This Herb Crusted Turkey Tenderloin is perfect for a weeknight dinner, but it’s also great as a small turkey substitute for Thanksgiving. Delicious tender turkey is basted in a sweet and savory dijon brown sugar mixture, and then coated in a rich herb blend. Bonus..it makes the house smell delicious, and it bakes up in under 30 minutes!
Turkey Tenderloin is a boneless skinless part of the chicken breast. It is low in fat, and cooks relatively fast due to its lean nature.
First step to making this recipe is to preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Get 2 small dishes out and prepare each separately with a marinade and herb crust. If you choose to marinate your turkey tenderloin you can wait to prepare the herb mixture.
Marinade:
- Dijon Mustard
- Brown Sugar
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic Powder
Herb Crust:
- Rosemary
- Parsley
- Chives
- Ground Sage
For added flavor, you can marinate your turkey tenderloin- a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.
This step is not necessary and if you are low on time you can skip marinating it- but it does add extra flavor.
I like to bake the turkey breasts on a foil lined sheet pan sprayed with nonstick, but a ceramic baking dish would work great too. The next step is to add the herb crust- I do this with a spoon, and then using clean hands, rub it around to make sure its spread evenly. Before cooking, I like to give the turkey breasts a spray with cooking spray- this helps brown the top and keeps the herb crust…crusty!
Turkey Tenderloin is fully cooked once it reaches 165 degrees internally at its thickest point.
The best part about turkey tenderloin is how fast it cooks, but also how plump and juicy it gets when it is cooked right. Be cautious not to overcook this and to use a meat thermometer to ensure proper cooking times.
Slice it up, serve, and there you have it- a delicious, easy, not to mention healthy Turkey dinner! Serve it with a side of mushroom gravy for a little added zing.
If you are looking for other hearty, easy meals that work great for small sized holidays- check these out:
- Turkey Roulade with Stuffing
- Stuffed Pork with Apples and Cranberries
- Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops
- Proscuitto Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
Hope you enjoy this easy dinner! – Kathi and Rachel
Herb Crusted Turkey Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 Turkey Tenderloins (equivalent to about 1.5 lbs total)
Marinade
- 1/4 cup dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- .25 tsp salt
- .5 tsp pepper
Herb Crust
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried chives
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp ground dried sage
Instructions
- Mix marinade in bowl and add turkey tenderloins, and marinade to large Ziplock style bag. Marinate for 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. In a small side dish, mix herb crust.
- Place turkey tenderloins on foil lined sheet pan, sprayed with non stick. Spoon herb crust over turkey (spread herb mixture with clean hands if desired). Spray tops of turky with nonstick spray (this will help brown them).
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until turkey reaches 165 degrees internally at its thickest point. Serve & enjoy!
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