Grilled Turkey Breast is perfect for a smaller Thanksgiving or a healthier year-round change of pace. Use traditional seasoning or make BBQ with the recommended brown sugar dry rub.
Easy to do with the simple instructions. Any turkey, fresh or frozen, skin-on-bone-in whole or half breast, or a boneless turkey breast, will work—season to your taste.
🦃Ingredients
Turkey breast—bone-in or boneless
Oil—vegetable oil, olive oil, or butter
Optional brine and rub
Other optional seasoning—sprigs of fresh thyme, basil, rosemary, or other fresh herbs, pepper
Jump To (scroll for more)
- 🦃Ingredients
- 👨🍳How to Grill a Turkey Breast—Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
- ⏲️How Long to Grill a turkey breast?
- ✔️Tips to get it right every time
- 🧂Seasoning options
- 🦃Other turkey recipes
- 🍽️Serving suggestions
- 🌡️How to monitor temperatures
- 🥣How to brine a turkey breast
- ❄️Storage of leftover turkey
- ❓FAQs
- ⚕️Turkey Safety
- 📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Featured Comment by gina:
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"I have made this recipe twice within the last three months, and it is fabulous."
Fire up the backyard BBQ grill for this easy recipe. There is no need for an oven; prep the turkey, control the grill temperature, place it on the grill, and return in a few hours.
This recipe is great for any smaller gathering when you don't need a whole turkey. It's also a perfect summer change of pace or for a smaller holiday feast. Use the suggested brown sugar spice, a BBQ rub, or season like a traditional holiday bird.
👨🍳How to Grill a Turkey Breast—Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
1. Thaw if frozen, then trim and butterfly the breast if needed. Brine if not injected.
2. Preheat the grill to a grill surface temperature of 350° to 400°. Clean and oil grill grates well. You need to get the temperature right, so use a surface thermometer.
3. If brine was used, carefully rinse it off. Pat it dry, brush it with oil or butter, and apply the seasoning of your choice. Just butter and salt are good. I'm using the suggested brown sugar dry rub.
4. Grill skin side down for a few minutes if you want grill marks. The grill skin up only until the internal temp of 165° (about 1 ½ to 2 hours). Check the temp early since the time varies with the grill, the weight, and the thickness of the turkey breast
5. Let the turkey breast rest for 10 minutes off heat to absorb moisture back into the cells. Then slice and serve.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
⏲️How Long to Grill a turkey breast?
Total grill time will be about 15-20 minutes per pound—usually 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours, depending on weight, thickness, and the grill.
Check the internal temperature early due to the variables. You must have your final temperatures correct using an instant-read thermometer. Undercooking is not safe, and overcooking will rapidly dry the turkey.
✔️Tips to get it right every time
Use the turkey breast you want. I like to use half of a bone-in breast, which is the perfect amount as turkey for two with leftovers., but a whole breast butterflied or boneless breast works well.
You can use boneless turkey breast or turkey tenderloin with some time adjustments. You are cooking at the same temperature and to the same final temperature of 165°.
If using a two-sided breast, remove any backbone, split the breast bone from the inside, and press flat to butterfly.
You can grill over direct heat or use indirect heat at the same temperature.
I suggest a gas grill for easy temperature maintenance. A charcoal grill may be used, but it is much harder to control the temperatures.
You do need to use a grill surface thermometer and a remote or instant-read meat thermometer. The thermometer in the grill lid is useless—DO NOT depend on it. For a fuller discussion of grill surface temperature in A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill.
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🧂Seasoning options
The seasoning is entirely up to you. Just some butter with salt and a dash of pepper will be good more most people.
Other optional seasonings include pepper, fresh thyme, basil, rosemary, and other fresh herbs. There are also marinades that some recommend, but I prefer simpler.
BBQ is one of my favorites. Start with a dry rub of your choice. Or use one of my rubs, like the provided brown sugar rub, Memphis Dry Rub, Chipotle BBQ Dry Rub, or BBQ Dry Rub.
Suggested Brown Sugar BBQ Dry Rub
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon of chili powder
- ½ teaspoon of oregano
- ½ teaspoon of cumin.
Serve the BBQ version with Memphis BBQ Sauce or your favorite BBQ sauce.
🦃Other turkey recipes
Check out other turkey recipes, such as Easiest Roast Turkey Breast, Butter Turkey Tenderloin, How to Brine a Turkey, and Turkey Tetrazzini.
🍽️Serving suggestions
There are many options for serving. Do grilling side dish recipes, like Grilling Asparagus, Grilling Corn on the Cob, or Grilled Mixed Vegetables. Or do Thanksgiving dishes like Sweet Potato Casserole, Sausage Dressing, Turkey Gravy, and many more.
🌡️How to monitor temperatures
Like most recipes, your success in grilling a turkey breast will depend on your ability to control the cooking temperature and obtain the best final temperature. You must be able to control the cooking (surface) temperature and accurately monitor the end point of cooking.
