Name: Quick Thanksgiving Turkey with Lemon-Garlic Butter
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 2 hours, including resting
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter; 6 garlic cloves, pressed; 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest; 3 sprigs rosemary; 2 bone-in turkey legs (thigh and drumstick attached) and 2 bone-in turkey breasts (about 8 pounds total; from one 10–12-lb. turkey); 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more; 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more; 1 cup dry white wine, divided; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 2 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth

Turkey legs and sliced turkey breasts with lemon slices and herbs on a serving platter.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog

What's the fastest way possible to roast a turkey for Thanksgiving? Skip the whole turkey: instead, roast bone-in breasts and legs. (If you don't want to butcher a turkey yourself, you can buy them in individual pieces or have your butcher break a whole bird down for you.) Once you put the pieces in the oven, they cook in about 1 hour and 15 minutes, and are so much faster and easier to carve and serve.

Recipe information

Total Time
2 hours, including resting
Yield
8 servings

Ingredients

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

6 garlic cloves, pressed

2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest

3 sprigs rosemary

2 bone-in turkey legs (thigh and drumstick attached) and 2 bone-in turkey breasts (about 8 pounds total; from one 10–12-lb. turkey)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more

1 cup dry white wine, divided

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat oven to 425°F. Cook butter, garlic, lemon zest, and rosemary in a small pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted. Reduce heat to low and let simmer to infuse flavors, about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Brush turkey generously with butter mixture on all sides and under skin, getting some garlic and lemon zest under skin—that’ll make it taste so much better. Season turkey with 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. salt and 1 Tbsp. pepper on all sides and arrange skin side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1/2 cup wine around turkey pieces.
Step 3
Cover with foil and roast turkey 20 minutes. Uncover, brush tops of each piece with butter mixture, and continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each piece registers 165°F, 40–50 minutes. Some pieces might be done before others, so test each one. Let turkey rest 20 minutes before slicing.
Step 4
Meanwhile, strain pan drippings through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof measuring cup or bowl. Skim fat off surface (or use a fat separator if you have one). You should have about 1/2 cup drippings. Whisk in cornstarch until smooth.
Step 5
Bring remaining 1/2 cup wine to a boil in a large skillet over high heat. Cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add broth and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Whisk in turkey drippings and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 6
Transfer turkey to a platter. Serve with pan sauce alongside.