Herb Roasted Turkey Breast with Apple Cranberry Relish makes for a spectacularly festive meal for the holidays or anytime!
This is a sponsored post on behalf of Crunch Time Apple Growers. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Ciao Chow Bambina possible.
I see you, holiday season. I’m lookin’ at you…and I see you lookin’ back.
These are some happy days.
When my kitchen is filled with the aromas of minced sage, fresh thyme, cinnamon sticks and orange zest, and the sight of SnapDragon Apples cranberries and turkey – it means only one thing – holidays.
I’ve wanted to share my recipe for herb roasted turkey breast for the longest time, and with my bounty of SnapDragon® apples, I knew this was the right time.
Roast turkey and apple cranberry relish go together like Fred & Ginger…. Not only do these flavors complement one another, they make me want to put on my dancing shoes and twirl around the kitchen.
And I know just the music…holiday jazz. Whether it’s prepping a turkey, peeling apples, or chopping thyme – the backdrop of instrumental music sets the tone for an invigorating bountiful day.
No slacking on the job where our senses are concerned; these are the days when they clock in, put in their hours and work overtime without complaint. Whether it’s the sight of Dad carving a perfectly golden crispy skinned turkey, the aroma of warm apples and cinnamon wafting throughout the house, or the first three notes of a favorite song – our senses help keep these meaningful memories fresh in our minds for years to come.
Gosh, I wish you could take in the aroma of this plate…
ooops, okay – back to business…
Apple Cranberry Relish – a must for every Thanksgiving table (in my humble opinion). With so much savory going on, this slightly sweet mostly tart side dish not only adds balance to our tastebuds, it’s pretty and it’s simple.
What I love about this relish:
- It’s made with SnapDragon® apples, which are not only excellent eating apples but they’re great for recipes, too (like this relish, and this salad, and these crostini…)
- It combines the flavors of fall – cranberry, apples, citrus and cinnamon
- It can be made two or three days ahead
- It can be spread on a sandwich, used to top our yogurt, or swirled into our morning oatmeal
- It can be eaten cold or warmed up
I’m sure you’ll agree that the best holiday dinners are those that come together when everybody’s in on the act. It even holds true for holiday blog posts… Nick helped with the turkey and Luc wrote the invitations… <3
So whether it’s a weeknight dinner with guests, or for the holiday itself, this meal is worth making!
Wondering where you can find SnapDragons®? You should start seeing them at markets throughout New York State within the next few weeks, and in stores nationwide by mid-October! Stay tuned for additional updates on the new SnapDragon® website.
Buon Appetito!
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Herb Roasted Turkey Breast with Apple Cranberry Relish
- Category: Dinner
Description
Herb Roasted Turkey Breast with Apple Cranberry Relish makes for a spectacularly festive meal for the holidays or anytime!
Ingredients
- Turkey Breast
- 5 – 6 lb turkey breast
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1/4 cup minced sage leaves
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus 3 – 5 more sprigs
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Kosher salt & cracked black pepper, to taste
- 2 – 3 onions, quartered
- Apple Cranberry Relish
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 lb fresh cranberries
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 SnapDragon apples, peeled and chopped
- 1Tbsp orange zest
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F.
- In a medium bowl, combine butter, sage, thyme leaves, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Rinse and pat dry the turkey breast. With your fingers, carefully separate the skin from the meat and spread half the butter mixture beneath the skin directly onto the meat. Spread the remaining butter on top of the skin.
- Place turkey breast, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.
- Season with salt and pepper, top with thyme sprigs, and place onions around the turkey.
- Roast the turkey until the skin is golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees, 2 – 2.5 hrs.
- Remove from pan and cover it for at least 20 minutes and then slice as needed.
- While the turkey is roasting prepare the relish.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and cinnamon stick. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the cranberries. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the berries have burst, about 15 minutes.
- Remove cinnamon stick.
- Add the orange zest, apples and cinnamon.
- Cook apples until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Serve the turkey with a dollop of relish.
Forgot to pin? Here you go!
Adding apples to cranberry sauce if a great idea, Annie! I find plain cranberry sauce too tart so will definitely be trying this. I’m really looking forward to thanksgiving – it’s my favorite holiday!
I am with you! Cranberry sauce (a little bit) on the sweeter side is my favorite! Thanksgiving is my favorite, too! Thanks, friend!
Yummy! This dish is a perfect combination of some nutrient-dense ingredients, Annie! What kind of sugar do you use for the relish?
