This honey roasted sheet pan turkey breast is a whole small Thanksgiving dinner on one pan. A bone-in turkey breast is rubbed under the skin with honey herb butter, then roasted with potatoes and Brussels sprouts that soak up all the buttery juices. It serves 4 in about 90 minutes, with leftovers if there are two of you.
I made this recipe the very first year I moved to America with my now husband, and since we knew literally no-one in NYC we had no-one to invite. That was when I realized that a turkey breast and all the trimmings could be the perfect sheet pan dinner.
I've spent more than a decade developing and testing recipes, including in the test kitchens at Bon Appétit and Saveur. A turkey breast is what I recommend to anyone cooking for a small group. You get the crispy skin and the carving moment without the stress of a whole bird, and the vegetables cook in the same pan.
Jump to:
- Why you'll love this sheet pan turkey breast
- Ingredients for sheet pan turkey breast
- How to make sheet pan turkey breast
- What I like to serve with sheet pan turkey breast
- Tips for the juiciest turkey breast
- Variations
- Frequently asked questions
- Pin this sheet pan turkey breast for later
- What Do You Think?!
- Printable Recipe
- Honey Baked Turkey Breast with Vegetables
- Reader Comments & Ratings
Why you'll love this sheet pan turkey breast
- It's a full dinner on one pan. The turkey, potatoes and sprouts all roast together, so there's one pan to wash.
- It's quicker than a whole turkey. A 3lb bone-in breast is cooked in about an hour.
- It's the right size for a small Thanksgiving. It feeds 4, or 2 with plenty of leftovers. It works for Christmas, Easter or a Sunday roast too.
- The leftovers are great. Use them in sandwiches and salads, or in my Leftover Turkey Quesadillas. You can also swap the chicken for turkey in my Easy Leftover Chicken Curry.
Ingredients for sheet pan turkey breast
Find the full list and quantities in the recipe card below.
Bone-in turkey breast. I use one bone-in, skin-on turkey breast, about 3lb. The bone adds flavor and keeps the meat moist, and the skin crisps up and protects the breast meat. Most sheet pan turkey recipes use a boneless roast, but bone-in is much harder to dry out.
Salted butter. It adds seasoning to the herb butter.
Honey. Use any runny honey. It helps the skin brown and gives a gentle sweetness to the pan juices.
Fresh rosemary, sage and thyme. Finely chop them for the butter, and tuck extra whole sprigs around the potatoes. A little chopped parsley at the end adds freshness.
Potatoes and Brussels sprouts. The potatoes go in first and the sprouts halfway through, so both finish crisp at the same time.
How to make sheet pan turkey breast
Find the full printable recipe card below.
1. Bring the turkey to room temperature. Take it out of the fridge an hour before cooking. Make the herb butter while it sits.
2. Make the honey herb butter. Mix the soft butter, honey and finely chopped rosemary, sage and thyme in a small bowl.
3. Butter the turkey. Heat the oven to 400°F/200°C and season the turkey all over with salt and pepper. Gently loosen the skin and spread a third of the butter underneath it, then spread the rest over the top.
4. Build the pan. Toss the potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper on a lined sheet pan. Make a space in the middle for the turkey, keep the potatoes in a single layer so they roast rather than steam, and tuck in the herb sprigs.
5. Roast, then add the sprouts. Roast for 30 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts, toss them in the buttery juices, and roast for another 30 minutes.
6. Check the temperature and rest. The thickest part of the breast should read 165°F/74°C. Lift the turkey onto a board and rest it under foil for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, give the vegetables another 10 minutes until golden at the edges.
7. Carve. Run a knife along the bone to lift the breast off in one piece, then slice it about half an inch thick. Scatter over the parsley and serve with the vegetables, cranberry sauce and my make-ahead Red Wine Jus.
What I like to serve with sheet pan turkey breast
The potatoes and sprouts make this a complete meal, but for Thanksgiving or Christmas I like to add one or two more very easy sides. I'd serve it with my Microwaved Green Beans with Lemon & Almonds, Honey Butter Roasted Carrots or Honey Roasted Parsnips.
If I'm cooking for a bigger group, I make a tray of my Crispy British Roast Potatoes alongside, because you can never have too many roasties. For the mash lovers, my shortcut KitchenAid Mashed Potatoes are an easy extra. And I always put out cranberry sauce and a jug of my make-ahead Red Wine Jus.
Tips for the juiciest turkey breast
- Use a thermometer. It's the only reliable way to avoid dry turkey. Start checking 10 minutes early.
- Season well. Salt it all over, using kosher or sea salt. If you only have table salt, use a little less.
- Use soft butter. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead so it spreads easily under the skin.
- Butter under and over the skin. Butter under the skin flavors the meat, and butter on top crisps the skin.
