A Classic, No-Fuss Thanksgiving Turkey
We’ve all felt the intimidation of roasting a Thanksgiving turkey. But cooking Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t have to be overwhelming! With the right recipe, you can make an outstanding Thanksgiving meal that is both quick & easy. This is why I set out to make the easiest, no-fuss Thanksgiving turkey recipe out there – so you can use the extra time to enjoy more moments with your loved ones this holiday. (That’s what the holiday season is all about anyway, right?)
My Herb Butter Roasted Turkey recipe is the best! It uses my absolute favorite method for cooking a turkey – spatchcocking, more on that in a sec! – plus the classic flavors of lemon & herbs that you likely already have in your kitchen during the holiday season. The fresh lemon zest & aromatic herbs are used to make a lemon herb butter that is the secret to this mouthwatering roasted turkey. (BTW, we’re kiiinda obsessed with herb butter turkey here at PWWB. Check out my Spatchcock Maple Glazed Turkey recipe for some more buttery turkey goodness!)
So kick your feet up & relax! This easy turkey recipe is the key to hosting a delicious, no-fuss Thanksgiving. It comes together quickly without sacrificing any amount of flavor, leaving you plenty of extra time to sip on a glass of wine & watch football.
Herb Butter Spatchcock Turkey Recipe Overview
This herb butter turkey comes together in just a few easy steps…
- Spatchcock the turkey. A spatchcock turkey is a turkey that has had its backbone removed, allowing it to lay flat & cook more evenly. This super effective technique gives you a perfectly roasted Thanksgiving turkey in way less time.
- Season the turkey with herb butter. A simple lemon herb butter is the secret to this juicy & flavorful spatchcock turkey. I mean, c’mon – how can it get better than butter, lemon, & fresh herbs, right?! When your turkey is in the oven, all these amazing flavors will melt into the meat, creating a stunningly delicious herb butter roasted turkey.
- Roast the herb butter turkey & baste for extra flavor. Everything you need to know about how to roast a spatchcock turkey below! The secret is taking time to baste the turkey as it roasts with all of its juicy, lemony goodness. This step adds even more flavor to the turkey & helps it get deliciously crispy skin.
You’re going to LOVE this super-easy, super unforgettable roast spatchcock turkey! ♡ Read on to learn more about this Herb Butter Roast Spatchcock Turkey, or jump straight to the recipe & get cooking!
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How to Spatchcock a Turkey (+ Video)
Okay, first things first. Curious what the heck I mean when I say “spatchcock turkey?” Pretty simple – it’s a seriously game-changing method for breaking down your turkey! You’re going to want to get to know it well!
By using a spatchcock turkey to make this herb butter turkey recipe, we’re able to do a few AMAZING things:
- Reduce the roast time of the turkey.
- Cook the turkey way, way more evenly.
- Never have a super dry Thanksgiving turkey again!
That’s because a spatchcock turkey lies flat in the roasting pan, allowing the heat of the oven to properly cook every part of the turkey. Spatchcock turkey is a complete miracle on Thanksgiving day!
To spatchcock a turkey, start by removing its backbone. You can do this with a pair of kitchen shears or (carefully!) with a very sharp knife. Once the backbone is removed, you should be able to start gently stretching the turkey open until you get to its chest bone. Run the blade of your knife down the chest bone, scoring it so it’s easier to complete the spatchcock by snapping the chest bone. Once this is done, your turkey can lay completely flat & be ready for the oven!
It’s not as hard as it sounds, trust me. If you’d like more guidance, check out our complete step-by-step guide: How to Spatchcock a Turkey. This post includes everything you need to know about how to spatchcock a turkey, plus it has step-by-step photos to help you along the way!
Thanksgiving FAQ: What size turkey do I need?
