Best 8 Lemon Herb Roasted Turkey Recipes

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**Lemon Herb Roasted Turkey: A Succulent and Flavorful Thanksgiving Feast**

Prepare to tantalize your taste buds with our delectable Lemon Herb Roasted Turkey, a culinary masterpiece that will take center stage at your Thanksgiving gathering. This dish promises a symphony of flavors, with a succulent turkey infused with aromatic herbs and zesty lemons. Our comprehensive guide includes two exceptional recipes: a classic Lemon Herb Roasted Turkey and a tantalizing Turkey with Lemon-Garlic Butter, each offering a unique taste experience. Whether you prefer a traditional approach or a burst of garlicky goodness, we have you covered. Say goodbye to dry, bland turkey and embrace the juicy, flavorful bird that will leave your guests craving for more.

Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!

HERB-ROASTED TURKEY BREAST



Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast image

Rather than roast an entire bird, try Ina Garten's Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast for a flavorful alternative. Rosemary, sage and thyme star in this recipe.

Provided by Ina Garten

Categories     main-dish

Time 2h40m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 whole bone-in turkey breast, 6 1/2 to 7 pounds
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.
  • In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.
  • Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. (I test in several places.) If the skin is over-browning, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil. When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over the turkey.

LEMON-HERBED TURKEY BREAST



Lemon-Herbed Turkey Breast image

"This is a family favorite that's also popular with company," notes Alicia Glovor of Sterling, Alaska. "The herbs tucked under the skin give the turkey a wonderful aroma as it's roasting, and the lemon juice adds a subtle hint of citrus."

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 2h45m

Yield 16 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 bone-in turkey breast (8-1/2 pounds)
3 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage

Steps:

  • Loosen skin from turkey with fingers, leaving skin attached along bottom edges. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon oil, garlic and seasonings. Spread under turkey skin. , In a small bowl, combine remaining lemon juice and oil; set aside. , Place turkey on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until a thermometer reads 170°; basting every 15-20 minutes with lemon mixture. Let stand for 10 minutes. Discard skin before carving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 158 calories, Fat 3g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 79mg cholesterol, Sodium 246mg sodium, Carbohydrate 1g carbohydrate (0 sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 31g protein. Diabetic Exchanges

ROSEMARY LEMON ROASTED TURKEY



Rosemary Lemon Roasted Turkey image

You are five ingredients away from this delicious rosemary and lemon roasted turkey - an elegant family dinner.

Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Entree

Time 4h25m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 5

6 sprigs rosemary
3 lemons, cut into fourths
12- to 14-pound turkey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 325°. Place rosemary and lemon fourths in cavity of turkey. Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Brush with oil. Sprinkle with garlic salt.
  • Bake uncovered 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours or until thermometer reads 180° and juice of turkey is no longer pink when center of thigh is cut. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 385, Carbohydrate 0 g, Cholesterol 140 mg, Fat 1, Fiber 0 g, Protein 44 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 170 mg

LEMON AND HERB ROASTED THANKSGIVING TURKEY



Lemon and Herb Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey image

Provided by Geoffrey Zakarian

Categories     main-dish

Time P1DT6h30m

Yield 10 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

One 12- to 14-pound fresh turkey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh oregano
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon ground sumac
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon finely minced shallots
Grated zest of 6 lemons (use 3 of the zested lemons below)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 sprigs fresh parsley
10 sprigs fresh thyme
3 lemons, halved
1 shallot, halved
3 carrots, roughly chopped
3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
Water or stock, for the roasting pan
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Steps:

  • For the turkey: Twenty-four hours before cooking your turkey, liberally season the inside and outside of the bird with salt and pepper. Using a mini chopper or mortar and pestle, grind the oregano, parsley, tarragon, sumac, thyme, shallots and lemon zest together with some salt and pepper; the salt will help draw the moisture and flavor from the mixture. Add the olive oil to form a paste. Spread the herb mixture all around the inside and outside of the turkey. Refrigerate the turkey, uncovered to dry the skin, for 24 hours.
  • For the roasting: Remove the turkey from the fridge 90 minutes before roasting and allow it to come to room temperature.
  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
  • Season the turkey again with salt and pepper. Put the parsley and thyme sprigs in the cavity with the lemon and shallot halves.
  • Put the carrots, celery and onions in the bottom of a roasting pan fitted with a roasting rack. Add a cup of water or stock to the bottom of the pan. Add the turkey to the rack and roast, adding a little more water or stock to the pan if necessary to prevent the drippings from burning, for 30 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to roast, basting the turkey with the pan drippings every 30 minutes, until the thickest part of the leg registers an internal temperature of 155 degrees F, another 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Allow the bird to rest, tented with foil, for at least 1 hour before carving. The temperature will rise to about 165 degrees F during resting.
  • Pour the pan drippings into a saucepan, set the pan over medium-high heat and cook until reduced by one-half, about 10 minutes. Stir in the butter until melted. Pour the reduced turkey drippings over the carved turkey just before serving.

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY



Perfect Roast Turkey image

Use lemon, garlic and thyme to flavor Ina Garten's Perfect Roast Turkey recipe from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network, great for the holidays or just dinner.

Provided by Ina Garten

Categories     main-dish

Time 3h20m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 fresh turkey (10 to 12 pounds)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme
1 whole lemon, halved
1 Spanish onion, quartered
1 head garlic, halved crosswise

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves to the butter mixture. Set aside.
  • Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.
  • Roast the turkey about 2 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.
  • Slice the turkey and serve.

