It should come as no surprise that turkey is a MUST on Thanksgiving—over 200 million are sold in November every year! But there's also quite a few of us who don't want to fuss with a whole bird, especially if you're serving a smaller crowd this year. In that case, turkey breast is about to save your low-key Thanksgiving celebration. Sure, a dinner table laid out with sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, and green bean casserole all surrounding a big turkey centerpiece is the American ideal, but most people's actual celebrations will look a little bit different (or perhaps you don't have the room for all those leftovers). If this sounds familiar, try making one of our 16 turkey breast recipes instead. You’ll get all the flavor and tradition, with a ton less effort.
Because turkey breasts are so much smaller than whole birds (4 to 8 pounds versus 18 to 30 pounds, on average), you can risk getting way more creative with your flavors without having to worry you’ll end up with too much meat that’s all one-note. Try our air fryer tandoori turkey breast, our harissa-spiced turkey breast, or our cranberry glazed BBQ turkey breast for ideas on how to jazz things up. Looking for more classic flavors? We’ve got you too, with our air fryer garlic herb turkey breast, our rosemary, sage, and pecan-crusted turkey breast, or our turkey roulade (filled with herby panko, mmm).
We’ve also included a few recipes here that utilize leftover turkey breast if you do still find yourself with too much after the big day. Turn it into a mozzarella and kale pesto panini or a classic Cobb salad for Black Friday lunches, or make it into a turkey divan casserole to serve to any lingering holiday guests.
Want more Thanksgiving inspiration? Check out our top Thanksgiving appetizers, side dishes, and co*cktails too.
1
Stuffed Turkey Breast
A savory mushroom and bacon filling keeps this roasted turkey breast juicy while making it fancy and hearty enough to take the place of a whole bird on the holiday table. If you end up with leftover filling, you can even use it as a pre-dinner snack!
Get the Stuffed Turkey Breast recipe.
2
Turkey Tenderloin
Turkey tenderloin is the same cut you get when you get chicken tenders, just larger due to the size of the bird. Serve it in place of the classic roasted turkey if you're doing Thanksgiving dinner for 4 to 6 people.
Get the Turkey Tenderloin recipe.
3
Air Fryer Garlic Herb Turkey Breast
Craving turkey but don't want to go through the hassle of cooking a whole bird? Make turkey breast in the air fryer! It takes way less effort with far better results and you're guaranteed to get crispy skin and juicy meat.
Get the Air Fryer Garlic Herb Turkey Breast recipe.
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4
Crockpot Turkey Breast
Who says you have to turn on your oven to make delicious turkey? After trying this easy recipe, not us. All you need to do is mix up a simple brown sugar rub, coat the meat, and let your Crockpot do the rest! That way, your oven can take on more important tasks like pumpkin pie and green bean casserole. 😏
Get the Crockpot Turkey Breast recipe.
5
Turkey Roulade
Sometimes, roasting a whole turkey is just too much of an undertaking. A roulade, though? It's surprisingly effortless (we swear!), super-flavorful, and much easier to carve. Perfect served with a side of mashed potatoes and some tart cranberry sauce.
Get the Turkey Roulade recipe.
6
Air Fryer Tandoori Turkey Breast
Keeping the bone in and skin on the turkey breast helps to seal in moisture so the outside doesn’t dry out from the intense air fryer heat. Instead you get crispy skin and a super-moist, tandoori-spiced turkey breast. 😍
Get the Air Fryer Tandoori Turkey Breast recipe.
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7
Air Fryer Thanksgiving Turkey
If you have an air fryer, you can have Thanksgiving turkey ready in ONE hour! The best part is this recipe frees up your oven for more important things, like sweet potato casserole. 😏
Get the Air Fryer Thanksgiving Turkey recipe.
8
Turkey And Stuffing Skillet
This simple recipe covers your main dish and a side. Ask friends to bring roasted veggies or a salad (and plenty of wine), and you'll be in business for an amazing Friendsgiving.
Get the Turkey And Stuffing Skillet recipe.
9
Rosemary, Sage, and Pecan-Crusted Turkey Breast
Say goodbye to dry, boring turkey. This juicy turkey breast recipe is packed with flavor: Simply coat the turkey in herby butter and crunchy pecans. You'll be fighting your friends for the last piece.
Get the Rosemary, Sage, and Pecan-Crusted Turkey Breast recipe.
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10
CPK Italian Chopped Salad
California Pizza Kitchen may be famous for BBQ Chicken Pizza, but the Italian Chopped Salad is the unsung hero on their menu. An exuberant jumble of lettuce, chickpeas, turkey, salami, tomatoes, and cheese, all tossed in a Italian mustard-herb vinaigrette, this is one salad that might actually tempt us to put down the pizza in favor of the greens.
Get the CPK Italian Chopped Salad recipe.
11
Turkey Divan
This turkey divan is so simple to throw together, and it's endlessly versatile. Don't have broccoli? Throw in cauliflower or even green beans. Don't want to use Ritz crackers? Use some leftover rolls as croutons or top it with buttery panko. If relatives are staying put all weekend, this easy casserole will make dinner a breeze.
Get the Turkey Divan recipe.
12
Turkey, Mozzarella, and Kale Pesto Panini
Kale takes pesto to a whole new level, making this panini insanely delicious (and extra stuffed!).
Get the Turkey, Mozzarella, and Kale Pesto Panini recipe.
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13
Cranberry Glazed BBQ Turkey Breast
In our book, it isn't Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce. This recipe combines our favorite condiment with the main course for a turkey breast that's anything but boring.
Get the Cranberry Glazed BBQ Turkey Breast recipe.
14
Classic Chef Salad
The chef salad has been around for a long time, and for good reason. It typically comes with three kinds of meat (including turkey!), two cheeses, hard-boiled eggs, and lots of veggies, but feel free to swap in any additional leftover Thanksgiving veggies. Top it with your favorite dressing, like a homemade ranch or this easy vinaigrette.
Get the Classic Chef Salad recipe.
15
Harissa-Spiced Turkey Breast
Harissa, a North African spicy chili paste, is one of our favorite condiments—it's peppery, smoky, a little garlicky... basically everything you could want to make your turkey more exciting and flavorful this year.
Get the Harissa-Spiced Turkey Breast recipe.
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16
Roast Turkey Breast
Succulent roast turkey breast and savory, caramelized root vegetables make a delicious (and deceptively simple!) sheet pan dinner that can feed a crowd.
Get the Roast Turkey Breast recipe from Good Housekeeping.
Camille Lowder
Digital Food Producer
Camille Lowder is the digital food producer at Delish, otherwise known as our resident queen of recipe galleries. Previously, she attended the Natural Gourmet Institute for culinary school and worked at/managed a number of New York restaurants. She loves anything vegan, foods masquerading as other foods (hello, cauliflower), and a well-used Oxford comma.
