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.
Turkey breast—bone-in or bonelessOil—vegetable oil, olive oil, or butterOptional brine and rub Other optional seasoning—sprigs of fresh thyme, basil, rosemary, or other fresh herbs, pepper
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 dont need a whole turkey. Its 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.
Grilling a juicy flavorful turkey breast is a great alternative to roasting a whole turkey. A boneless turkey breast is much quicker and easier to cook than a whole bird. But how long does it actually take to grill a turkey breast to perfection? Here’s what you need to know.
Turkey Breast Grilling Time Overview
- Boneless turkey breast (2-3 lbs): 45 mins to 1 hour
- Bone-in turkey breast (4-7 lbs): 1 to 1.5 hours
- Jumbo turkey breast (8-10 lbs): 1.5 to 2.5 hours
The grilling time can vary quite a bit depending on the size and bone-in vs boneless. Here’s a more detailed timeline:
Detailed Grilling Timeline
Prep Time: 30 mins
- Remove turkey breast from packaging and pat dry
- Trim off excess fat
- Make compound butter or herb rub
- Loosen skin and rub seasonings under skin (bone-in)
- Let sit at room temperature 30 mins before grilling
Preheat Grill: 10-15 mins
- For gas grill, preheat to 350-450°F
- For charcoal, build medium heat fire
- Add wood chips once at desired temp
Grill Time:
- 2-3 lb boneless breast: 45-60 mins
- 4-5 lb bone-in breast: 60-75 mins
- 6-7 lb bone-in breast: 75-90 mins
- 8-10 lb jumbo bone-in: 90 mins – 2.5 hours
Rest Time 15-20 mins
- Loosely tent breast with foil before slicing
Factors That Affect Grilling Time
There are a few factors that can increase or decrease the grilling time:
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Bone-in vs boneless – Bone-in breasts take longer since the bone partly shields the meat. Remove it sooner if using meat thermometer.
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Size – Heavier, thicker breasts require more grill time.
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Thickness – Even breasts of the same weight can vary in thickness, affecting cook time.
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Grill temperature – Keeping a consistent medium heat of 350-450°F is ideal. Higher heat may require less time but increases risk of burning.
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Ambient temperature – Grilling in cold weather may increase time needed vs grilling in summer.
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Brining – Brining or marinating adds moisture but can slightly increase cook time.
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Turning – Only turn once, but turning will add a little time vs grilling one side only.
How to Tell When Breast is Done
Using a reliable meat thermometer is the best way to test doneness. Turkey is safe to eat and juicy when it reaches:
- 165°F in thickest part of breast
- 170°F if stuffed
- 165°F if brined
The turkey breast should be lightly golden brown on outside when done. Juices should run clear with no pink when pricked with a fork. Bone-in breasts can take longer to reach 165°F near the bone.
Allow the turkey breast to rest at least 15-20 mins tented in foil before slicing for maximum juiciness. Then slice across the grain for tender, flavorful grilled turkey you’ll love!
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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.
✔️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.
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.
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FAQ
How long does it take to grill a turkey breast on the grill?
Place turkey breasts on grill grate situated over foil pan, cover, positioning top air vent opposite of wood chunk. Cook until an instant read thermometer registers 160°F in the thickest part of the breast, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove turkey from grill and allow to rest, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes.
Do you cover turkey with foil when grilling?
Place turkey, breast-side down, into the roasting pan and scoop seasoning mixture over top. Cover the pan tightly with foil and place onto the grill. Grill until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 3 to 4 hours.
How long does it take to cook a 2 pound turkey?
The standard rule of turkey roasting time says 13 minutes per pound for unstuffed birds and 15 minutes per pound for the stuffed ones.Nov 3, 2024