THANKSGIVING PIONEER-STYLE HERB ROASTED TURKEY



Thanksgiving Pioneer-Style Herb Roasted Turkey image

Crown your holiday feast with this Thanksgiving Pioneer-Style Herb Roasted Turkey recipe from Throwdown with Bobby Flay on Food Network.

Provided by Bobby Flay

Categories     main-dish

Time 5h35m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

1 (17-pound) whole fresh turkey, rinsed well and patted dry
1 1/4 stick unsalted butter, slightly softened
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 large stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large onions, quartered
8 cups homemade chicken stock, divided, plus more if needed for gravy
Turkey neck
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup white wine
4 cups sage-infused stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage

Steps:

  • For the turkey: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting.
  • Combine the butter, sage, rosemary, thyme, and parsley in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
  • Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper and fill the cavity with half of the carrots, celery, and onion. Rub the entire turkey with herb butter and season liberally with salt and pepper.
  • Put 4 cups of the chicken stock in a medium saucepan and keep warm over low heat.
  • Place the remaining vegetables on the bottom of a large roasting pan. Put the turkey on top of the vegetables, put in the oven, and roast in the oven until lightly golden brown, 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue roasting, basting with the warm chicken stock every 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 160 degrees F, about 2 to 2 1/4 hours longer. Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer to baking sheet and tent loosely with foil, and let rest 20 minutes before slicing.
  • For the sage gravy:
  • Strain the cooking liquid from the roasting pan into a medium saucepan (should be about 4 cups, if not, add more stock to make 4 cups). Add the neck, bring to a boil, add the sage leaves, remove from the heat, and let steep for 15 minutes. Remove the sage leaves.
  • Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until reduced. Whisk in the stock and cook until thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper and chopped sage.

LEMON & HERB-BASTED SIMPLE ROAST TURKEY



Lemon & herb-basted simple roast turkey image

Roast your Christmas turkey with a classic lemon, parsley and thyme butter for juicy, delicately flavoured meat

Provided by Jenny White

Categories     Main course

Time 4h20m

Number Of Ingredients 7

4 ½kg free-range oven-ready turkey
100g softened butter
grated zest 1 lemon
1 tbsp chopped thyme
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 garlic clove , finely chopped
Hazelnut, pancetta & orange stuffing (optional, see 'Goes well with')

Steps:

  • Remove any giblets from the turkey and save for stock, if you are making your own (see 'Tip'). Remove the bird from the fridge 1 hr before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature. Wipe the turkey inside and out with kitchen paper.
  • Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Starting at the neck-end of the bird, carefully push your fingers between the skin and flesh on the breast, loosening the skin. Mix the butter, lemon zest, herbs and garlic together and season. Push the flavoured butter under the skin and spread over the flesh. Smooth the skin back over the breast.
  • You can now stuff the neck-end of the bird with the stuffing, if you like, and secure the skin underneath with a skewer. Weigh the turkey and calculate the cooking time - it will need 40 mins for every 1kg.
  • Transfer the bird to a roasting tin, cover loosely with foil and place in the middle of the oven. Cook for 20 mins, then reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for the rest of the cooking time. Remove the foil for the last 30 mins. Check if the turkey is cooked by piercing the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer. If the juices run clear, it's cooked. If they are pink, return it to the oven for another 15 mins, then test again. If using a meat thermometer, it should read 80C for the thighs, and the breast should be 75C.
  • Remove the cooked turkey from the tin, and place on a serving platter (use the tin to make the gravy - see 'Goes well with'). Cover with foil and leave to rest for 30-45 mins before carving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 628 calories, Fat 32 grams fat, SaturatedFat 14 grams saturated fat, Protein 84 grams protein, Sodium 0.9 milligram of sodium

LEMON-HERB TURKEY BREAST



Lemon-Herb Turkey Breast image

The first time I tried this recipe, and told my kids I'd prepared the turkey differently, they threw a fit...until they tasted it. Now they make it in their own homes. The marinade makes the turkey moist and flavorful. Using a turkey breast is a nice change from preparing a whole turkey.

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 2h10m

Yield 12-14 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup packed fresh parsley sprigs
4 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano and sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 bone-in turkey breast (6 to 7 pounds)

Steps:

  • In a blender, combine the lemon juice, oil, soy sauce, parsley, onions, garlic, mustard and seasonings; cover and process until smooth. Pour 1 cup marinade into a 2-gal. resealable plastic bag; add turkey. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for basting. , Line the bottom of a large shallow roasting pan with foil. Drain and discard marinade; place turkey on a rack in prepared pan. , Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until a thermometer reads 170°, basting every 30 minutes with reserved marinade. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.) Cover and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.,

Nutrition Facts :

Tips:

  • Choose the right turkey: For a moist and flavorful turkey, choose a fresh or thawed turkey that is free of bruises or tears. If you are using a frozen turkey, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours per 4-5 pounds.
  • Prepare the turkey: Before roasting, remove the giblets and neck from the turkey cavity. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water and pat it dry with paper towels.
  • Season the turkey: Generously season the inside and outside of the turkey with salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs. You can also add a compound butter or olive oil rub to the skin for extra flavor.
  • Roast the turkey: Place the turkey breast-side up in a roasting pan. Add a cup of water to the bottom of the pan to prevent the drippings from burning. Roast the turkey at 325°F for 13-15 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  • Let the turkey rest: Once the turkey is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the turkey, resulting in a moist and tender bird.

Conclusion:

Lemon herb roasted turkey is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for any special occasion. By following these tips, you can ensure that your turkey is cooked to perfection and bursting with flavor. Serve your roasted turkey with your favorite sides, such as mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy, for a memorable meal that your family and friends will love.

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