How Long To Cook A Five Pound Turkey Breast

Learn how to cook a turkey breast in an oven to perfection the easiest way. A turkey breast is a great alternative to a full-size turkey for smaller households or supplemental white meat at a larger Thanksgiving feast.

turkey slice with gravy on orange plate.

Introduction

This turkey breast recipe is the logical and straightforward way to get the crispy skin with tender and juicy meat that everybody desires. For the novice cook, a whole turkey looks like a daunting task. And if you don't want or need all that meat, go smaller with a less intimidating choice.

Roasted turkey breast in an oven seems to scare many home cooks. Since it's frequently the center of a holiday feast, it seems to impress many as a huge deal to get it right—but it is so easy to get a moist and tender turkey with crispy skin.

Let's not make an easy thing hard. Cooking a turkey breast is something anybody can do. But people have lots of questions and worries. This guide will help you through those doubts. You don't need to read every section but the information if there if you have problems.

The Four Easy Steps Anybody Can Do

Thaw and trim a frozen turkey breast.
Brush with butter or oil.
Cook at 350° until an internal temperature of 165° and tent if getting too brown. You need a meat thermometer to get this right.
Rest tented for 15 minutes before carving. Make gravy while resting.

My Rating

I love turkey, and this is a solid lower 5. It is not filet, and it is not that "Martha Stewart" turkey breast. So not a high 5. You do get something for all that work.

🦃Turkey Breast Buying and Preperation

We can not walk into most American grocery stores and buy a fresh turkey breast, especially half of a breast. We will discuss what we usually have available.

I'm talking about that skin-on bone-in rock-hard frozen whole turkey breast you picked up at your local supermarket. They are injected with a brine solution and flavor enhancers already.

package of a turkey breast showing injection

Let's look at that label. It is telling you this breast is "pre-brined" or "injected." It will be moist and favorable if you don't screw it up.

Some packages will include things like the neck or a gravy packet. They are there to make it weigh more, and you pay more. Toss them. You could have used them to make a broth gravy, but that gets you into the "spending all day in the kitchen" zone.

How Much Turkey to Buy?

I consider the number of servings not quite the same as how much to buy. The internet will say buy anywhere from ½ pound to 1 ¼ pound. In some ways, both are correct.

If I'm only addressing how much turkey per serving, the ½ pound is about right. That is a nice, good-sized slice of turkey. But we all overeat turkey and want leftovers.

I buy a minimum of ¾ pounds per person, but if you want leftovers, then 1 pound to even 1 ½ pound per person is what I'm buying.

❄️Thawing the Turkey

The preferred method is to thaw in a refrigerator. Place the unopened breast on a tray in the fridge for 1½ to 2 days or until thawed. If you have a breast over 8 pounds, it may take a bit longer.

That is the official recommendation, but it always seems to be a day or two longer for me. So plan ahead and do not open the sealed package.

To thaw faster: place the unopened breast in cold tap water for 3 to 5 hours. Change water every 30 minutes to keep the turkey in the safety zone, which is less than 40°.

NEVER thaw the turkey or any other meat at room temperature. It is not safe.

Should I Brine?

Almost for sure, no. You can not brine an injected turkey breast, or you will have a salt lick. So, let's not fight it. I don't care what other recipes say, don't.

If you are sure your turkey is not injected or brined, you can add a simple brine of 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of salt, and ½ cup of sugar for 12 to 24 hours would be good. For more details, see my How to Brine a Turkey for a complete guide.

If you have a fresh turkey breast (which is usually not injected), you can use my method to get a 4.5 on my rating scale.

🌡️ Oven Temperature

The best oven temperature to cook a turkey breast is 350°. But 325° can work, but it will take a bit longer and potentially can dry a little more. 375° is too high, and you cook the skin very rapidly.

The turkey breast should be oven-roasted uncovered. The skin needs to be exposed to a 350° oven for about 1 ¾ to 2 hours to brown well. That is about the cooking time for a small 5 to 7 lbs breast.

If your breast is bigger, the meat will not be done when the skin is nicely brown. You need to tent with foil when the skin is nice—an easy fix.

A frequent recommendation is to start out high at 425° and turn down the temperature to 325° immediately or in 20-30 minutes. This is to get the browned skin. I don't see it as needed since you will just end up tenting longer. 350° is a much better choice.

⏰Cooking Time for Turkey Breasts

16-20 minutes per pound is a reasonable estimate in a 350° oven. So a 7-pound breast will take about 2 hours. This assumes a fully thawed turkey breast and accurate oven temperature.