- Don't skip the rest. Ten minutes under foil keeps the slices juicy.
- If the skin browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil, then uncover it for the last 10 to 15 minutes.
Variations
- Use a different cut. The honey herb butter works on a whole turkey, a turkey crown or a whole chicken.
- Add citrus. Mix orange, mandarin or lemon zest into the butter.
- Swap the vegetables. Use sweet potato instead of potato, or carrots, parsnips or beets instead of sprouts.
- For another easy stress free Thanksgiving protein try this Festive Roast Chicken
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a boneless turkey breast?
Yes, but it cooks faster than bone-in, so start checking the temperature earlier and add the sprouts sooner. Always go by the thermometer: 165°F/74°C in the thickest part.
Can I make this with a whole turkey?
Yes. Double or triple the herb butter and roast the bird for its usual time. Add the potatoes for the last hour only and the Brussels sprouts for the last 30 minutes.
How do I know when turkey breast is done?
An instant-read thermometer in the thickest part should read 165°F/74°C. If you don't have one, pierce the thickest part; the juices should run clear.
How much turkey breast do I need per person?
A 3lb bone-in breast feeds 4 generously. Allow roughly ¾ lb bone-in per person, or more if you want leftovers.
Where can I buy turkey breast?
Most grocery stores stock it from early November. Butchers, farm shops and online butchers sell it year-round, but you may need to order ahead.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days. Reheat them wrapped in foil in a hot oven so the meat doesn't dry out.
Can I freeze roast turkey breast?
Yes. Cool it completely, slice it, and freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost it in the fridge.
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Printable Recipe
Honey Baked Turkey Breast with Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 Skin-on Bone-on Turkey Breast - roughly 3lb/1.4kg, at room temperature
- 4 tbsp Butter - at room temperature
- ⅓ cup Honey
- 1 tbsp Rosemary - very finely chopped plus extra whole sprigs
- 1 tbsp Sage - very finely chopped plus extra whole sprigs
- 1 tbsp Thyme - leaves only plus extra whole sprigs
- 3 medium Potatoes - peeled and diced into 2 inch pieces
- 1 lb Brussel Sprouts - peeled and halved
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Chopped Parsley - optional
Instructions
- If possible bring the turkey breast out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking to come to room temperature.
- Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC
- In a small bowl combine the butter, honey and finely chopped rosemary, sage and thyme.
- Season the turkey well all over with salt and pepper.
- Gently separate the skin from the turkey meat and spread ⅓ of the butter mixture under the skin.
- Next spread the remaining butter over the turkey skin and meat on top of the breast.
- Line a shallow roasting pan with parchment or aluminium foil for easier clean up.
- Place the potato pieces on the sheet pan and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Make a space in the middle of the pan and lay the turkey on the baking sheet.
- Make sure the potatoes sit in a single layer around the turkey. This will ensure that they all roast rather than steam. Add whole sprigs of the herbs in and around the potatoes and turkey.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Add the brussels sprouts to the pan and toss to coat in the olive oil and buttery juices.
- Bake for a further 30 minutes.
- Check the turkey for doneness. If using an instant read thermometer the internal temperature should reach 165ºF/ 74ºC. Otherwise make a cut in the thickest part and ensure the juices are running clear.
- Remove the Turkey from the pan and allow to rest for 10 minutes, tented in foil
- Continue to cook the brussels sprouts and potatoes for a further 10 minutes or until crispy and starting to turn a golden color at the edges.
- Carve the turkey - first separate the meat from the bone by carefully running a knife along it.
- Next slice the meat into half inch slices.
- Add a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley if desired and serve with the veggies and cranberry sauce!
Gina says
What a delicious meal! Keeping this in mind for the holidays as we never have enough to justify a whole bird and this recipe was so easy.
Jo Keohane says
It works so well when you don't want to do a whole turkey. Thanks so much for your comment.
Vladka says
This is the most flavorful piece of turkey I have ever eaten. I made it into a sandwich and my son went just crazy. A beautiful blend of herbs.
Jo Keohane says
Vladka - so glad you and your son enjoyed this one! Thanks so much for your comment.
Kris says
So tender and juicy! Such a fabulous recipe. 🙂
Jo Keohane says
Thanks so much Kris, really appreciate the comment. Glad you liked this one!
Gen says
What a beautiful blend of spices! This turkey dinner came out perfectly - flavorful, moist, and delicious.
Jo Keohane says
Thank you so much for your feedback - I' m so glad you liked this dish!
Glenda says
Now that it's just the two of us, this is my favorite way to make turkey. Moist, tender and scrumptious!
Jo Keohane says
I'm so glad you liked this recipe, thank you for your lovely comment.