Perhaps the most important decision any Thanksgiving host has to make is what size bird to get. That answer relies on how much turkey per person you need. Sure, there’s that one uncle who bogarts more than his fair share of turkey or the vegetarian who’ll only feast on veggie side dishes but its important to have a generous estimate that will feed your guests and leave enough turkey leftovers to enjoy later. When you’re ready for round two the next day, check out our guide on how to reheat turkey and our best turkey sandwich recipes.
And what’s Thanksgiving without all the classic sides? We also let you know the amount of side dishes you should plan on:
The holidays are a time for gathering with family and friends around a hearty, home-cooked meal. For many, the centerpiece of this feast is a golden roasted turkey. But if you’re only cooking a turkey breast, not a whole bird, how do you know how big of one to get to feed your hungry crowd? Specifically, how many people can you plan on a 5 pound turkey breast feeding?
Turkey Breast Basics
First let’s go over some turkey breast basics. Turkey breasts come either bone-in or boneless.
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A bone-in breast contains the breast meat attached to the breastbone and ribs, It’s also sometimes called a “turkey crown,”
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A boneless breast has had the bones removed so it’s just pure meat.
Boneless breasts are simpler to carve and give you more edible meat per pound. For bone-in breasts, the bones make up 25-30% of the weight.
Turkey breast can be purchased fresh or frozen. Opt for the freshest one you can find for maximum juiciness and flavor.
How Much Turkey Per Person?
As a general rule of thumb when buying turkey breast:
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For bone-in turkey breast, plan on 3/4 lb of uncooked meat per adult.
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For boneless turkey breast, plan on 1/2 lb of uncooked meat per adult.
Keep in mind that appetites vary widely, especially during the holidays when people tend to overindulge. It’s better to have ample leftovers than to run short, so you may want to bump up those amounts if you have some big eaters in your group.
For children, reduce the amount to 1/3 lb of turkey breast per child. Again, better to have too much than too little.
Feeding Guide for a 5 Pound Turkey Breast
So how many people can you expect a 5 pound turkey breast to feed?
If you purchased a bone-in breast, 5 lbs will provide roughly 6.5 to 7 servings. This should feed about 5 to 7 average adults.
For a boneless breast, with no bones to account for, 5 lbs will give you 10 servings of about 1/2 lb each. This is enough to feed 8 to 10 adults.
Here’s a simple feeding guide based on 5 lbs of turkey breast:
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Bone-in breast (5 lbs)
- Feeds 5-7 adults
- Feeds 10-14 small children
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Boneless breast (5 lbs)
- Feeds 8-10 adults
- Feeds 16-20 small children
Keep in mind you’ll also have side dishes like mashed potatoes, stuffing, rolls, and veggies that will help fill up your guests. But it’s always better to have too much turkey than not enough.
Tips for Buying the Right Size Turkey Breast
- Know your guest list and how many adults vs. kids are coming
- For bone-in breast, get 3/4 lb per adult
- For boneless breast, get 1/2 lb per adult
- Add extra weight if feeding big eaters
- Round up if you’re not sure – better too much than too little
- You can always slice extra for sandwiches or freeze leftovers
With an ample 5 pound turkey breast as the centerpiece, your holiday table is sure to impress. And you’ll likely have delicious leftovers for turkey sandwiches and soups long after the festivities end.
What to Do With Leftover Turkey Breast
Once the big meal is over, you’ll likely have leftover turkey breast to use up. Here are some delicious ways to enjoy it:
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Classic hot turkey sandwiches with gravy
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Turkey tacos or burritos
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Salad with turkey over greens
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Turkey noodle or rice soup
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Turkey tetrazzini or casserole
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Turkey pot pie with veggies
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Turkey enchiladas with green sauce
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Open faced turkey melts
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Turkey hash with potatoes and peppers
With a little creativity, leftover turkey makes easy, hearty meals for several days beyond the holiday feast. You may even grow to enjoy those leftovers more than the original meal itself!
So go ahead and get a nice big turkey breast this holiday season – a 5 pounder will feed your crowd with plenty left to spare. The only thing better than a home-cooked holiday feast is enjoying it all over again in creative new ways in the days that follow.
What if I’m serving a large crowd?
Of course, every rule has an exception. If you’re cooking for more than 16 people, buy one 12- to 14-pound bird and a breast instead of roasting a mammoth turkey (anything over 15 pounds will likely dry out by the time it’s cooked through). Prepare and roast the whole turkey on the upper rack of your oven and the breast on the lower rack.
- One 12- to 14-lb whole turkey and one 6- to 10-lb bone-in breast
- Dry mix stuffing (36 oz)
- Potatoes (10 lbs)
- Sweet potatoes (10 lbs)
- Canned cranberry sauce (four 14-oz cans)
- Pie (3–4)
- Brussels sprouts (4.5 lbs)
- Green beans (6 lbs)
How much turkey per person do I need?
Our recommendation is to plan for one pound of turkey per person, or ½ pound per person for a boneless turkey breast. If youre buying a bone-in turkey breast, figure on 3/4 pound per person.
- Whole turkey (8 lbs)
- Dry mix stuffing (12 oz)
- Potatoes (4 lbs)
- Sweet potatoes (4 lbs)
- Canned cranberry sauce (two 14-oz cans)
- Pie (1–2)
- Brussels sprouts (1.5 lbs)
- Green beans (2 lbs)
- Whole turkey (16 lbs)
- Dry mix stuffing (24 oz)
- Potatoes (8 lbs)
- Sweet potatoes (8 lbs)
- Canned cranberry sauce (three 14-oz cans)
- Pie (2–3)
- Brussels sprouts (3 lbs)
- Green beans (4 lbs)
Simple Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
FAQ
How many people can a 5lb turkey feed?
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Number of Guests
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Turkey Weight–
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4
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5lbs
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6
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8lbs
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8
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10lbs
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10
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13lbs
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What size turkey breast for 7 adults?
What size turkey to feed 5 adults?
How much is a serving of turkey breast?
How much boneless turkey breast should I buy per person?
Boneless turkey breast: Plan to purchase 1/2 lb per person or an average adult of uncooked boneless turkey breast. Let’s do some math for example. For 4 people, multiply 0.5 lb times 4, you need to purchase 2 pounds. Here is a handy chart for a quick reference:
How much turkey breast should I Cook per person?
It’ll depend on whether you’re cooking a whole bird, just the turkey breast boneless, or only the turkey breast bone-in. While opinions differ, in general, most will tell you that you should plan to serve between 1 and 1.5 pounds of bone-in turkey per person, whether that’s a whole turkey or just the bone-in breast.
How much turkey breast should you buy for a party?
Essentially, if you’ll be serving four people, you should plan on purchasing 5 pounds of bone-in turkey breast. For a party of eight, boost the total yield to 10 pounds. If your party consists of 10 people, purchase 13 pounds of bone-in meat.
How much Turkey should I buy?
How much turkey to buy depends whether you go with a boneless turkey breast or bone-in turkey breast. Bone-in turkey breast: It is also known as a turkey crown where two large breasts are still attached to the bone, with wings removed. Bone contributes to the weight of the breast and doesn’t do much in terms of flavor.