Dinner: Citrus-Sage Roast Turkey Breast with Gravy: Small Crowd

Recipe by Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez If you're sharing Thanksgiving with a smaller group, we highly recommend a turkey breast. You'll still end up with plenty of leftovers for what many consider the best perk of the Thanksgiving holiday: the day-after t

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Lemon

Health benefits of Citrus-Sage Roast Turkey Breast with Gravy: Small Crowd

Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to. Lemons are also rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, and other antioxidants. They can potentially support the immune system and have other health benefits. Lemons also have a low glycemic index, so they should not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar when consumed in natural form.

Ingredients

1 (5- to 6- pound) turkey breast, at room temperature for 1 hour
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, well softened
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 navel orange
1/2 medium red onion, cut into wedges

Instructions

Heat oven to 425 °F with rack in lowest position. Discard any excess fat from inside turkey cavity. Pat dry inside and out.
Stir together butter, sage, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Grate enough zest from orange to measure 1 teaspoon and add to butter mixture. Halve orange lengthwise and save one half for another use. Cut remaining half into wedges.
Starting at wider, thicker end of breast, gently slide an index finger between skin and flesh of breast to loosen skin, leaving skin attached to breast at other end (be careful not to tear skin). Push butter mixture evenly under skin on both sides of breast, and massage skin from outside to distribute butter evenly.
Put turkey on V rack in roasting pan and sprinkle all over with 3/4 teaspoon salt (if using a kosher turkey, see the Cooks' notes) and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Put orange and red onion wedges in area between rack and breast. Add 1 cup water to pan and roast turkey 30 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 °F. Rotate breast 180 degrees and baste with pan juices, then roast 30 minutes.
Rotate breast again 180 degrees, and baste with pan juices. Tent breast loosely with foil and continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast (test both sides, close to but not touching bone) registers 165 °F, 25 to 40 minutes longer. (Baste with juices once more; if pan becomes completely dry, add 1/2 cup water.) (Total roasting time: about 1 1/2 hours.)
Transfer turkey to a platter, reserving juices in pan. Let turkey stand, uncovered, 25 minutes. Discard orange and onion wedges.

Share Citrus-Sage Roast Turkey Breast with Gravy: Small Crowd