Here are some suggestions I use, but there are many more good products that will work at your local big box store.
Note: All links below are affiliate links,, meaning I make a small profit from your purchases. Your price is not affected by this commission. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Smoke™ by Thermoworks™
Thermapen™ One from Thermoworks™
CDN Grill Surface Thermometer
🥣How to brine a turkey breast
Grilling is very drying, so if your turkey breast is not injected or previously brined, try to brine if you have time. Almost all frozen turkey breasts, like Butterball, are injected, adding moisture and flavor.
A standard turkey brine of 2 quarts of water and about ¼ cup of table or Morton Kosher salt. If using Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, you need about ½ cup. Then add options of ¼ cup of brown sugar (suggested) and 2-3 crushed garlic cloves (depending on your other seasoning).
You can use the brine to introduce other favors that you want. Add some apple cider, perhaps a quartered orange. Go wild. But the most important thing is the salt-to-fluid ratio stays approximately the same. It is not an exact science, so keep it close. See How to Brine a Turkey—A Basic Brine with Enhancements for more discussion.
A quick salt note. 1 teaspoon table salt = 1 ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt = 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Refrigerate for 3-6 hours. Be sure to rinse off any brine and pat dry carefully. Also, do not use salt in the rub if you brine.
❄️Storage of leftover turkey
Store leftovers in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 4 days or freeze for 3 months.
❓FAQs
Yes, use a smoker box or a foil pack with holes. Use the wood flavor you prefer, but don't overdo it. Poultry will absorb smoke very well.
Yes, it may extend the cooking time some. But I prefer direct exposure to the heat.
You can brush the skin lightly with your favorite sauce for the last 5-10 minutes of grilling. If you are planning to do this, keep the rub light.
⚕️Turkey Safety
Like any poultry, turkey must be cooked to a minimum of 165° for safety according to the USDA safety temperature guidelines.
While we don't like to rinse poultry, the brine should be rinsed off carefully— for more information, please see Chicken… To Rinse or Not To Rinse?
A frozen turkey breast should be thawed fully according to the package instructions.
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Grilled Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 4-7 pounds turkey breast - whole or half
The Brine- Only if not injected or previously brined
- 2 qts water
- ¼ cup table salt
- ¼ cup brown sugar - optional
- 2-3 cloves crushed garlic - optional
- 2-3 bay leafs - optional
Optional brown sugar rub or use other seasoning
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt - only if not brining
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons oil
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Brining is an excellent idea if your turkey breast has not been injected or previously brined. Start with a brine: 2 quarts of water and ¼ cup of table or Morton Kosher salt. You can also add ¼ cup of brown sugar, 2-3 crushed garlic cloves, or 2-3 bay leaves.
- Trim and clean 4-7 pound turkey breast. A half-breast is fine. If brining, add the turkey to the brine and refrigerate for 3-6 hours. Rinse the brine off the turkey breast carefully and pat dry with paper towels.
- Preheat the grill to a grill surface temperature of 350° to 400°. Clean and oil grill grates well.
- Optional: Mix a rub of 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon oregano, and ½ teaspoon cumin.
- Pat dry, then brush with oil or melted butter, and then apply the rub or seasoning of your choice. Just salt and butter are fine.
- For grill marks, grill skin-side down for about 5 minutes, then flip. Keep the lid closed and your hands off as much as possible.
- Cook until internal temp of 165° (about 1 ½ to 2 hours). Time will vary by the weight and thickness of the turkey breast and by your grill. Please check the temperature early. DO NOT COOK BY TIME.
- Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Only brine if the breast is not injected and not pre-brined. Warning: NEVER BRINE A PREVIOUSLY BRINED OR INJECTED TURKEY BREAST
- Do not add salt to the rub if you brine the breast.
- The brine can be modified for other flavors. Please take a look at the post for some suggestions.
- A quick salt note. 1 teaspoon table salt = 1 ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt = 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
- To do this correctly, you need to check the grill surface temperature with a surface thermometer and use an instant-read thermometer to determine the endpoint. Do not try this without both.
- Remember, the minimum safe internal temperature for turkey is 165° in the thickest part of the breast.
- You can use half a full breast, a butterflied whole breast, a boneless turkey breast, or even a turkey tenderloin. The cooking time varies greatly depending on the size of the breast.
- I'm using a serving size of ½ pound.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
I started with a recipe from the Chicago Tribune with a brown sugar brine and rub. It was a good start, but I added some modifications and options, simplified, and added more details to the instructions.
Originally Published May 1, 2012. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Steve S says
I am picking up a fresh 5-10 pound bone-in Turkey Breast from Whole Foods on Wednesday and grilling it on TG Day, Thursday. We plan to eat around 5 PM. When should I start the brining? I truly like the idea of a rub that browns. Also would like a Cajun flavor, if possible (any suggestions?). My Weber Grill is not large, and has just two long burners, so I can turn off the one near the front and point the thick side to the back burner. Do I cook until the thickest part is 165*? I assume no pan under the Turkey, so no way to collect any drippings for a gravy?
