Stuffed Turkey Breast (Thanksgiving For Two)

When roasting a whole turkey is too much food for Thanksgiving, Stuffed Turkey Breast with turkey pan gravy and caramelized onion cranberry stuffing is a traditional turkey dinner for two to enjoy for the holidays.

When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, how traditional are you? Do you make the same recipes each year or do you branch out with new ideas?

We are very traditionalists here when it comes to any holiday dinner (although we may try something new for Christmas and Easter).

Thanksgiving I can almost guarantee what the menu will be year after year – mashed potatoes for two, gravy without drippings, green bean casserole without mushroom soup, Mom’s stuffing, and Dad’s pumpkin pie.

The only change up we have is the meat.

Since there’s only four of us (with one not liking turkey and another who doesn’t eat much meat), we usually cook two Stuffed Cornish Hen.

However, I know not everyone wants chicken. They want a turkey dinner for two with stuffing because it’s synonymous with Thanksgiving.

Problem is there is no such thing as a small turkey. The smallest Thanksgiving turkey I’ve seen is 10 pounds. Probably 7 pounds too many.

So how do you make turkey for two? By making Thanksgiving Stuffed Turkey Breast for your Thanksgiving Dinner For Two (or even Christmas Dinner For Two).

The best part about roasting a whole turkey is stuffing it. Luckily turkey breasts are thick enough to stuff so you’re not missing out on that.

Plus by using skin-on turkey breasts, you still get to eat crispy skin (my favorite part).

Keeping with traditional Thanksgiving flavors, I made homemade caramelized onion cranberry stuffing.

And since you’ll have pan drippings, I also included how to make homemade turkey gravy with drippings for serving.

Ingredients For Stuffed Turkey Breast

To make your Thanksgiving turkey dinner for two, you’ll need to buy the following ingredients. It may seem like a lot, but you’re also making three different components:

• Bread: Can use white or whole wheat
• Butter: Helps flavor everything
• Salt: Always needed to your food isn’t bland
• Onion, celery, and garlic: Aromatics to make your stuffing delicious
• Broth: Used to help moisten the stuffing as well as make your gravy
• Egg: Used to bind the stuffing
• Dried cranberries: Much easier to use in the stuffing than fresh
• Dried herbs: I used dried herbs to make a rub, but you can also substitute fresh herbs as well.
• Bone-in, skin-on turkey breasts: In order to serve crispy skin, you’ll need to debone the breast yourself. More on that below.
• Flour: Used to thicken your turkey gravy

Where To Buy Bone-In Turkey Breast

When I first made this stuffed turkey breast recipe, I’ve never actually bought bone-in skin-on turkey breast before.

I’ve bought boneless skinless turkey breast, turkey legs, Cornish hen, boneless skinless chicken breast, all meats very similar to it but never bone-in skin-on turkey breast.

I bring this up because I had quite the adventure buying it.

First, there is no such thing as boneless skin-on turkey breast. It’s either bone in with skin or boneless and skinless.

And since you neeeeed that crispy golden turkey skin, you need to debone the turkey breast yourself.

Second, there is no such thing as tiny turkey breasts. Go big or go home.

It took me three stores to finally buy my meat. One butcher told me most breasts are bigger than 3 pounds because of the high demand.

I somehow got incredibly lucky and found 2.5 pound and 2.97 pound turkey breasts at another store.

Because of this factor, this recipe for stuffed turkey breast may vary for you. You may have leftover stuffing. You may use all of the stuffing. Your cooking time may take longer if the meat is bigger.

How much turkey breast per person?

One turkey breast half is probably three times the size of a regular chicken breast.

Depending on what else you’re serving, you can serve one breast per person or cut each breast in half and stretch it into 4 servings.

How To Debone Turkey Breast

Deboning turkey breast is easier than you think because the bone is all on one side.

Using a boning knife or a chef’s knife (make sure it’s sharp and long enough), place the breast skin side down. Make a cut down the center of the breast all the way down to the bone.

