Indian Spiced Turkey Breast Recipes

SPICY TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Mix together the fennel seed, salt, oregano, onion powder and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Mix together the cornbread and milk in a medium bowl. Allow the mixture to soak for 10 minutes. Stir in the sausage, Pecorino and chili paste. Use your hands to mix well.
• Lay the turkey breasts skin-sides down on a cutting board so that they are open like a book. Pat half the stuffing onto each skinless side, leaving a 1/2-inch border, then close each half so the skin sides are up. Tie each turkey breast tightly with 4 pieces of butcher's twine about 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart. Rub the seasoning mix all over the turkey.
• Lay the bread on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Place the turkey breasts skin-sides up on the bread and drizzle the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil over the tops. Roast 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and continue to roast until the skin is brown and crisp and an instant-read thermometer reads 160 degrees F, about 40 minutes more. Allow the turkey to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

TANDOORI TURKEY

Steps:

• For tandoori masala:
• Toast spices in a skillet over medium heat, swirling often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool. Working in batches, finely grind mixture in a spice mill. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 month ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
• For garam masala:
• Toast spices in a skillet over medium heat, swirling often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool. Working in batches, finely grind mixture in a spice mill. Sift through a medium-mesh strainer into a small bowl; stir to combine. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 month ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
• For turkey:
• Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Rub inside and out with salt; transfer to roasting bag. Stuff turkey with cardamom pods and cumin seeds, then onion, celery, and garlic.
• For marinade:
• Purée all ingredients in a blender. Pour marinade into roasting bag. Smear all over turkey. Tie bag and arrange turkey, breast side down, in a large heavy roasting pan. Refrigerate overnight.
• Let turkey stand in bag at room temperature for 1 hour. Turn breast side up. Create steam holes in bag if required by manufacturer's instructions.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Roast turkey for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh (puncturing bag with thermometer) registers 160°, about 1 1/2 hours longer. Cut top of bag open, being careful of steam and juices, and pull back over turkey. Roast turkey until breast is deeply browned but not burned and a thermometer inserted into thigh registers 165°F, 15-30 minutes longer.
• Transfer to a platter. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
• Meanwhile, strain juices into a large saucepan. Spoon fat from surface. Simmer over medium heat until sauce is reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes.
• Carve turkey. Serve with accompanying gravy.

MASALA TURKEY

Steps:

• Thaw the turkey, if frozen. Thaw the turkey in the refrigerator. For a 12- to 15-pound turkey, this will take about 3 days, estimating 5 hours of thaw time for each pound of turkey. (If you have a 12-pound turkey, it's about 60 hours or around 2 ½ days, to defrost in the refrigerator).
• Remove the turkey from the packaging and remove any unnecessary parts. Remove the thawed turkey from the wrapping. Remove the giblets and neck from inside the turkey's cavity.
• Mix the spices together. Add the ingredients listed under "dry brine spices" together in a bowl and mix well. Set aside for now.
• Pat the turkey dry, loosen the skin, and season the meat. Pat the outside of the turkey dry with paper towels, then using your hands, gently loosen the skin over the breast and separate it from the meat, making sure to break through the thin membrane between the skin and breast while leaving the skin itself intact. Loosen the skin over the meaty part of the legs. Rub the dry brine mixture under the skin of the breasts, on legs, and wings as well as inside of the cavity and all over the turkey. I know it seems like a lot of masala, but use all of it!
• Truss the Turkey. Tie one piece of string around the wings to keep the wings close to the body (do not tuck them behind the neck! We are going to roast breast-side down and if you tuck them, they will burn), and then tie another piece of string around the legs to keep them together. This helps with the presentation of the bird once it's done.
• Refrigerate. Place the turkey breast-side up (it will dry out better breast-side up) in a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours. After this length of time, you will notice that the turkey skin will look taut and dry, which is good as it will ensure crispy skin once cooked.
• Allow the turkey to sit on the counter at room temperature for 2 hours before roasting. A room temperature turkey cooks more quickly and more evenly.
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Make sure the oven rack is set in the lower-third of the oven.
• Cut a loaf of ciabatta bread in half (level if needed) and spread butter on both sides. If you are gluten-free, Udi's hamburger buns work well - place them on the bottom of the pan.
• Place the bread in a dry, clean roasting pan, then place the turkey on the buttered bread so that the turkey is breast-side down. The breast should be facing the bread. Get any spices remaining in the other pan, scoop them up, and place them on the bird.
• Roast the turkey. Roast for 15 minutes per pound of meat, so if you have a 12-pound turkey, that's 3 hours. The larger the turkey, the longer it will take to cook, so adjust the time accordingly. You don't need to remove the turkey from the oven or open the oven door during this time. A digital probe thermometer is extremely helpful here. The turkey is ready when it registers 165°F for the thighs and 160°F for the breasts. (I also use a digital instant read thermometer to take the temperature again, after taking the turkey out of the oven. Remember, the meat will rise about an additional 10º as it rests).
• Remove the turkey from the oven and carefully, using clean oven mitts, turn the turkey over so that it is breast side up. This step can be messy, so make sure to protect your hands from the hot bird. Cut and remove the strings around the bird.
• Broil. Put the bird back into the oven with the breast side up and broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until the skin on the breast browns a bit. All broilers are different, so you will need to keep a very close eye on the turkey during this part! This is the only time you have to pay attention to the bird in the oven. I suggest keeping the oven light on and opening the oven door every minute to peek.
• Let it Rest. Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for 40 minutes before carving to allow time for the juices to redistribute within the meat. This way they won't run out as soon as you slice into it.
• Decorate Platter & Carve Turkey. Put the turkey on a platter and arrange fresh bunches of cilantro and mint, pomegranate arils, and lemon wedges.

