Buzz
While turkey is a popular dish during festive celebrations, turkey breast makes a great meal all year round. You can adjust the seasonings based on the type of dish you're preparing and cook the turkey in the oven or a slow cooker. Roasting the turkey breast creates a crispy golden skin, while braising it results in a flavorful dish without the need for removing bones.
Ingredients
- 1.5-3kg of turkey breast with bone and skin
- 1 tablespoon (14g) of softened butter or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon (18g) of kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (1g) of black pepper
- 2 teaspoons (4g) of dried herbs such as rosemary, thyme, or sage
The result is a whole turkey breast
Steps
Thaw the turkey breast and season it.
Buy 600g of turkey breast for each person you intend to serve. If fresh turkey breast is unavailable, you can find it in the frozen section of the supermarket. Throughout the year, you can always purchase bone-in, skin-on turkey breast.
If you're cooking for 2 to 4 people, choose a piece of turkey breast weighing about 1.5kg. For 6 to 8 people, pick a piece weighing between 2.5 to 3kg.
Thaw the turkey breast in the refrigerator for a full day. At least 24 hours before cooking, keep the turkey breast in its packaging and transfer it from the freezer to the fridge, placing it on the bottom shelf.
- Once thawed, the turkey breast can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days before cooking.
- If you bought fresh turkey breast, you can skip this step.
Unwrap the turkey breast and dry it off. Open the packaging, discard the wrapping, and place the turkey breast on a baking tray or large plate. Use a paper towel to blot it dry.
- Do not rinse the turkey breast under water, as this can spread bacteria in your kitchen.
Spread butter and season the chicken breast. Use your finger to rub 1 tablespoon (14g) of softened butter or extra virgin olive oil over both sides of the chicken breast. Then, sprinkle 1 tablespoon (18g) of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon (1g) of black pepper evenly over the chicken.
- You can also sprinkle 2 teaspoons (4g) of your preferred dried herbs on the chicken breast, such as rosemary, spicy oregano, or sage.
Change up the marinade with garlic and lemon: Mix the zest of 1 lemon with 1 bunch of spring onions, 2 garlic cloves, 45ml olive oil, 1 teaspoon (2g) dried thyme, 1 teaspoon (5g) salt, and 1/2 teaspoon (1g) black pepper. Then, rub the mixture evenly over the chicken breast.
Roast the turkey breast in the oven
Preheat the oven to 230°C and adjust the oven rack. Move the oven rack to the lowest level. You may need to adjust the middle rack to a higher position or remove the rack to accommodate the turkey breast.
- If you remove the rack, place it aside until the turkey is done cooking.
- Preheating the oven to a higher temperature than the usual turkey roasting temperature helps make the skin crispy.
Set the temperature to 180°C and roast the turkey breast for 25-30 minutes per 0.5kg. Place the turkey breast pan on the lower rack and leave it uncovered during roasting.
- Your turkey breast may need extra time depending on its size.
- If the breast turns dark brown, cover it loosely with foil.
Tip: Plan for about 25-30 minutes of roasting time per 0.5kg of chicken breast.
Check the chicken breast's internal temperature to ensure it has reached 75°C. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken breast. The chicken is fully cooked when it reaches a minimum temperature of 75°C.
- If the chicken has not reached 75°C, return it to the oven and roast for an additional 15 minutes before checking again.
Remove the chicken breast from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes. Place the chicken breast on a cutting board and cover it with aluminum foil. Allow the chicken to rest for a while so that the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
- You can prepare the sauce during this resting time.
Slice the chicken breast and serve with your favorite dish. Slicing the chicken breast is easier than cutting an entire chicken, so all you need to do is use a carving knife to cut along one side of the breastbone to the center. Then, slice the remaining part of the breast and serve it with mashed potatoes, green beans, or use it as a stuffing filling, etc.
- If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Simmer the turkey breast
Place the chicken breasts into the slow cooker. You can chop vegetables and add them to the bottom of the pot for extra flavor or to have a side of veggies with the chicken. Then, place the chicken breasts on top of the vegetables.
- If you only want the chicken to have more flavor and make a sauce, slice 1-2 onions and scatter them at the bottom of the slow cooker.
Tip: For roasted vegetables, you can add 3 sliced potatoes, 6-7 sliced carrots, and 1 sliced onion into the pot.
Slow cook the chicken breasts for 7-8 hours on the 'Low' setting. Cover the pot and do not open the lid while cooking the chicken. Opening the lid will cause the temperature to drop quickly, which will extend the cooking time.
- If you want to cook the chicken on the 'High' setting, check the chicken after 4-5 hours.
Remove the chicken when it reaches 75°C. When you believe the chicken is fully cooked, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. If the temperature is not yet 75°C, cook for an additional 15-20 minutes before checking again.
- If you're using boneless turkey breasts, the cooking time will be slightly shorter than with bone-in breasts.
Roast the chicken breasts on a pan for 5 minutes. If you like crispy chicken skin, place the breasts on a pan and position them about 8cm below the broiler. Roast until the skin turns brown and crispy.
- If you don't mind the pale skin, feel free to skip this step.
Let the chicken rest for 20 minutes before serving. Cover the chicken breast with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 20 minutes so that the juices inside redistribute. Then, use a sharp knife to slice the chicken into pieces about 0.5-1cm thick. Serve the chicken with the vegetables that you cooked along with it.
- Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Tip
- Consider cooking multiple chicken breasts at once to serve more people or to have leftovers for the week. You won't need to adjust the cooking time.
- If you prefer grilling, place the seasoned chicken breasts on the grill and cook for about 1.5-2 hours. Grilled chicken will have a lovely smoky flavor.
Warning
- Never rinse raw chicken unless you're trying to remove excess brine. Rinsing chicken doesn't effectively eliminate bacteria, and it can spread pathogens around the kitchen. The best way to remove harmful bacteria from chicken is to cook it thoroughly.
Items You Will Need
Thaw and season the chicken breasts
- Scissors
- Roasting pan or baking tray
- Measuring spoon
Roast the turkey breast in the oven
- Roasting pan
- Meat thermometer
- Aluminum foil
- Knife and cutting board
Turkey stew
- Stew pot
- Cooking thermometer
- Knife and chopping board