Here’s a video on how to debone a turkey breast.

Or depending on where you buy your meat, you can very nicely ask the butcher to debone it for you.

Now you’re ready to fill your boneless turkey breast with stuffing!

How To Make Homemade Cranberry Stuffing

To get started with your Thanksgiving stuffed turkey breast, first make your cranberry stuffing. Preheat the oven to 400F then toast your bread for your stuffing.

While that’s cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet. Add your onion then turn the heat down to low. Cook for 20 minutes or until onions are caramelized, stirring every few minutes and scraping any bits that form on the bottom.

Add celery and cook until softened then add your garlic.

Mix together your toasted bread, onion, broth, egg, cranberries, and parsley. Stir until everything is moistened and sticking together. Set aside while you prep the turkey.

How To Roast Stuffed Turkey Breast

Preheat oven to 325F. Line a roasting pan with foil for easy clean up. Spray a roasting rack with cooking spray and place it inside the pan.

Next, make the herb butter. This gives your turkey more flavor and help the skin crisp up better.

Once you butter your turkey, make a pocket on the side of each turkey breast.

Normally stuffed turkey breast is butterflied then rolled up into a roulade, but mine were so thick I decided to fill it like a pocket, similar to how I made my stuffed chicken breast with rice.

Add the cranberry stuffing then secure with a toothpick or two.

If you have leftover stuffing, you can add it underneath your roasting rack in the pan.

Roast two stuffed turkey breasts for 60-90 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F. The time varies because it depends on how many pounds your turkey is.

This is where buying a meat thermometer comes in handy. You don’t want to guess then cut into a raw turkey.

How To Make Gravy With Turkey Drippings

When you roast stuffed turkey breasts you will have pan drippings. These drippings are delicious and you certainly don’t want to throw them away!

The turkey breasts need to rest before serving; otherwise they will lose their wonderful juices and dry out.

While the turkey is resting, take those pan drippings and make turkey gravy from drippings.

First, refrigerate the drippings until the fat solidifies. Skim off the fat then melt it in a saucepan. This is in lieu of butter. However, if you don’t have enough fat, you can add more butter.

Next, stir in flour to form a roux. Let it cook for another minute or so to get rid of the raw flour taste then slowly whisk in the liquid drippings. If it’s not enough, you may need to add broth as well.

Bring to a boil then cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and add salt as needed.

By the time you finish the gravy, the turkey should be ready to serve.

Can I make stuffed turkey breasts the day before Thanksgiving?

This stuffed turkey breast recipe isn’t complicated, but like any holiday meal it does take some time to prepare.

Prep the stuffing the day before by cubing and toasting the bread. Cool then store at room temperature in an airtight container.

While the bread is toasting, caramelize the onion then cook the celery and garlic. Place the cooked filling in the refrigerator until the next day when you mix the stuffing ingredients together.

You can also make the herb butter ahead of time. Refrigerate after making then let it soften at room temperature before covering the turkey.

Another way to save time on Thanksgiving is by deboning the turkey breast ahead of time. Thawed turkey breast can stay in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before Thanksgiving.

What should I serve with turkey breast?

Now that you chose turkey as your main dish, what about turkey breast sides?

Most Thanksgiving side dish recipes make enough food to feed an army; if you’re cooking for two, you’ll never finish it all!

Luckily for you, this blog is all about recipes for two, so check out these small batch side dishes:

• Stovetop Scalloped Potatoes – Cook your potatoes while you wait for the turkey to finish.
• Au Gratin Potatoes For Two – These au gratin potatoes do require oven space, but you can cook them at the same time as the turkey.
• Sweet Potato Casserole For Two – A classic dish of mashed sweet potato with marshmallows on top.
• Green Beans with Almonds – A classic healthy side dish
• Small Batch Cranberry Sauce – Makes one small jar, which is about 2-4 servings. Serve any leftovers on cranberry baked Brie!

First published November 10, 2014