Dutch Oven Turkey Breast

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Looking for a juicy, tender, and flavorful turkey breast recipe? This Dutch oven turkey breast is the one for you! It features perfectly roasted turkey breasts with crispy, delicious skin, coated in homemade herb butter. You can even make a luscious gravy with all the pan drippings from the roasted turkey breasts.

If you’re in the need for some turkey but don’t want to roast an entire bird, try this easy and delicious Dutch oven turkey breast recipe. It’s perfect for a small holiday gathering or just as a Sunday family dinner. You’ll love the bright, fresh flavor from the lemon and herbs. It’s so much easier than roasting a whole turkey!

An overhead view of a plate with a serving of dutch oven turkey breast and mashed potatoes topped with gravy.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

You don’t need a special roasting pan, you don’t need to baste the turkey breasts, and you don’t have to constantly check up on the Dutch oven turkey. Just pop it into the oven in a Dutch oven and you’re all set!
This recipe makes for a wonderfully moist and juicy turkey breast. The Dutch oven helps hold in the heat and moisture so the turkey doesn’t dry out.
Herby butter makes everything better! This roasted turkey breast recipe is adapted from my garlic herb butter Dutch oven whole chicken recipe that has many rave reviews!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients needed to make Dutch oven turkey breast.

turkey breasts — I’m using two split turkey breasts, bone-in skin-on. If you’re using a bone-in turkey breast where there is still a cavity of sorts, make sure to remove the giblets and you’ll want some extra lemon, garlic, and herbs to stuff into the cavity.
onions, carrots, celery — a classic flavor combo. You can hold onto these vegetables (or add additional ones) to serve with your turkey breasts.
oil — I use olive oil. You’ll need some to toss the vegetables in and a healthy drizzle over the top of the turkey before roasting.
salt & pepper — I’m pretty generous with my salt and pepper in this recipe. You’ll need it for the vegetables, herb butter, and gravy.
butter — I use unsalted butter as I’m adding salt to the herb butter.
herbs — you’ll need a combination of basil, thyme, and rosemary. Don’t have enough of one or another, you can adjust the ratios as needed!
lemon — I add lemon zest and lemon juice to the herb butter and I also add lemon slices to the pot to impart a fresh, bright flavor.
garlic — the more garlic, the merrier!
flour — to make the roux for the gravy.
garlic powder & onion powder — for the gravy.
chicken broth — or turkey broth! I depending on how much drippings you end up with, you might have to add chicken broth to bulk it up or thin out the gravy.

How to Make Dutch Oven Turkey Breasts

Set of two photos showing onions, carrots, and celery added to a pot and tossed with oil, salt, and pepper.

Pull the turkey breast out of the refrigerator and leave it on your countertop for about 30 minutes before cooking. Adjust the oven racks so there’s one on the second lowest position. Heat the oven to 350F.
In a large Dutch oven, add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery. Toss them with salt, pepper, and around 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Set of two photos showing butter, herbs, and lemon zest and juice added to a bowl and combined.

In a large bowl, add the softened butter, salt, pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, basil, and half of the thyme and rosemary. Mix to combine.

Set of two photos showing turkey breasts patted dry with a paper towel and skin pulled up.

Start preparing the turkey by patting the skin dry with paper towels. Loosen the skin of the turkey breast by gently pulling the skin away from the breast, so you create a pocket.

Set of two photos showing butter added under the skin of the turkey breasts and smeared over the tops of the breasts.

Spread half of the butter mixture under the skin in the pocket you created and spread the other half over the top of the turkey.

Set of two photos showing lemon slices, garlic cloves, fresh herbs, and turkey added to a dutch oven.

Add garlic cloves, lemon slices, and the rest of the rosemary and thyme to the Dutch oven before placing the turkey breasts on top. Scatter any additional rosemary and thyme you may have leftover around the turkey.
Add a drizzle of olive oil over the tops of the turkey breasts (approximately 1 tablespoon) before transferring the Dutch oven to the second lowest rack in the oven.

Set of two photos showing dutch oven turkey breasts finished roasting and then removed from the pot.

Cook for 2 hours (or 20 minutes per pound of turkey you have) or until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165F.
When done, set aside the turkey breasts to rest before slicing.

Set of two photos showing turkey drippings strained into a measuring cup.

Pour the liquid from the Dutch oven through a strainer, you can keep or discard the vegetables. If you do not have 2 cups worth of drippings, supplement with chicken broth.

Set of two photos showing butter melted and flour whisked into the saucepan.

Melt the butter in a medium pan over medium heat. Whisk in a portion of the flour at a time until smooth. Stir continuously for about 2 minutes until a thick paste forms, forming a roux. The roux should be thick. If you run a spoon or spatula through it, the roux should coat the spatula without dripping off.

Set of two photos showing gravy being whisked together in a saucepan.

Slowly whisk in the strained liquid while whisking constantly. Start with 1 cup and continue to add the rest of the drippings until enough is added to your liking. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Cook while whisking until it has thickened to your liking, about 5 minutes. Feel free to add additional chicken broth as needed.
Serve gravy with the turkey. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.

A close up view of dutch oven turkey breast.

Recipe Tips and Notes

If I’m feeling for a garlicky gravy, I’ll grab the wonderfully roasted garlic cloves from under the turkey breasts and add them to the gravy by blending them together with an immersion blender.
If the tops of the turkey are browning too much, you can place the lid of the Dutch oven on top or cover it with foil.
Use a meat thermometer to make sure the thickest part of the turkey breast is at least 165F/75C to tell when the turkey is ready.

My Recommendation

This is my go-to meat thermometer for making sure that the internal temperature of my meat is good to go. It’s also magnetic so I have it on my fridge door to save drawer space!

Get it Now!

You can also season the exterior of the turkey breasts generously with some salt and pepper before placing the butter mixture on top.
I don’t recommend using frozen turkey for this Dutch oven recipe. Be sure to thaw your turkey breast out thoroughly first.
Make sure to pat the exterior dry before rubbing the butter on it. If the turkey has moisture on the skin, it’ll steam in the oven instead of roast. You want the skin as dry as possible for the crispiest skin!
I use a Staub round Dutch oven for this recipe. Feel free to use a larger one or an oval one if it fits your turkey better.

Two dutch oven turkey breasts in a white plate.

Make Ahead Tips

Meal prep: once cooled, store the cooked dutch oven turkey in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. Feel free to portion it out into containers to make your lunches easier.
Freezer: allow the dutch oven turkey breasts to cool before shredding the turkey and transferring into an airtight container before storing them in the freezer. Shredded turkey can last for up to 3 months.
Leftovers: Try this Pesto Turkey Sandwich with your leftover turkeys! You can also hold onto the bones to make this easy slow cooker bone broth.

Serving Suggestions

Here are some recipes I like to serve with my Dutch turkey breast recipe:

A plate with a serving of dutch oven turkey breast and mashed potatoes topped with gravy.

How much turkey should I plan per person?

I usually plan about 1 pound of turkey per person. Plan for more if you want leftovers!

Do I have to add liquid to the Dutch oven?

Nope! The turkey will release liquid as it cooks in the oven. Adding liquid will lead to the turkey sitting in it, making it soggy.

How long do I need to thaw a turkey?

Thaw your turkey breast about 36-48 hours before you plan on cooking it. I usually plan a minimum thawing time of 6 hours per pound of turkey.

How long to cook a turkey breast per pound?

A common question when cooking turkey is: how long to cook a turkey breast per pound? 20 minutes per pound at 350F is my go-to. However, I always recommend checking the internal temperature to ensure the turkey is cooked through.