As you prepare your spatchcock turkey, you’ll want to consider exactly how much meat you need to feed your dinner guests. The general rule of thumb is one pound of turkey per person. For a spatchcock turkey recipe, I don’t recommend using a turkey any larger than 14 pounds. Why? ⇢ Larger turkeys won’t fit in a conventional roasting pan once it’s lying flat! If you need more meat, roast two smaller turkeys instead.
Thanksgiving Prep Tip! ⇢ Spatchcock Your Turkey In Advance.
If you have some time the night before your holiday meal, taking 30 minutes to get a head start on prepping the turkey is a great place to start. Spatchcock the turkey, place it in a roasting pan, & let it sit, uncovered, in the fridge overnight. This helps the turkey skin lose some of its excess moisture, resulting in an even crisper golden brown herb butter turkey. This not only cuts down on day-of prep time quite a bit, but will also make for an even tastier turkey!
How to Make Herb Butter Turkey
Now that you have a spatchcock turkey, it’s time to start seasoning it with the best flavors out there: lemon & herbs.
Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.
First Up – The Best Easy Lemon Herb Butter
My mouth seriously already starts watering when I think about this lemon herb butter. It’s the absolute best combination of two of my favorite things: fresh lemons & fresh herbs. This deliciously seasoned butter is the star of this herb butter turkey recipe.
Herb butter is one of those things that sounds way fancier than it is. Making your own herb butter is an awesome way to add a punch of flavor to any recipe, especially this herb butter turkey. Plus, it’s super simple to whip up!
Here’s what you’ll do:
- First, zest your lemons & finely chop your fresh herbs. Your kitchen is going to smell like an AMAZING blend of citrus & herbs at this point! Suggested fresh herbs ⇢ Use whatever herbs you’d like, but I highly recommend a combination of fresh rosemary, sage, & thyme. You can often find these fresh herbs bundled together at the grocery store as “poultry herbs,” which is often much more cost effective than buying them individually.
- Then, mix the lemon herb butter. Once the lemons & herbs are prepped, simply mix it in some softened butter with a bit of salt & pepper. That’s it – easy!
Thanksgiving Prep Tip! ⇢ You can prep this lemon herb butter up to 1 week in advance, which is a great way to cut down on active prep required the day of your turkey dinner. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The morning of your holiday meal, simply pull the herb butter from the fridge to soften to room temperature for turkey prep.
Then Season the Turkey – My Go-To Herb Butter Turkey Buttering Technique
It’s time to butter up your turkey! Here’s how we do it ⇢ Take a few tablespoons of butter with the fingers of one of our hands, insert it under the skin, & then use our free hand to push the butter onto the meat, spreading it across the turkey. (See photos below.) There’s a bit of a rhythm to it, but it’s super easy once you get the hang of it!
Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.
By working the lemon herb butter into every nook & cranny of the spatchcock turkey, you’ll create a deliciously juicy & flavorful turkey since the butter melts down into the meat as the turkey roasts. Be sure to get the butter right in between the skin & meat of the bird & slather it on. I’m serious – the more butter, the better! (Remember, a whole turkey is a hearty protein that can handle a lot of butter, so don’t hold back!)
After every inch of that spatchcock turkey is covered in lemon herb butter, set it in a roasting pan with aromatic veggies like onions & carrots. From there, it’s ready to go in the oven!
How to Roast A Spatchcock Turkey
Your herb butter roasted turkey is nearly there! Once it goes in the oven, it’ll be ready in no time.
Start by roasting the spatchcock turkey for 30 minutes at a high temperature – 450 degrees F. At this point, carefully spoon or brush the lemony, buttery, herbaceous juices from the bird out of the roasting pan & all over the surface of the roast spatchcock turkey. This step really brings the herb butter roasted turkey to life!
After the first baste, reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F, return the roasting pan to the oven, & continue roasting the turkey for another hour. Every 20 minutes you’ll need to take the turkey out of the oven to repeat the basting process.
Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.
