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage to work, or take spicy Cajun seasoning for a spin for some kick. Whatever blend you choose, spread it all over the turkey—on top, underneath, between the body and wings and legs, under the skin, and even in the cavity of the bird.
What is the best temp for turkey breast? ›
In general, you'll want to cook a bone-in turkey breast for about 20 minutes per pound at 350 degrees F (177 degrees C), or until it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
What is the perfect temperature for cooked turkey breast? ›
The government recommends cooking turkey breast to 165°F (74°C).
How long per lb to cook a turkey at 325? ›
These times are based on a room temperature turkey at 325 degrees F the entire time; plan on about 15 to 17 minutes per pound (the times below are based on 15 minutes per pound).
Is it too high to cook a turkey at 350? ›
We recommend starting the turkey in a 425 degree oven for 30-45 minutes before tenting the pan with foil and lowering the temperature to 350 degrees until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the bird.
