This baked lemon pepper turkey tenderloin is so juicy inside and has a nice seasoning coating on the outside. Ready in less than an hour, this dish can be cooked for any weekend lunch or even Holiday dinner.
Simple ingredients create amazing dishes! Follow my easy step by step instructions for the most flavorful turkey dish that can be served as is, on a piece of bread or with any side.
How to bake lemon pepper turkey tenderloin (overview)
Start with washing the meat under cold running water. It helps removing any dirt and if the turkey was marinated in salt solution, it will remove extra salt. Dry with paper towels.
Cover turkey in seasoning on each side and place in to the greased baking dish. I used olive oil spray but you can use any other oil if you like. Ghee or butter can be used too.
Add a piece of butter on each tenderloin. It will help meat stay juicy and buttery. Don't stack tenderloins on top of each other. Use baking dish that is big enough for two pieces of turkey side by side.
Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes. There is no need to cover baking dish with foil. Bake it uncovered. Check the internal temperature to make sure its cooked though.
Everybody's ovens are different and the tenderloin thickness may be different too. These factors will affect cooking time.
What part of turkey is tenderloin
Turkey tenderloin is a skinless and boneless part of turkey breast. It varies in sizes and is very low in fat. Stores sell this cut of turkey in meat and poultry isle and in a vacuum sealed package. I never had a problem finding turkey tenderloin fresh. You will see them more often close to Holiday season.
Recipe notes and tips
- Baked turkey tenderloin is very easy to overcook. Since it doesn't have any fat it will get dry quickly when overcooked. Always use your meat thermometer to check if the meat is done. Turkey should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit when fully cooked.
- Frozen tenderloin should be thawed overnight in the fridge. Place a bowl or a large plate under the meat, you never know if it will drip and make a mess.
- Some lemon pepper seasoning comes without salt in it. In this case, please add about ½ teaspoon of salt for 2 tenderloins or less.
- If your turkey tenderloin comes in a sealed package with salt solution in it, make sure to rinse turkey very well to remove salt. And don't add any additional salt to the dish. Otherwise it will be just way too salty!
- This recipe is great for 2-4 people. If making for Thanksgiving, top it with homemade cranberry sauce and gravy.
- For a lighter dish use less butter.
- Top turkey with chopped cilantro or chopped green onions for better presentation and flavor.
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Make it for holidays
This baked turkey breast tenderloin recipe can be cooked for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Perfect if you have a small group of friends coming over or you simply don't want to cook the whole turkey or turkey breast.
Add couple fresh rosemary strings to the dish and a few lemon slices. Quarter an orange too and place right into your baking or serving dish. Festive looking turkey tenderloin is ready for Holidays!
Side dishes
My absolutely favorite side dish for all turkey recipes is creamy dreamy mashed potatoes. Make it with the skin on or peeled. Add a bunch of butter and cream and season with salt and roasted garlic, oh la la!
White rice with vegetables is a great side dish too. Brussels sprouts, green beans, cranberry sauce or your favorite recipe for sweet potato casserole... Options are endless.
Leftovers
You can store baked turkey tenderloin for up to 4 days in the fridge. Use an air tight container or just a bowl with the plastic wrap tightly placed on top. Don't allow any air to get in or turkey will dry out.
You can also freeze baked lemon pepper turkey tenderloin. Thaw before reheating. Reheat in the oven or in the microwave. If you own an air fryer, you can reheat turkey there. Here is a great air fryer turkey tenderloin recipe to try.
More turkey recipes
- Instant pot turkey thighs with gravy
- Air fryer turkey wings so crispy!
- Baked turkey wings with cream of mushroom soup
- Crispy air fryer turkey thighs
- Ninja Foodi white bean turkey chili
Baked lemon pepper turkey tenderloin
This baked lemon pepper turkey tenderloin is so juicy
inside and has a nice seasoning coating on the outside. Ready in less than an hour, this dish can be cooked for any weekend lunch or even Holiday dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 turkey breast tenderloins
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
- 2 tablespoon butter
- olive oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rinse turkey tenderloin with cold running water. Lightly spray baking dish with oil spray.
- Pat dry turkey with paper towels and cover in lemon pepper seasoning on every side. Place it in the baking dish in one layer.
- Top each tenderloin with 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Bake uncovered in the oven for about 40 minutes. Check internal temperature with the instant meat thermometer. It should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit when fully cooked.
Notes
- Baked turkey tenderloin is very easy to overcook. Since it doesn't have any fat it will get dry quickly when overcooked. Always use your meat thermometer to check if the meat is done. Turkey should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit when fully cooked.
- Frozen tenderloin should be thawed overnight in the fridge. Place a bowl or a large plate under the meat, you never know if it will drip and make a mess.
- Some lemon pepper seasoning comes without slat in it. If this is the case, please add about ½ teaspoon of salt for 2 tenderloins or less.
- If your turkey tenderloin comes in a sealed package with salt solution in it, make sure to rinse turkey very well to remove salt. And don't add any additional salt to the dish. Otherwise it will be just way too salty!
- This recipe is great for 2-4 people. If making for Thanksgiving, top it with homemade cranberry sauce and gravy.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 215Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 773mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 18g
Claudia Lamascolo
What a delicious way to make Turkey that lemon pepper really gives the turkey a great flavor and looks so moist a must try!
Gloria
I love cooking turkey. What a great way to enjoy this great meat without having to cook the whole bird.
Julie
I've been looking for a great way to make turkey at home for dinner and this is it. Such a tasty dinner idea. My family loved how it turned out.
Natalie
This is great. I just got tenderloin from the store. I had plans to make it on Sunday. I will use your recipe. Meat looks perfectly cooked and so flavorful.
Gail Montero
I love that with such simple ingredients you can come up with something delicious and easy to make! Wow!