Plus Easy Turkey Gravy Recipe!
Welcome to part 3 of our Unforgettable Holiday Meal. This year, let’s downsize and take time to really enjoy the holiday with our families. If you missed part 1 and 2, which are the delicious side dishes for this turkey dinner, check out these posts: The Best Sweet Cornbread & Sage Dressing and Easy Stir Fry Garlic Green Beans.
Jump to Recipe
When you don’t have a large crowd coming for your holiday dinner, you can simply roast a turkey breast instead of an entire bird. (If you do plan on having more than 8 guests, then I recommend you check out my post: How to Brine and Roast a Whole Turkey)
I’ve made this recipe several times over the years after I tweaked a recipe that I found from Claire Robinson’s Five Ingredient Fix Food Network show.
I’ve created this video so you can see step by step how this turkey dinner comes together. PLUS…I’ve got a trick for roasting the turkey without a rack and using aluminum foil to prop it up!
I start with a 7 – 8 pound turkey breast, rinse it, dry it with paper towels, slather with softened butter and season with salt & pepper. Then I roast it in a pan with chicken stock and yellow onion. It’s so simple and delicious….but the gravy….ohhh…
…the gravy ! ! ! ….you won’t believe how taking flour and soft butter and whisking it with the roasting turkey juices that collect in the pan can change your life! Okay, maybe not that extreme, but once you make gravy this way, you’ll never make it by any other recipe!
I hope you try these recipes for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any time of the year! May you be blessed this season and thankful for the love you share with your family. Please comment and let me know if you have any questions or suggestions from your own experience.
Be blessed,
Momma
p.s. Check out the Best 2021 Digital Planners from Blessing by Design….
Roasted Turkey Breast with Gravy
For a small holiday meal, choose to make this simple roast turkey breast with no-fail, easy turkey gravy. Serve with cornbread dressing and green beans.
Ingredients
TURKEY
- 7 – 8 lb turkey breast fully defrosted
- 8 tbsp butter softened
- 1 large yellow onion quartered
- 2 cups chicken broth or stock
- salt
- black pepper
GRAVY
- 8 tbsp butter softened
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- about 3 cups chicken broth, added to pan juices 6 cups total liquid
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
Roast Turkey
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Preheat oven to 375° F
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Prepare roasting pan and rack. See video for making rack from foil.
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Rinse turkey and dry with paper towels. Get the turkey very dry!
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Place turkey on pan rack. Slather skin with 8 T. of softened butter with your hands. Generously season with salt and pepper.
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Put turkey on middle rack in oven and roast until temperature reads 165° F. Begin checking the turkey at about 1 hour. Cook more and check temperature again every 15 minutes until temperature is reached and juices run clear.
*In my video, I cooked a 7.5 lb. turkey for 1 3/4 hours total, checking first after 1 hour 15 minutes. If skin is very browned, then you can tent with foil after temperature check.
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Turkey is done ONLY when the temperature reads 165° F in two places AND the juices run clear*.
*see note
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Tent the turkey with foil and move to a plate to rest before carving while making the gravy.
Turkey Gravy
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While turkey is cooking, prepare flour/butter paste by combining flour with softened butter in a small bowl using a fork.
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Pour off the turkey pan drippings/juices into large measuring cup. Take note of how much liquid you get from the pan and add enough stock to equal 6 cups total liquid for making the gravy.
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Strain the liquid into a pot on the stove. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer and keep on low heat.
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Stir in the flour/butter paste. Whisk until smooth. Cook for several minutes until the gravy is thickened. Season* with salt and pepper to taste.
*see note
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Carve the turkey from the bone into slices and serve with gravy on the side.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
IMPORTANT: If temperature reads 165° F but juices are pink and not clear, put turkey back in oven for 15 more minutes. This can unexpectedly happen if turkey has been defrosted and the middle might still not be done.
Seasoning the gravy depends on taste since stock seasoning and the amount you put on the turkey may vary in the liquid that you start with.