So yummy! I use granulated sugar. 🙂
Wow…this looks absolutely amazing ? Annie, so festive, warming and comforting. And I am loving the apple cranberry relish.. Really beautiful ?
Thank you so much, Ashika! All the comfort! 🙂
Yes, it’s coming fast! But you are on top of the holiday rush, Annie! I absolutely love “our senses help keep these meaningful memories fresh in our minds for years to come.” And that is why food can be such a powerful force… so many memories are tied to it. This feast you’ve prepared is gorgeous! I’m getting motivated to start planning just looking at it! Now, about that relish…. I know I’d absolutely love this! A coworker of mine used to share something like it at our work potluck years ago.. and I had forgotten about it. Thank you for your inspiration my dear! xo
Exactly! Many of my most vivid memories are attached to food or it’s aroma…one way or another I’m remembering special times born in the kitchen. The flavors in this relish are on point! Thanks, my friend! xo
I can hear that holiday jazz playing now!! This plate is everything I am craving lately!! All these flavors and that relish is not only gorgeous but it sounds amazing!! That red color! Now this is dinner time (or Thanksgiving) done right! Take care.
I have been, too! We’re coming into my favorite season for eating! 😉 Thanks, my friend!
I am swooning over this whole plate, Annie! So perfect for a simple holiday meal or just any night when you’re (I’m!) in the mood for a delicious and comforting meal.
Some of my favorite flavors are on this plate! Thank you, my friend! 🙂
Love everything about this recipe, including the music:) good music helps the food taste better and flowers grow and blossom bigger. As usual your table looks sooo inviting. Thanks for the little note card:) Would love to join you!
Thank you, Milena! I’ll set some extra plates! 😉
Can I please just tell you how excited I am for Christmas music now? Looking at your pics, all I can think of is singing along at the top of my lungs while I make Thanksgiving dinner 🙂 Love everything about this post!
The music is a must!! Thank you so much, Kelsie! This meal will go perfectly with your pumpkin cheesecake! 🙂
Mmm now this is my kind of dinner! That apple cranberry relish sounds SO good. I think I would use it on just about anything, and maybe just dig in with my spoon!
Oh yeah – I’m all about just digging in! That’s the best!! Thanks, Gayle! 🙂
OMGeeee! I bet your kitchen smelled AMAZING while making this, Annie!! This is making me super excited for Thanksgiving! Your turkey is perfection and that relish looks heavenly! Love the addition of apples! Pinned!! Cheers, dear! xoxo
From the first chop of the sage I was all in! That has to be THE aroma that I most associate with Thanksgiving. How ’bout you? Thanks, sweets! xoxo
This looks sooo delicious and has me crazy excited about the holidays, which will be here SO soon!! This meal looks so cozy and festive and happy 🙂
It is a happy meal…especially when we’re all in the kitchen working on it! That’s my favorite part! 🙂
I wish I could smell the aroma of this dinner right now too Annie! I can just imagine! Everything looks absolutely delicious and PERFECT for the holidays! That apple cranberry relish sounds amazing. It would be awesome on that late night turkey sandwich on Thanksgiving too!.Thanks for sharing this beauty of a meal!
Truly – is there anything better than that late night turkey sandwich?! Hahha! I am so with you! My craving usually hits when we’re about halfway through Elf! 🙂 Thanks, friend!
What a beautiful meal and I’m loving the addition of apples to the cranberry relish! I will definitely be trying that 🙂
The apples are a nice touch! Thanks, friend! 🙂
I definitely could smell this and wish I could join you!! This looks so good, Annie!! One of my absolute favourite meals right there. I love turkey and could eat cold or hot and I bet this tastes so good paired with that apple filled cranberry relish! And I’m pretty sure that I can face plant into some mashed tatos 🙂 Bring on the holidays!! Cheers sweets! XOXO
Awhhh – wish we could all get together for a Thanksgiving feast! This is one of my favorite meals of the year, too! Hubby’s like you – he’s all about the potatoes and the corn! Bring on the holidays! Cheers! XOXO
You certainly have me craving turkey!! That is the ultimate comfort meal — family, friends, good food. But!!!! I’ve yet to find SnapDragon apples. I’ve been looking for them and I won’t give up. I’m pinning the recipe for when I do find the apples. Abbracci!!
Don’t give up! They’re making their way! What’s better than Thanksgiving dinner where comfort is concerned? Thanks, my friend!
🙂