I LOVE these juices we’re basting with! Brushing them on the exterior of your roast spatchcock turkey helps the bird’s skin get nice & crispy while also adding a whole new layer of lemony, herbaceous flavor. Don’t skip this step! (A tip: when you take the herb butter roasted turkey out of the oven for basting, rotate the roasting pan 180 degrees every time you put it back in the oven. This helps promote even roasting & browning of your turkey!)
Your turkey is done once an instant-read thermometer registers an internal temperature of 155 degrees F. Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey thigh to make sure the turkey is properly cooked all the way through.
Step-by-Step Video
Resting, Carving, & Serving
When you take the herb butter roasted turkey out of the oven, you’re going to be overwhelmed by the unbelievable smell of hearty herbs & zesty lemon. Resist the temptation to dig in right away! Your lemon herb butter turkey needs about 30 minutes to rest! All those delicious juices will settle, redistributing throughout the turkey, & the turkey will continue to cook until it reaches a safe 165 degrees F.
Tent your turkey with aluminum foil while it rests to keep it warm. But before you do, take a moment to admire just how GORGEOUS your spatchcock turkey looks, glistening in fresh juices with golden brown skin — it’s picture-perfect!
Easy Turkey Gravy
Since the turkey needs about 30 minutes to rest properly, now’s the perfect time to prep turkey gravy. For maximum flavor, I always make my turkey gravy right in the roasting pan, using the gloriously flavorful herb butter turkey drippings. Check out this Easy Turkey Gravy recipe for a full how-to!
Carving Tips & Tricks!
With the turkey rested & gravy prepped, all that’s left is carving the turkey. Carving a roast spatchcock turkey is similar to carving any other poultry. It’s honestly a little easier than carving a traditional Thanksgiving turkey since it’s already lying flat!
Start by removing the legs, drumsticks, & wings by cutting at the joints. Then hold the breast firmly in place with one hand & use the knife to help cut the meat away from the breast bone. This roast spatchcock turkey is tender & juicy, so it should fall away from the bone pretty easily! Then slice the light & dark meat into serving-sized pieces.
Serving
To serve your roast spatchcock turkey, arrange all of your beautiful roasted turkey meat on a serving platter. Everyone will be fighting for this plate as it’s passed around the table! If you want to get fancy, garnish your turkey platter with fresh herbs, lemons, or other greens to make your spatchcock turkey look even more like a superstar!
& there you go – you just made the easiest herb butter roast spatchcock turkey in way less time than you budgeted for cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Now all that’s left to do is eat! (& relax, while someone else does the dishes.)
I can’t wait for you to try this Easy Lemon Herb Butter Roast Spatchcock Turkey recipe! It’s a foolproof Thanksgiving staple, made & loved by thousands of PWWB readers over the years. If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your PWWB creations!
Planning the Best-Ever Thanksgiving Menu? 🙌🏼 You’re in the right place! Be sure to try my Best-Ever Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage & Mushrooms, Best-Ever Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic, or Best-Ever Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta & Pine Nuts. ♡ Happy cooking!
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Lemon Herb Butter Roast Spatchcock Turkey (The Easiest Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe!)
