Orange Glazed Herb Turkey

4.14 from 15 votes

This yummy recipe will make a nice, refreshing addition to any holiday menu!

A sweet and tangy, orange glazed herb turkey that makes the perfect holiday dinner!

Every holiday season, turkeys take center stage on tables all across America. And chances are good that every year, you reuse the same recipe. But let me ask you this. Do your side dishes often outshine your main course? If so, this may be a good indication that it’s time to change things up a bit! While tried and true recipes are wonderful, we feel confident that our orange glazed herb turkey will make your bird the star of the show once more by adding some much needed excitement back into your holiday dinner!

Tender Turkey with Multiple Layers of Sweet and Tangy Flavor!

Change up your Thanksgiving dinner with this flavorful recipe!

We’ve taken a traditional recipe and given it a lovely, orangey twist. There are multiple layers of flavors involved in the rub, roasting ingredients, and glaze that utilize each part of the tangy fruit. Each of these flavor layers adds a new level of citrusy deliciousness and more to this classic main course!

Rub it, Stuff it, and Glaze it in Deliciousness!

Orange flavors elevate this main course and make it the star of the show!

For the rub, we used sage, rosemary, and thyme. These fresh herbs offer quite the combination of flavors. They are earthy, bold, and citrusy, with slight peppery notes too. The sharp orange zest kicks things up another notch for a mouthwatering first layer that will soak right into your turkey! 

So you’ve rubbed the turkey down with incredible flavor. Now, you’re going to fill it and surround it as well! This is where the roasting ingredients or “stuffing” comes in. More fresh herbs and orange wedges meld with the sweet and bitter flavors of the yellow onion, celery, and carrots. Once this mixture has been added to the turkey, you’ll coat the bird in watered-down orange juice. Not only will this add more flavor, but it will also keep your turkey nice and moist!

The final, and perhaps the yummiest layer of this recipe is the glaze! This 2-ingredient coating is created by the combining delightfully tangy orange marmalade with sweet honey. When all 3 of these layers are added, the result is a delicious turkey that is literally bursting with orange flavor!

4.14 from 15 votes

Orange Glazed Herb Turkey

Change up your holiday bird with our orange glazed herb turkey! The classic flavors are elevated by satisfying hints of citrus and light sweetness.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Refrigeration Time 2 hours
Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes
Yield 10 people
Serving Size ounces
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Author Skinny Ms.

Ingredients

  • 10 pounds turkey whole, thawed

For the Rub

  • 3 tablespoons sage fresh, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons rosemary fresh, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons thyme fresh, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons garlic fresh, minced
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For Roasting

  • 2 oranges peels on, cut into wedges
  • 1 yellow onion cut into quarters
  • 4 celery stalks chopped
  • 3 carrots large, peeled and chopped
  • 5 rosemary stalks fresh
  • 5 sage stalks fresh
  • 8 thyme stalks fresh
  • 3 cups orange juice
  • 5 cups water

For the Glaze

  • 1/2 cup orange marmalade
  • 3 tablespoons honey

Instructions

  • Line a roasting pan with foil and place a rack on top. Lightly spray with nonstick spray. Rinse the turkey and pat dry with paper towel and place in prepared roasting pan.

For the Rub

  • Mix all ingredients together to create a paste. Rub paste over entire turkey. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

For Roasting

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Remove turkey from refrigerator. Lightly toss together all roasting ingredients with exception of juice and water. Stuff turkey with mixture and place any extra around turkey in roasting pan. In separate bowl or pitcher, combine juice and water. Pour into pan just until it touches the bottom of the turkey. Cover with foil lightly sprayed with nonstick spray.
  • Roast for 3 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

For the Glaze

  • In small sauce pot, heat marmalade and honey and bring to a boil. Once boiling remove from heat, but keep warm so the mixture stays liquid. During the last 30 minutes of roasting, remove foil from turkey and brush with marmalade every 10 minutes.

Notes

TIPS: For larger turkeys, add 1 teaspoon of each spice in the rub for every 2 pounds of turkey. Add 20 minutes to the cooking time for every pound above 10 pounds. Always use a thermometer to check the turkeys temperature. "Pop Up" timers in turkeys are often inaccurate and overcook the turkey.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 424mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 25g |
SmartPoints (Freestyle): 12
Keywords Christmas, dairy-free, Gluten-Free, High Protein, Holiday, Kid-Friendly, Thanksgiving

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This orange glazed herb turkey recipe will make a nice, refreshing addition to any holiday menu. While it does require some time and effort, the final outcome is certainly worth it! If you choose to try this delicious dish, be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

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SkinnyMs.

The SkinnyMs. team believes that all people, regardless of age, size, and fitness level, have the power to transform their lives — they just need the resources to do so. The SkinnyMs. method promotes healthy living through a combination of clean eating and regular exercise. We offer everything you need to be successful.

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