This roasted lemon pepper turkey is unbelievably juicy and infused with zesty, bright lemon and aromatic herbs in every bite. With no brining required, it’s a failproof main course perfect for the holidays!
Why you’ll love this recipe
If you’re looking for an easy main course for your Thanksgiving dinner, look no further! This lemon pepper turkey recipe is unique in flavor, simple to prepare, and is always a hit with family and friends.
- Flavor – Say goodbye to bland, dry turkey for good. The unique combination of butter, lemon, and herbs keeps every bite tender and juicy while infusing the meat with a bold, savory, refreshing taste.
- Beginner-friendly – If you’ve never prepared a whole turkey before, don’t stress! I’ll walk you through my failproof process to guarantee you have success.
- Fit for a crowd – With 8-10 servings depending on the size of your turkey, this recipe is the perfect option to feed the whole family on turkey day!
Add sides like roasted garlic mashed potatoes, honey glazed carrots, cheesy mashed potatoes, and Instant Pot sausage stuffing, and you’ll have the perfect feast!
Key Ingredient Notes
- Turkey – I used a 14-pound whole turkey. You can use any size that works best for you, but make sure to adjust the baking time as needed.
- Lemons – We’re using both lemon juice and lemon zest to infuse our lemon and pepper turkey with a bright, zesty taste.
- Unsalted butter – This adds rich flavor and helps keep the turkey moist. I don’t recommend using salted butter, because it will impact the flavor of the meat!
- Olive oil – Use this to lock in moisture in the turkey breast, evenly distribute the dry rub, and create a beautiful crust on the outside of the breast.
- Seasonings – Salt-free lemon pepper seasoning and salt-free garlic and herb seasoning create a bold, herbaceous taste with just enough acidity to balance the richness of the butter and oil. The combination makes this recipe truly unique!
- Chicken stock – I prefer to use chicken stock for a richer taste, but chicken broth will also work. Whichever you choose, I recommend opting for a low-sodium variety!
How to make roasted lemon pepper turkey
Take a look at my ultimate guide to Thanksgiving turkey to get all my secret tips and tricks before you begin!
Then, make sure to plan ahead, and thaw your turkey in the refrigerator 2-3 days before roasting. Otherwise, it won’t cook properly and is likely to become dry and tough.
1. Prepare the turkey
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Pull the neck and giblets out of the cavity of the thawed turkey. Then, wash and dry the turkey with paper towels.
- Carefully run your hand under the breast skin, pulling it from the meat, and creating a pocket.
- Cut one lemon into quarters, and place them in the turkey cavity.
- Zest and juice the second lemon. You’ll need about 4-5 tablespoons of lemon juice! Then, whisk the lemon juice and zest with olive oil, salt, and seasonings in a small bowl.
- Smear the mixture evenly all over the turkey and under the breast skin.
2. Inject the turkey
- Place the turkey breast side up on a large roasting pan with a v rack.
- Tie the legs of the bird with twine if they aren’t already tied. I prefer this method over whole trusting because it’s much easier!
- Combine the melted butter and the remaining 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice in a small bowl.
- Slowly inject each thigh and breast half with about 1.5 tablespoons of the butter mixture with a marinade injector. This is my secret to keeping the turkey extra juicy without brining.
3. Roast and serve
- Place the chicken neck and giblets in the bottom of a roasting pan, and pour in the chicken stock.
- Roast the turkey until it’s golden brown, using a turkey baster to baste it every hour.
- Remove the turkey from the oven once the deepest part of the turkey breast and legs registers 165°F with a meat thermometer.
- Cover the turkey with foil, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
- Reserve the pan juices to make turkey gravy, and serve warm!
Check for browning
Check on your turkey after 2 hours of roasting. If the skin isn’t browning fast enough, increase teh oven temperature by 50°F. On the other hand, if the skin is browning too much, cover it with foil, and continue to bake.
Expert Tips
- Don’t forget to thaw your turkey. A frozen turkey takes way longer to cook! It takes one day per four pounds of turkey to thaw.
- Make sure to dry the outside of the turkey completely before adding the butter, lemon, and seasonings. They won’t stick, and the skin won’t become crisp otherwise.
- Adjust the baking time. The cooking time will vary depending on your turkey size. A general rule of thumb is to estimate 15 minutes of cooking time for every pound of turkey.
- Cover the turkey loosely with foil if you think it is browning too quickly. This will allow it to bake completely without drying out!
