Dry-Brined Whole Turkey Breast with Herbs
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Baking a bone-in, skin-on turkey breast with my brown sugar and fresh herb rub gives you juicy meat and perfectly golden skin every time. It’s what I make when a whole bird feels like overkill for a smaller crowd. The best part is that you can season it ahead and let it hang out in the fridge for up to two days before it even hits the oven.
I usually make a 10-12 pound turkey for my small family. But a few years ago, I discovered that the rub I use on these brown sugar pork chops is kind of a breakthrough way to cook a turkey breast. The usually dry breast meat comes out so juicy I don’t even need to make a separate gravy — the pan juices blended with water or chicken broth make a very nice sauce.
Sure, a baked turkey breast is perfect for Thanksgiving when you want the essence of roast turkey without wrestling a whole bird, are cooking for just a couple of people, or skipping the dark meat altogether.
But honestly, don’t save it just for the holidays — roasting a turkey breast on the weekend means you can make the BEST turkey sandwiches during the week.
Karen’s ingredient notes
- Turkey breast: I tested this recipe with 6-7 pound turkey breasts, which is enough to serve about 6 people. Shop for a whole turkey breast, bone-in, skin-on. Trust me, the benefit of roasting or baking a turkey breast with the bone and skin is so worth it! Keeping the bones intact helps the meat to cook evenly and keeps the meat juicy, and the skin seals in moisture and crisps up beautifully, so you get tender slices with an irresistible golden, crackly texture.
- Dry brine rub: Even though I’ve been using this method for years on pork and poultry, it still seems like a magic trick. Instead of immersing the turkey breast in a large container of wet brine (which takes up too much space in the fridge), I use a mix of kosher salt, brown sugar, and herbs rubbed all over the skin.
The salt draws out moisture, and then infuses it back, carrying the seasonings deep into the meat. It gently breaks down muscle proteins so the meat retains its juices as it cooks. The sugar balances flavor so it doesn’t taste too salty, and also helps the skin brown beautifully.
Recipe overview
Make the dry rub with chopped herb mix (I used rosemary and thyme), brown sugar, kosher salt, garlic powder, black and red pepper. 
Rub the mixture evenly, all over the turkey breast and in the cavity.
Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to one day. Put the breast in a shallow roasting pan.
Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Slice the meat and serve with the pan juices.
To make a meal that really feels pulled together, my go-sides are roasted garlic yellow potatoes and buttery green beans with toasted almonds.
Brown Sugar and Herb Dry-Brined Turkey Breast
Ingredients
Dry Brine Rub
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs, such as a combination of rosemary, thyme and sage or a single type
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Baked Turkey
- 1 whole turkey breast, 6-7 pounds (bone-in with skin)
- Olive oil
- ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth, or water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Mix the dry brine rub:
- In a medium bowl, stir together ½ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup kosher salt, ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs, 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, 1½ teaspoons garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper. You can mix this ahead and store in a covered jar at room temperature.
Season the turkey
- Put 1 whole turkey breast in a large rectangular baking dish. Pat it dry with paper towels. Remove and discard the pop-up timer, if it has one. Sprinkle the rub evenly over the skin, on all sides (you don't need to go under the skin). If the breast has the part of the backbone attached, you can leave it on if you like. I remove it and bake separately so the breast can sit flat in the pan.
- Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12-24 hours. Flip the breast over halfway through.
Bake the turkey
- Take the turkey breast out the refrigerator about an hour before baking, and remove the plastic wrap. Discard the liquid collected in the pan.
- Arrange an oven rack to the bottom third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400F (or 375F convection). Line an 8 x 12-inch roasting pan with a piece of foil or parchment paper.
- Drizzle some olive oil over the skin. Put the turkey breast skin side down in the pan. Transfer to the oven and bake 30 minutes. Carefully flip the breast over (trying not to tear the skin). Lower the oven temperature to 375F (350 convection) and continue roasting an additional 45 minutes.
- Test for doneness: Take the turkey breast out of the oven and Insert an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the breast — if the temperature registers between 155-160 degrees, it's done. Remove it to a cutting board or shallow tray and lightly tent with foil. Rest for 20 minutes (carry over cooking will increase by about 10 degrees as it rests). Otherwise, continue baking in 10 minute intervals until it reaches proper temperature.
- Remove the foil or parchment from the pan. Add ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth or water and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice to the pan, using a spatula to scrape up the browned bits on the pan. Remove each breast from the bone, slicing along the ribs. Carve against the grain into slices. Serve warm with some of the pan juices spooned over.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- For a whole turkey: Combine 1/3 cup kosher salt and double the other ingredients in the dry brine. Roast the turkey 2-2 1/2 hours for a 10-12 pound bird (unstuffed).
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.