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Resting time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: serves 10–12 1x
- Category: Main Dishes, Poultry & Turkey Recipes, Thanksgiving Recipes
- Method: Spatchcock, Butterflied, Roasted
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS:
- one 12–14 pound whole turkey, thawed (& brined – optional) (see Recipe Notes)
- lemon herb butter (below)
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 carrots, roughly chopped into 3–4 large pieces
- 2 yellow onions, quartered
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
for the Lemon Herb Butter:
- 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 lemons, zested
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- ⅓ cup finely chopped hardy fresh herbs, such as oregano, rosemary, sage, or thyme
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
Useful Equipment:
- Large plastic cutting board
- Sharp kitchen shears
- Sharp chef’s knife
- Rolling pin
- Shallow roasting pan or full baking sheet (rimmed) fitted with a wire baking rack (see Recipe Notes)
- Turkey baster or basting brush
- Instant-read thermometer
- Carving set
Instructions
*REMINDER: If frozen, do not forget to begin thawing your turkey well before the day you plan on roasting it! If it is still frozen day-of, your turkey will not safely defrost & cook in time for dinner – it’s just not possible. The safest way to thaw a frozen turkey is by placing it in the coolest section of your refrigerator. The cool, controlled temperature will slowly thaw without any areas of the turkey being in the ‘danger’ temperature zone in which bacteria grow & multiply (between 40-140 degrees F). As a general rule of thumb, plan for 24 hours refrigerated thawing for every 4 pounds – so, a 12-14 pound turkey will require 3-4 days refrigerated thawing before it’s ready to be spatchcocked & roasted.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, ensuring a rack is positioned in the center of the oven. Remove the turkey from its packaging. There is no need to rinse your turkey (rinsing promotes cross-contamination). Instead, simply use paper towel to pat the surface of the turkey as dry as possible. If present, remove the neck & giblets from the cavity of the turkey. Discard or set aside for easy turkey gravy. Transfer the turkey to a large plastic cutting board atop a stable, sturdy surface. Place the turkey breast side facing down.
- Prep the lemon herb butter: Add all listed herb butter ingredients to a medium bowl. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Mix to combine well. Set aside for immediate use, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Spatchcock the turkey: (Note: For more guidance + step-by-step photos, be sure to check out this full How to Spatchcock a Turkey guide!) Using very sharp kitchen shears or a sharp knife, carefully snip along each side of the turkey’s backbone until it’s completely detached. Discard or set aside for easy turkey gravy. Locate the top of the turkey’s breast plate directly behind the turkey breasts. Place the heel of a sharp chef’s knife in the center of the top of the breast plate. Use a rolling pin to carefully yet forcefully tap the spine of the knife, wedging the heel of the knife into the bone. Continue tapping until the bone cracks. Use your hands to stretch the inner cavity of the turkey as wide open as possible, then flip the turkey such that its breast side is facing up. Place your hands on the center of its breasts, on the breast bone. Use your body weight to apply pressure to the chest plate, cracking the bone all the way through such that the turkey lays flat – your turkey is spatchcocked & ready for roasting. Great job!!!
- Season the spatchcocked turkey: Use your hands to spread the prepared lemon herb butter from Step 2 between the turkey skin & meat. Buttering the turkey meat directly helps keep it juicy & flavorful. If needed, use paper towel to pat the turkey skin as dry as possible. Drizzle the olive oil over the entire surface of the turkey skin, then season generously with kosher salt & ground black pepper. If you have any remaining lemon herb butter, dot it over the top of the turkey.
- Prepare for roasting: Arrange the onions & carrots across the bottom of a roasting pan. (You can be as rustic as you’d like – no one will see!) If desired, place the turkey neck & spine in the roasting pan, too, for extra flavorful turkey gravy. Set your seasoned spatchcock turkey over top, breast side facing up. Gently tuck the wing tips behind the breasts to prevent burning.
- Roast the turkey: Transfer the roasting pan to the oven. Roast at 450 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove the turkey from the oven for basting. Carefully spoon or brush the drippings in the roasting pan all over the surface of the turkey. Return the roasting pan to the oven, reducing the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Continue roasting the turkey for 1 additional hour, removing the turkey from the oven every 20 minutes to repeat the basting process. If desired, rotate the roasting pan 180 degrees each time you place it back in the oven to promote even roasting & browning. Pull the turkey from the oven once an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers an internal temperature of 155 degrees F. Note: Roasting time may vary based on the size of your turkey, the temperature of your oven, and the depth of your roasting pan. I recommend checking internal temperature each time you baste the turkey. In my oven, a 12-14 pound turkey is typically ready after roasting for a total of 1 hour and 30 minutes. A larger turkey and/or deeper roasting pan require longer cook time – adjust as needed to reach doneness.
- Rest the turkey. Very carefully transfer the roast spatchcock turkey to a cutting board or large flat surface. Tent with foil & set aside to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before carving. As the turkey rests, its juices will redistribute throughout the meat & its internal temperature will continue to rise to a safe 165 degrees F.
