Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe

Prepare and season turkey

Remove the turkey breast from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels. Mix the softened butter, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, chopped thyme, lemon zest, kosher salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Carefully loosen the skin over the breast meat with your fingers and spread about half of the herbed butter directly onto the meat under the skin; rub the remaining butter over the skin. Drizzle the olive oil over the skin and rub to coat evenly.

Roast

Place the turkey breast skin-side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Add the chicken or turkey stock and white wine (if using) to the bottom of the pan to keep the drippings from burning and to add moisture. Roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 160°F (71°C). If the skin is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil after 30–40 minutes.

Rest and slice

Remove the turkey breast from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 15–20 minutes; carryover cooking will bring the internal temperature to about 165°F (74°C). Reserve the pan drippings for the gravy. Slice the breast against the grain into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices just before serving.

While the turkey roasts, place the potato chunks in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are very tender, about 15–18 minutes. Drain well and return potatoes to the hot pot to dry for 1–2 minutes over low heat.

Meanwhile, warm the milk and butter together in a small saucepan or microwave until butter is melted and mixture is warm (do not boil). Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or ricer until mostly smooth. Gradually add the warm milk-butter mixture, mashing until you reach a creamy consistency. Season with additional salt and 1/2 tsp pepper to taste. Stir in chopped chives if using and keep covered and warm until serving.

After removing the turkey from the roasting pan, pour pan drippings through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup or fat separator. Spoon off excess fat until you have about 2 tablespoons of fat (use butter if needed) in the roasting pan or in a small saucepan.

Place the pan or saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tbsp flour into the fat and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly browned and raw flour taste is gone (this is a roux). Slowly whisk in 2 cups of chicken or turkey stock, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until thickened, about 3–5 minutes. If too thin, simmer a bit longer; if too thick, whisk in a little more stock.

Taste and season with salt, pepper and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce if using. Strain again into a gravy boat if you prefer an extra-smooth gravy. Keep warm until serving.

About 20 minutes before the turkey is done, preheat the oven (or use the turkey oven) to 400°F (200°C) if different from roasting temperature. Toss the carrots and green beans with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.

Roast the vegetables for 12–18 minutes, turning once, until tender-crisp and lightly caramelized. Alternatively, steam the green beans for 4–5 minutes and roast or sauté the carrots until tender. Keep warm until plating.