Whole Turkey Breast with Walnut-Raisin Stuffing and Gravy
Kitchen Tested 
- Yield 10 servings
- Prep 15 mins
- Cook 30 mins
Raisins and walnuts add texture and taste to a classic bread stuffing.
The cavity under the skin at one end makes a perfect pocket for some of the stuffing. The rest goes into a baking dish and takes about 30 minutes to heat.
Ingredients
- Stuffing:
- 8 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1/2 cup finely chopped leeks (white and light green part only)
- 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 6 cups (about 11 ounces) seasoned bread cubes
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts
- 1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 2 2/3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
- Turkey:
- 1 whole turkey breast (about 7 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- To prepare stuffing, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks, carrot and celery; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a large bowl. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in skillet and add to vegetables. Add bread cubes, raisins, walnuts, poultry seasoning and enough broth to moisten, about 2 cups. Mix well.
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- To prepare turkey, rinse turkey under cold water and pat dry. Slip fingers underneath skin to make a pocket. Fill pocket with about one-third of the stuffing. Transfer remaining stuffing to a casserole dish. Place turkey on rack in roasting pan; brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Pour 3 cups water into pan.
- Roast, basting occasionally and adding water to pan as necessary, until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast registers 170F, about 2 1/4 hours. Cover turkey with aluminum foil after the first hour of roasting.
- During last 30 minutes, pour 2/3 cup broth over reserved stuffing, cover and place in oven with turkey. Bake 20 minutes; uncover, and continue baking 10 minutes.
- Transfer turkey to serving platter. Pour pan drippings into 4-cup measuring cup and let stand 5 minutes. Pour fat that rises to the top into a small measuring cup; if necessary add melted butter to make 1/3 cup.
- Add broth to remaining drippings to make 3 cups.
- Place roasting pan on stove over low heat. Add the 1/3 cup fat mixture. Whisk in flour. Add broth mixture and cook, whisking to loosen browned bits on bottom, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Carve turkey and serve with stuffing and gravy.
Recipe adapted with permission from Rick Rodgers’ Thanksgiving 101 (William Morrow, 2007).
