Don’t Want To Make A Whole Bird This Thanksgiving? Cook A Turkey Breast Instead.

For a lot of people, turkey is a MUST on Thanksgiving—over 200 million are sold in November every year! While a dinner table laid out with sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, and green bean casserole all surrounding a big turkey centerpiece is the American ideal, most people's actual celebrations will look a little bit different. For starters, a whole turkey feeds a LOT of people, and can be a bit unwieldy to make if you’re having a smaller celebration (no matter how much you like leftovers). If this sounds familiar, try making one of our 13 turkey breast recipes instead. You’ll get all the flavor and tradition, with a ton less effort.

Because turkey breasts are so much smaller than whole birds (4 to 8 pounds versus 18 to 30 pounds, on average), you can risk getting way more creative with your flavors without having to worry you’ll end up with too much meat that’s all one note. Try our air fryer tandoori turkey breast, our harissa-spiced turkey breast, or our cranberry glazed BBQ turkey breast for ideas on how to jazz things up. Looking for more classic flavors? We’ve got you too, with our air fryer garlic herb turkey breast, our rosemary, sage, and pecan-crusted turkey breast, or our turkey roulade (filled with herby panko, mmm).

We’ve also included a few recipes here that utilize leftover turkey breast if you do still find yourself with too much after the big day. Turn it into a mozzarella and kale pesto panini or a classic Cobb salad for Black Friday lunches, or make it into a turkey divan casserole to serve to any lingering holiday guests.

Want more Thanksgiving inspiration? Check out our top Thanksgiving appetizers, side dishes, and cocktails too.