DON’T HAVE FOUR AND A HALF HOURS TO COOK YOUR TURKEY?   Try this super-moist Hazelnut Pesto Roasted Turkey Breast with a cooking time of less than two hours.   And, no more dry turkey breast!  The hazelnut pesto and wine keep the turkey breast moist and flavor-rich.  Pesto may be made up to 3-days ahead and stored in covered container in refrigerator.

 

by Carrie Paul

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

Hazelnut Pesto

• ½ cup hazel nuts

• 1 ½ cups basil leaves

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1 Tbsp. lemon zest

• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ cup olive oil

 

• 2 Organic Turkey Breasts, Bone-In (approximately 2 ½ pounds each)
• Coarse Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups dry white wine, plus more if needed
• Extra Virgin Olive oil for drizzling

 Directions:

1.   Preheat oven 300⁰F. 

2. Toast hazel nuts on parchment lined baking sheet until lightly browned, 5-7 minutes.  Cool.  Rub skin off with hands or inside clean kitchen towel.

3. Finely chop basil, garlic, and lemon zest in food processor.  Add lemon juice and salt and pulse.  While processor is running, slowly add olive oil and pulse until smooth.

4. Increase oven temperature to 325⁰F.

5. Rinse and pat dry turkey breasts.  Generously salt and pepper both sides of each turkey breasts.  Loosen skin of chicken with your fingers tips and rub ½ of Hazelnut Pesto under skin and the remaining ½ directly on the turkey breasts.  Place breasts skin-side up in roasting pan; pour wine into the bottom of the roasting pan and drizzle chicken with olive oil.

6. Roast in oven for approximately 1 ½ hours until golden brown and a meat thermometer reads 165⁰F when inserted into the thickest part of the breast.  Add more white wine if all evaporated.

7. Remove and cover with foil to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.  Slice and serve with the pan juices.

 

DO AHEAD:  Prepare Hazel Nut Pesto recipe up to 3-days ahead.  Cover and chill.