SPICED TURKEY BREAST WITH PERSIAN GOLDEN PRUNES

Steps:

• Pat dry the turkey breast. Gently separate the skin from the meat using your fingers. Set the turkey breast aside.
• Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, coriander, ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon each of the cumin, paprika and turmeric in a small bowl. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spoon this mixture all over the turkey breast, then spread under the skin with your fingers (you may want to wear gloves).
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Place the turkey breast skin-side down in the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Sear the turkey breast without disturbing until the skin is almost crispy and golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a pair of tongs, flip the turkey breast and sear the other side until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the turkey breast to a plate and set it aside.
• Reduce the heat to medium. If the skillet seems dry, add about 1 tablespoon more vegetable oil. Add the garlic and onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, remaining 1/2 teaspoon each cumin, paprika and turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant and darkened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add 2 cups water, the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods to the sauce, then reduce the heat to medium-low and bring the sauce to a low simmer.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a small pan over medium-low heat and saute the prunes until they're shiny and glazed on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the prunes to a bowl and heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the same small pan. Turn the heat to medium-low, add the barberries and saute until they're shiny and glazed, about 4 minutes.
• Add the prunes, barberries and 1/4 cup of water to the tomato sauce in the large skillet and stir to combine, making sure the prunes are fully submerged in the sauce. Return the turkey to the skillet and roast in the oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding the bone) reads 165 degrees F, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Let the turkey sit for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute before slicing and serving with the sauce, over rice if desired.

BUTTERMILK-BRINED SPICE-RUBBED TURKEY

Steps:

• Brine the turkey: Bring 2 cups water, the salt, brown sugar, 1 halved garlic head and 10 thyme sprigs to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove from the heat and add 6 cups cold water; let cool to room temperature. Whisk the buttermilk, hot sauce, mustard and sliced onion in a large bowl, then whisk in the salt-sugar mixture. Place the turkey in a brining bag or extra-large pot. Pour the brine over the turkey, seal or cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Position a rack in the lowest part of the oven; remove the other racks and preheat to 350˚. Set a rack in a large roasting pan. Remove the turkey from the brine, letting the excess drip off as much as possible, and transfer, breast-side up, to the rack. Pat the turkey dry. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Combine the paprika, onion powder, granulated garlic, cayenne and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Stuff the turkey cavity with the remaining 1 halved garlic head and 10 thyme sprigs and the quartered onion; tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Tuck the wings under the body. Season the turkey all over with salt and brush with the melted butter. Coat the turkey with the spice mixture.
• Roast the turkey 1 1/2 hours, then baste with the pan drippings. (Add 1/4 cup water to the roasting pan if it's too dry.) Continue to roast, basting every 30 minutes, until the skin is crisp and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165˚, 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes before carving.

SPICED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, garlic, cumin, oregano, allspice, chili powder, brown sugar and oil. Place the turkey breast in a 9 by13-inch roasting pan. Spread the mustard mixture over the top and sides of the turkey to form a crust. Add the onions, carrots, and chicken stock to the pan. Roast for 45 minutes. Cover the pan loosely with foil and continue to bake for another 45 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 175 degrees F. Allow the turkey to rest for 20 minutes before serving.
• Remove the vegetables and arrange on a serving platter. Remove the turkey and place on a cutting board. Pour about 1/2 cup of the pan juices into a small saucepan. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Whisk in the remaining pan juices. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens. Season the pan juices with salt and pepper and pour into a serving pitcher.
• To serve, slice the turkey into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange the turkey slices on the serving platter with the roasted vegetables and serve with the pan juices.

SLOW COOKER INDIAN-SPICED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Coat slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place turkey in bottom and pour broth over top.
• Mix together curry powder, cayenne pepper and salt; sprinkle over turkey.
• Scatter onion, ginger and cilantro leaves over turkey.
• Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
• Add chickpeas during last 30 minutes of cooking.
• Remove turkey to a cutting board and cover.
• Gradually whisk yogurt into slow cooker bowl; stir in chopped cilantro.
• Allow sauce to heat through.
• Slice turkey and serve with cooked rice and the yogurt and chickpea sauce.

INDIAN-SPICED TURKEY BREAST WITH CREAMY RED LENTILS

Steps:

• Rinse the turkey breasts and pat dry. Pour the lemon juice over the turkey and sprinkle it lightly with salt. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. Combine the lemon zest, yogurt, chile, olive oil, spices, ginger, and garlic in a shallow bowl. Turn the turkey over in the marinade and let it sit at room temperature for at least 1/2 hour, or chill overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 475°F or turn on the broiler.
• Place an oiled baking sheet in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes.
• Remove the turkey from the marinade and strip off the excess marinade with your fingers. Place the turkey on the hot baking sheet and cook for about 5 minutes, then use a spatula to flip it and cook another 5 minutes, or until just cooked through. Remove it from the oven and allow to rest before slicing. If you're using the broiler, broil the turkey 8-10 minutes, turning once.
• To serve, place a generous spoonful of the lentils on the plate, then place a few slices of the turkey alongside. Garnish with a sprinkling of chopped cilantro and a wedge of lemon.
• Creamy Red Lentils
• Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the lentils and pour in 3 1/2 cups water, then add the cilantro bundle and cumin and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and cook gently for about 45 minutes, adding a little more water if necessary.
• When the lentils are tender and ready to serve, remove the cilantro stems and season with salt.