- Allow the cooked lemon pepper turkey to rest before slicing. This allows the natural juices to redistribute, making for a more juicy, tender roast.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can season the turkey a day or two in advance to speed up the prep time when you’re ready to bake. To do so, dry the turkey, and season the meat and skin. Then, tie up the legs.
Instead of continuing to inject the meat with the butter mixture, transfer it to a turkey bag, or cover it tightly with foil, and store it in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake, bring the turkey back to room temperature, and proceed as normal!
Storage
- Remove the meat from the turkey bones, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Or freeze leftovers for up to 6 months! Cooked turkey is great for sandwiches, soup, chili, or enchiladas! Thaw frozen turkey in the refrigerator overnight.
- Serve cold, or reheat it in a baking dish in the oven at 300 degrees. Add a splash of chicken broth, cover with aluminum foil, and bake until warmed through.
FAQs
Many people like to rub sliced lemons on turkeys to disinfect and tenderize the meat. However, in this case, we’re also using it to add bright, zesty flavor!
For this recipe, I used a 14-pound turkey and found that it takes about 3.5 hours to roast. A general rule of thumb is to allow 15 minutes of baking time for every pound of turkey. Of course, every oven is different. So, keep an eye on your bird, and adjust accordingly.
I like to carve my turkey, and serve it on a platter alongside all my favorite holiday sides! Some great options include 3-ingredient creamed corn, orange cranberry sauce, twice baked sweet potatoes, and my warm quinoa Brussels sprouts salad. You can’t forget to add pumpkin pie and pecan pie, too!
More Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes
Lemon Herb Roast Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey Note 1
- 2 large lemons
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon table salt
- 1 tablespoon salt-free lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 tablespoon salt-free garlic and herb seasoning
- 2 cups chicken stock
Instructions
- Begin to thaw the turkey in the refrigerator 2-3 days before roasting.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Pull the neck and giblets out of the cavity. Wash and dry the turkey with paper towels. Carefully run your hand under the breast skin to create a pocket.
- Cut one lemon into quarters and put it in the cavity.
- Zest and juice the second lemon. (You should have about 4-5 tablespoons of lemon juice.)
- In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt and seasonings.
- Smear the oil and seasoning mixture evenly all over the turkey and under the breast skin.
- Place the turkey, breast side up, on a V rack in a large roasting pan.
- If desired, tie the legs of the bird with twine. (I prefer this method over whole trussing, because it’s easier. But mine usually comes with already tied legs.)
- In a small bowl, combine melted butter and remaining 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice.
- Using a marinade injector, slowly inject each thigh and breast halves with about 1.5 tablespoons of melted butter/lemon juice mixture.
- Place the chicken neck and giblets in the bottom of roasting pan and pour in chicken stock.
- Roast the turkey until it’s golden brown, about 3.5 hours for 14lbs turkey, basting it every hour using a turkey baster. (Check on turkey after 2 hours. If skin isn’t browning fast enough, increase oven temperature by 50°F/10°C. If the skin is browning too much, cover with a foil.)
- The turkey is cooked, when the deepest part of breast and legs registers 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove the turkey from oven, cover with foil and let rest at least 30 minutes before carving.
- Reserve pan juices to make turkey gravy. I got about 3 cups of liquid and used the whole thing for gravy without additional chicken stock.
⭐️ Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a review and let us know how you liked it!
Tips & Notes
– Remove the meat from the turkey bones, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
– Freeze leftover turkey for up to 6 months! It’s great for sandwiches, soup, chili, or enchiladas! Thaw the turkey in the refrigerator overnight.
– Serve cold, or reheat it in a baking dish in the oven at 300°F. Add a splash of chicken broth, cover with aluminum foil, and bake until warmed through.
Nutrition
Super simple and very delicious. I’ve done this recipe twice so far and the turkey has turned out very tasty both times!
I’m so happy to hear this. Thank you so much for trying my recipe and for sharing your feedback, BG.
needing a marinator injector was a bit of a surprise
Did you change the recipe slightly this year? I made this last year and would love to do it again. I remember having to make my own herb butter with fresh garlic and adding rosemary as well. Also halved lemons and rosemary under the turkey while it cooked as well. With images showing step by step. If I’m wrong and this was not yours, than I’m sorry, but I could have sworn it was yours.
Hi, Shane. No, I haven’t changed the recipe at all. You may have used another recipe.
I tried recipe I think it came out nice
Awesome. Thank you for trying my recipe and for your feedback. Happy Thanksgiving, Charles!