Turkey Breast Delight

Recently Whitney came to our area for a few days. We won’t be spending Thanksgiving Day together, so I thought I’d invite her for dinner and have a “Thanksgiving meal.” (She was staying at her sister’s house.) I opted for a turkey breast, rather than a whole turkey since I wasn’t feeding a crowd, and also because I think a turkey breast is so much better than a whole turkey! Why? Well consider…

A turkey breast…

• Cooks faster
• Is easier to handle
• Provides only that sweet white meat
• Doesn’t need constant attention when it’s roasting in the oven
• Still makes great gravy
• Takes less space in the fridge
• Could be cooked in a slow cooker

They do tend to cost a little more per pound, but I love the flavor of a turkey breast and always watch for them to get marked down at the grocery store. When I roasted this last week, I used a delicious rub both under the skin and on it that gave it an absolutely delicious flavor!

Here’s the simple recipe for the rub that I found on The Stay At Home Chef:

Ingredients

• 3 to 8 pound turkey breast
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a 3 to 8 pound turkey breast skin side up on the rack of a roasting pan, or into a lightly greased 9×13 pan.
• In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons olive oil2 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder to form a paste.
• Loosen the skin with your finger and spoon some of the spice mixture underneath the skin. Smooth it out to cover as much of the meat as possible. Rub the remaining spice mixture on top of the turkey breast skin.
• Roast in the preheated oven for approx. 20 minutes per pound, until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Measure the temperature in the center of the thickest part of the breast. Actual cooking time will depend on the size of your turkey breast. Boneless turkey breasts will cook faster. Use a meat thermometer for accuracy.
• Remove from the oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let rest for 15 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

The turkey breast browned so beautifully, and all the herbs gave the skin and the meat such delicious flavor! I added the traditional sides to the turkey and we enjoy an early Thanksgiving meal, with only a couple hours total work time!

This rub would work great on a whole turkey, as well. You may just need to double the ingredients to cover the whole bird. But if you’re having a small group for dinner, the turkey breast is the way to go!

I typically go for the dark meat in chicken, but turkey breast seems so much more moist and flavorful that I don’t miss the thigh!

I hope you’ll give this a try the next time you cook a turkey! You’re not skimping in the least with this flavorful rub!