Steve in Denver
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Steve,
Welcome to the blog.
With a two-burner grill, it is very hard (near impossible) to get good control of indirect heat for a turkey beast- there is just not enough room.
If you know your grill well, fine. But you would need to have accurate grill surface temperature monitoring and preferably along with meat internal temperature monitoring — preferably continuous and remote. If not remote, every time you open the grill hood the temp will go all wacky.
Brining would be like this recipe as long as you are positive they did not inject the breast. You should butterfly the breast to even out the thickness some. You can use any rub you like but I don't have a cajun rub.
I would probably skip the initial skin down browning and just grill indirect at about 350 until 165 in the thickest (and all) parts. If you want to brown the skin a bit more at that point, flip the meat and turn up the grill for a few minutes.
Pan under the turkey breast—no, you would get anything anyway.
Amount of time—Very dependent on the size and thickness of the breast and how well you can control the grill.
Honestly, I wouldn't try this for an important meal without a trial run or two beforehand. There is just too much that can go wrong on a small grill.
I would suggest the https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/how-to-roast-a-turkey-breast-the-easy-way/ which is very reliable and you can season as you want.
Hope that helps some.
Dan
Carol Huck says
Hi Dan,
I have a small group of meat eaters for Thanksgiving. Local butcher is preparing a half turkey for me (brined). It will be about 6-7 lbs. Would this recipe work where I pick up with the rub? I promise not to brine.
Thanks
Carol
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Carol,
I'm going to assume by "half turkey" you mean cut in half from the neck to the tail leaving one side of the breast, a wing, thigh, and leg. Please correct if that is wrong but my comment will be based on that.
You have a complicated piece of meat:
1) It all needs to reach 165+ to be safe.
2) The breast meat needs to be 165 and not much more or it starts to dry rapidly.
3) The thigh and leg need about 180 or a bit more for tenderness.
So just direct cooking like this recipe is probably not going to work well. I would suggest combining this recipe with the indirect cooking technique on my grilling a whole chicken recipe. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/grilled-whole-chicken-on-a-gas-grill/ where the thigh/leg are closer to the heat source during cooking to cook to a higher final temperature. I'm about 80% sure it will work for you but haven't tried it, of course, but can't think of any thing else.
Check out that indirect technique and let me know what you think. It really is the only way I can think of that would work well and once you see the concept o the indirect method, it won't be that hard.
Dan
Dawn says
1/4 cup kosher salt for brine - is that Morton’s or Diamond Crystal.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Dawn,
All Kosher or coarse salt references on this site means Diamond Crystal.
1 teaspoon table salt = 1 1/4 teaspoon Morton kosher salt = 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
I prefer Diamond but I have to buy 3 pound boxes now. They cut back on the consumer market and the one pounders are no longer made. I shed a tear but I just reload my 1 pounder.
I doubt many smaller households want to buy masses of salt.
Salt is almost always a to taste thing except in something like brine and probably should not be changed much in baking.
Dan
Patti says
I have a 13 pound bone in turkey breast (I didn’t pick it out, lol). I love the fact that it’s bone in, I usually cook them that way. I would love to do it on the grill, but is it possible to do a turkey breast that large on the grill, even after it’s spatchcocked? Thanks.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Patti,
Welcome to the blog.
That is a big turkey breast. The issue will be the thickness and getting to a safe internal temperature. I would not be following this technique or at least the first part of browning the skin. It will need to be spatchcocked and cooked indirectly.
Also, thicker meat needs lower temps and longer times for the heat to penetrate. I know that seems backward but you need the inside done without overcooking the outside.
You will need a large grill surface that allows the spatchcocked breast to be on the indirect side away from the direct heat. Keep the thicker part of the meat towards the direct side.
If you want a guess, big grill, 300°-325° grill temp, 3-4 hours (total guess). The rub is fine or just oil. You are cooking to a final internal temperature of 165°—so as long as it takes. Tent with foil if getting too brown.
Hope that helps.
Dan
Daryl Knapp says
I have not tried yet,but will.
When I do, I will spatchcock the breast first.
Daryl
DrDan says
Hi Daryl,
Welcome to the blog.
Hope it works well for you.
Thanks for the note.
DrDan
Scott says
I would just like to say, I followed this recipe even putting it on the grill for 15 minutes to char the skin a little, then I put it in the electric smoker and smoked for 4.5 hours at 225 with apple wood and it's just about the best turkey I have ever eaten. Thanks so much!
gina says
I have made this recipe several times. I highly recommend it! Gina
Rick says
Great recipe! Gave this a trial run for a family potluck and it passed with flying colors!
DrDan says
Thanks for the note. Grilling some turkey was a "bucket list" thing for me.
Dan
gina says
I have made this recipe twice within the last three months and it is fabulous. The first time I cooked it on the grill and today I smoked it in my smoker. Both ways are delicious!
Sue says
Outstanding turkey breast recipe. Thank you so much!! Delicious!