The best answer is as long as it takes to get to 165° in the thickest part of the breast. Do not cook by time alone which is provided for planning.

So now you can estimate time, but remember you are cooking to a final temperature and not by time alone. You have variability due to the starting temperature of the turkey and the oven.

Timing for turkey breasts—estimated for planning only

Weight	Approximate cooking time
5 to 6 pounds	1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes
7 to 8 pounds	2 hour to 2 hours 15 minutes
9 to 10 pounds	2 hour 15 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes

REMEMBER TO COOK TO A FINAL TEMPERATURE AND NOT BY TIME ALONE. And don't forget to let the breast rest after cooking for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

What is the Safe Internal Temperature for Turkey?

The safe final internal temperature, according to the FDA, is 165°. That will give you a safe, moist, and tender turkey.

I stop right at 165°. Some will recommend stopping at 160° and assume the breast will reach 165° during the rest. It probably will, but I prefer to know I'm serving safe food. For more turkey safety points, see my Thanksgiving Food Safety post.

Some breast meat may still be slightly pink when fully cooked, but it is still safe to eat if the temperature has reached 165° with a reliable thermometer.

Some turkey meat will be pinker if from an older bird with more myoglobin which can causes a mild pink color. Also, smoked turkey is frequently pink. There are other causes, but this is not science class—see the USDA for more discussion.

👨‍🍳Gravy

Of course, you want gravy, but the most common way to make gravy uses a roux. For the 4 cups of gravy, that would require ½ cup of fat. You just don't have that amount of pan drippings here, but we will use any available pan juices and supplement with some turkey or chicken stock or broth.

So I'm using a slurry method to make the gravy. We whisk about ½ of the liquid with about 2 tablespoons of flour for every cup of gravy. Pour to boiling fluid and mix slowly. More details at How To Make Gravy at Home

I rarely find turkey broth in the store, so I usually use Penzeys turkey base, but chicken broth will work well.

Cooking FAQs

Do I have to use a meat thermometer for cooking a turkey?

Yes, or you will under-cook (dangerous) or overcook (dried out). The "popup" timers are notoriously inaccurate.

Can I stuff a turkey breast?

No, it is not safe. The stuffing would need to get to 165° to be safe, and the meat would have way overcooked and dry turkey.

Can I add another seasoning?

Sure, I admit to being a traditionalist and want my turkey that is just turkey, and this is just a basic turkey breast recipe, so feel free to "decorate" it as you wish.

Many recipes use a variety of fresh or dry herbs—thyme and rosemary are common. Some will also add some garlic or onion.

How often should I baste a turkey breast?

Basting is not needed. I like to rotate the breast once during the roasting to account for any oven hot spots, and I brush it with oil simultaneously—a 50-year habit that is not needed.

Do I have to use a rack?

No, but it is nicer. But there is not the volume of drippings you have with a whole turkey. If you do not have a rack, then a good spray of PAM on the pan.

Butter vs. oil on the skin of the turkey?

This is a "does it really matter" question. The answer, maybe a little. Most recipes use butter. I feel primarily by default, and that is just "the way it is done." Arguing against butter is like arguing against bacon. But I want crisper skin. According to 52 Food, you will get that with oil more than butter.

Moisture is the enemy of crispy, so a good pat dry with paper towels and using oil and not butter, which is 20% water. Clarified butter is another option.

How to store cooked turkey.

You can refrigerate cooked turkey for 3-4 days. It can be frozen for about 3-4 months. The gravy made with flour can be stored the same way.

📖Side Dish Recipes

Easy Sausage Stuffing

Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole

Green Bean Casserole Without Soup

See Thanksgiving Menu Planning Time for my complete holiday recommendations updated yearly.

Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

Fully thaw the turkey breast before proceeding. Preheat the oven to 350° with a rack set at the lower third in the oven. No convection is needed here.

using shires cutting backborn from turkey breast.

Remove any bags of things. Cut out the backbone if present. If a popup timer is present, pay it no attention but do not remove it.

Break back the rib sections so you have a flat bottom to set on a rack. You can skip this if you are using a V-rack.

Cut back any extra skin like the neck area—pat dry with paper towels.

Place a rack in an appropriate size pan. You can skip the rack if you don't have one. For a large 7 plus pound breast, use a full roasting pan. For the smaller breast, a cake pan will do. Spray the rack and pan with PAM. Place the breast on the rack and spread the rib sections to stabilize the breast.

