Name: Smoked Cajun Turkey Breast
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 20 ounce boneless turkey breast; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon Old Bay (or other cajun seasoning); 1 tablespoon smoked paprika; 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 stick butter (1/2 cup); 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped finely; 3 sprigs fresh dill, chopped finely

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Cajun Turkey Breast is a moist and flavorful choice for when you don’t want to cook an entire turkey. With the perfect blend of Cajun spices, this easy recipe is delicious enough for Thanksgiving but simple enough for weeknight dinners.

sliced cajun smoked turkey breast on plate with orange slices and herbs

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I start planning my Thanksgiving dinner weeks in advance every year. The past few years we have smoked a full turkey with homemade turkey rub but I know that many people don’t want to go to the trouble of cooking an entire turkey so I wanted to share an easy smoked turkey breast recipe with you.

(Don’t worry, if you don’t have a smoker I have oven directions as well below!)

Smoking a turkey breast is perfect if you are not feeding large crowds on Thanksgiving. It’s also great because you can easily smoke a turkey breast year-round without a lot of time or fuss, so it’s great even for a weeknight meal.

Why I love this recipe

the smoking makes for a flavorful turkey with a more complex taste
no fights over who gets the white meat or dark meat like when cooking a whole bird
because of the size of the turkey breast, it cooks up in just 2 hours
the homemade cajun rub is packed with flavor – no bland meat here!
the savory butter basting solution ensures you end up with a moist turkey breast

Ingredients

boneless turkey breast
butter
spices: onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, Old Bay
fresh herbs: dill and parsley

Step by step

Heat the smoker to 250 degrees.
Sprinkle the turkey breast with salt followed by each of the dry spices.
Place turkey breast in the smoker.
As the internal temperature approaches 115, prepare the basting solution by melting butter in a small saucepan over medium heat along with the fresh dill and parsley.

pouring basting solution over smoked turkey breast

Place the turkey in an aluminum foil “boat” and baste with the butter solution at 115 degrees and 135 degrees.
When the turkey breast reaches 150 degrees, pour the remaining basting solution into the foil boat and seal tightly. Continue to cook for 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. The cooking time is usually 1 hour and 45 minutes total but will vary depending on your smoker and how well you maintain the temperature.
Once the temperature is 160 as read on a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, remove from the smoker, open the foil boat and rest for 30 minutes before serving.

smoked cajun turkey breast on cutting board with orange slices and spices

Oven Roasting Instructions

Oven roasting is a great option for making this cajun turkey recipe if you do not have a smoker.

After coating the boneless turkey breast with the cajun seasoning, place it in a roasting pan at 450 degrees for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat and roasting for an additional 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the temperature reaches 160. I recommend basting with the butter mixture every 20 minutes for the last hour and tenting with foil the last 20 minutes.

Serving suggestions

Serve this turkey breast recipe for a holiday dinner with traditional Thanksgiving sides like mashed potatoes, candied yams, sweet potato casserole, or green bean casserole.

For more casual meals try Southern green beans or collard greens and roasted peppers or roasted potatoes. You can also make homemade gravy without the drippings with chicken or turkey broth. If you make gravy, add some of the reserved butter mixture in the foil packet to the gravy for even more flavor.

knive carving smoked cajun turkey breast

Storage

Store leftover turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Freeze in a freezer-safe container (affiliate link) or freezer bag up to 3 months. Frozen turkey can be thawed overnight in the refrigerator and eaten the next day. See these leftover turkey recipes for ideas on how to use any extra meat you might have.

If you try this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!