How Long to Roast a Turkey Breast
A turkey breast is far more forgiving than a whole bird because you are only cooking white meat, with no dark thigh meat fighting for a different finish temperature. The reliable rule at 325F is about 20 minutes per pound for a bone-in breast and 17 minutes per pound for a boneless or rolled breast. That means a 6 lb bone-in breast roasts in roughly 2 hours, while a 5 lb boneless roast finishes in about 1 hour 25 minutes. Bumping the oven to 350F shaves roughly 2 minutes per pound off those numbers but browns the skin a little faster, so watch for the need to tent with foil.
Roast minutes = weight (lb) x min per lb (20 bone-in / 17 boneless)
Temperature Beats the Clock
Minutes per pound is a planning estimate, not a guarantee. A cold-from-the-fridge breast, a crowded oven, or an inaccurate dial can swing the real time by 20 to 30 minutes. The only number that matters is the internal temperature: pull the breast when the thickest center hits 165F. Many cooks pull at 160F and let carryover heat climb the final five degrees during the rest, which keeps the meat juicier.
Why You Must Rest It
A 15-minute rest under loosely tented foil lets the juices redistribute through the muscle instead of flooding your cutting board. Slicing too early can cost you a noticeable amount of moisture. For yield, a raw breast loses about 30 percent of its weight to cooking, so a 6 lb raw breast gives you roughly 67 cooked ounces, comfortably feeding 6 to 8 people at a holiday table with sides.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I cook a turkey breast per pound?
At 325F, plan on about 20 minutes per pound for a bone-in breast and 17 minutes per pound for a boneless or rolled breast. So a 6 lb bone-in breast takes roughly 2 hours, but always confirm doneness with a thermometer reading 165F in the thickest part rather than trusting the clock alone.
What temperature should a turkey breast be cooked to?
A turkey breast is fully cooked and safe at 165F measured in the thickest center of the meat. Many cooks remove it from the oven at 160F because carryover heat will raise it the final five degrees while it rests, leaving the breast juicier than if you wait for 165F in the oven.
Is it better to roast a turkey breast at 325F or 350F?
325F is the classic choice because the gentler heat cooks the white meat more evenly and keeps it from drying out, especially on larger breasts. 350F finishes a bit faster, around 2 minutes per pound quicker, and gives crispier skin, but you should tent the top with foil if it browns before the center is done.
Do I cook a turkey breast covered or uncovered?
Roast it uncovered so the skin can brown and crisp. If the skin reaches a deep golden color before the inside hits 165F, loosely tent the top with aluminum foil to slow the browning while the center finishes, then remove the foil for the last few minutes if you want extra crispness.
Practical Guide for Turkey Breast Cooking Time Calculator
Buy the right size for your crowd before you worry about timing. A raw turkey breast loses about 30 percent of its weight during roasting, so a 6 lb breast yields roughly 67 ounces of cooked meat. At a generous 8 ounces per adult that feeds about eight people with sides, or six people if you want real leftovers for sandwiches the next day.
Start your timeline from dinner, not from the moment the oven preheats. Add the roast time to a 15-minute rest, then count backward from when you want to serve. For a 7 lb bone-in breast at 325F that is about 2 hours 20 minutes of roasting plus rest, so a 6:00 PM dinner means the breast goes in close to 3:25 PM, with the oven preheating before that.
Treat the printed minutes-per-pound as a starting estimate and let an instant-read or leave-in probe thermometer make the final call. Pull the breast at 160F to 165F in the thickest center, tent it loosely, and rest it for 15 minutes. Resting is not optional: it lets the juices settle back into the muscle so your slices stay moist instead of bleeding onto the board.
Quick Checklist
- Use 20 min/lb for bone-in and 17 min/lb for boneless at 325F.
- Count back roast time plus a 15-minute rest from your dinner hour.
- Pull the breast at 160-165F in the thickest center, not by the clock.
- Rest it tented under foil for 15 minutes before slicing.