- Optional: Prep turkey gravy: Meanwhile, as the turkey rests, prep turkey gravy as desired. For more guidance + step-by-step photos, be sure to check out my Easy Turkey Gravy recipe!
- Carve & serve: Carve, serve & enjoy!
Notes
- Jess’ Tips and Tricks:
- What size Thanksgiving turkey should I use? ⇢ The general rule of thumb is to aim for one pound of turkey per person. For this roast spatchcock turkey recipe, I recommend using a turkey between 12-14 pounds. Since it lies flat as it roasts, a turkey larger than 14 pounds likely won’t fit in a conventional roasting pan. If you need more turkey to feed your guests, then try preparing two smaller spatchcock turkeys rather than one large turkey. This will also help your turkey meat stay extra-juicy!
- Roasting Pan: You don’t need anything fancy, but it’s especially important to use a large, shallow roasting pan. The butterflied turkey needs to be able to lay completely flat in the roasting pan and the sides shouldn’t be so deep that they inhibit airflow around the turkey as it roasts. I use a simple 16×13-inch roasting pan with a 2 ½ inch depth, similar to this one. If you do not have a large, shallow roasting pan, you can also roast a spatchcock turkey on a full baking sheet (rimmed) fitted with a wire baking rack.
- Determining doneness: Roasting time may vary based on the size of your turkey, the temperature of your oven, and the depth of your roasting pan. I recommend checking internal temperature each time you baste the turkey. In my oven, a 12-14 pound turkey is typically ready after roasting for a total of 1 hour and 30 minutes. A larger turkey and/or deeper roasting pan require longer cook time – adjust as needed to reach doneness.
- Other Thanksgiving Prep Tips: This herb butter roasted turkey recipe is quite straightforward & easy, though you can prep a couple of components in advance to make Thanksgiving day cooking even more effortless. Here’s what I suggest:
- Make-ahead lemon herb butter: Up to 1 week in advance, prepare the lemon herb butter according to Step 2 of Recipe Directions, above. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The morning of your holiday meal, simply pull the herb butter from the fridge to soften to room temperature for turkey prep. (<10 minutes active prep)
- Make-ahead spatchcock turkey: If you have some time the night before your holiday meal, taking 30 minutes to get a head start on prepping the turkey is a great place to start. Spatchcock the turkey according to Step 3 of Recipe Directions above. Place it in a roasting pan & let it sit, uncovered, in the fridge overnight. This helps the turkey skin lose some of its excess moisture, resulting in an even crisper golden brown herb butter turkey. This not only cuts down on day-of prep time quite a bit, but will also make for an even tastier turkey! (30 minutes active prep)
Recipe by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Megan McKeehan
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I can’t wait to try this recipe. I have two questions. Do you also spread the herb butter on underside of the turkey? Also as the fresh herbs go, do you use equal amounts of each of the three herbs you suggested? Thanks, for your help.
Pat Mires
Hi Patricia, we recommend coating as much of the turkey as possible with the herb butter!! The more you’re able to butter it, the better the flavor!! And yes, we do tend to use roughly the same amount of each of the herbs 🙂 Hope this turkey turns out GREAT for you!
Everything about this was perfect except the 155 degree temp in the thigh. I have a probe thermometer and an instant-read one, both of which are accurate as I use them regularly, most recently for a prime rib at Christmas which came out perfectly. (Point being, I know this wasn’t a thermometer problem.) At 155 and with 30 minutes’ rest, the juices were not clear and much of the bird was underdone. It was easy enough to fix with a quick nuke of our portions and then putting the bird back in the oven for another 20 minutes. But next time, I will cook to 160-165 to be safe. All of that said, the flavor was FANTASTIC. That lemon-herb-garlic butter was so good; I used fresh rosemary and oregano for the herbs. I want to use it on chicken next!