Give it a bush with vegetable oil or melted butter. You can give it a sprinkle of kosher salt at this point.

tenting the turkey breast with foil in the oven.

Place in oven. Leave it alone for 1 hour, then rotate 180° and brush with oil or butter. Check the color at about 1 ½ hours to 2 hours; if the skin becomes too brown, tent lightly with foil while finishing roasting to prevent further browning.

Roast until an internal temperature of 165° in the thickest part. This will be between 16-20 minutes per pound usually. Variability is caused by the thickness of the breast, the starting internal temperature of the breast, and your oven.

tenting turkey breast with foil on plate.

Remove from the oven and tent. The internal temperature will rise about 5 degrees when tented—tent for about 10 minutes before carving.

While the turkey is resting, whisk 2 cups of turkey or chicken broth with ½ cup of flour. Add 2 cups more of broth to the roasting pan and any drippings present, place over medium-high heat and bring to boil.

adding flour mixture to pan on stove making gravy.

Decrease the heat to medium and then slowly add the broth-flour mixture while continuously whisking. Add most of it and add more later if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once thickened, cook an additional few minutes.

Slicing a turkey breast on a white platter

Slice and serve hot.

📖Full Recipe

turkey slice with gravy on orange plate.

How to Roast Turkey Breasts the Easy Way

Learn the easiest way to learn how to cook a turkey breast in an oven to perfection. A great alternative to a full-size turkey for smaller households or as supplemental white meat at a larger Thanksgiving feast.

Tap to leave a Rating

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Servings #/Adjust if desired 12

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

▢ 5-8 pounds turkey breast
▢ 1 tablespoon oil - or butter

For Gravy

▢ ½ cup flour
▢ 4 cups broth - turkey or chicken
▢ salt to taste

Fully thaw the turkey breast before proceeding. Preheat oven to 350° with a rack set at the lower third in the oven. No convection needed here.
Remove any bags of things. Cut out the backbone if present. If a popup timer is present, pay it no attention but do not remove it.
Break back the rib sections, so you have a flat bottom to set on a rack. You can skip this if you are using a V-rack. If you don't have a rack, just spary the pan with PAM.
Cut back any extra skin like the neck area. Pat dry with paper towels.
Place a rack of the appropriate size pan. For a large 7 plus pound, breast use a full roasting pan. For the smaller breast, a cake pan will do. Spray the rack with PAM. Place the breast on the rack and spread the rib sections to stabilize the breast.
Give it a bush with vegetable oil or melted butter. You can give it a sprinkle of salt at this point.
Place in oven. Leave it alone for 1 hour then rotate 180 degrees and brush with oil or butter. Check the color at about 1 ½ hours to 2 hours. If the skin is becoming too brown, tent lightly with foil while finishing roasting to prevent further browning.
Roast until the internal temperature of 165° in the thickest part. This will be between 16-20 minutes per pound usually. Variability is caused by the thickness of the breast, the starting internal temperature of the breast and your oven.
Remove from oven and tent. The internal temperature will rise 5 degrees.
Tent for about 15 minutes before carving.

Optional Gravy

While turkey is resting, whisk 2 cups of turkey or chicken broth with ½ cup of flour. Add 2 cups more of broth to the roasting pan and any drippings present, place over medium-high heat and bring to boil.
Decrease heat to medium and then slowly add the broth-flour mixture while continuously whisking. Add most of it and add more later if needed. Add salt to taste. Once thickened, cook an additional few minutes.

See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

Pro Tips:

Never thaw at room temperature. Place the unopened turkey breast on a tray in the refrigerator for 1½ to 2 days, or until thawed.
To thaw faster, place the unopened breast in cold tap water for 3 to 5 hours. Change water every 30 minutes to keep turkey cold under 40 degrees for safety.
You can brine if you are absolutely sure your turkey has not been injected or previously brined.
Use a 350° oven. Lower the rack to have the breast in the center of the oven.
Brush with either oil or melted butter.
Use a meat thermometer and remove it from the oven when the internal temperature is 165° in the thickest part.
Use foil to tent the breast in the oven if the turkey is getting too brown and use foil again after removing from the oven.
After removal from the oven, tent and let the breast rest for 15 minutes before cutting.
Cooked turkey and the gravy are good refrigerated for 3-4 days and maybe frozen for 3-4 months.
Nutrition is calculated on ½ pound servings and ⅓ cup of gravy.

To adjust the recipe size:

You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.

Course : Main Course

Cuisine : American

© 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

Editor's Note: First Published March 25, 2018. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.