The combination of sweet citrus and the subtle effervescence of champagne creates a uniquely flavorful and elegant dish, perfect for impressing your guests. The orange wedges infuse the turkey with a zesty brightness, while the aromatics—like garlic, thyme, and rosemary—lend a fragrant, savory depth. As the turkey roasts, the champagne broth not only enhances its juiciness but also creates a delectable base for a rich, velvety gravy.
How to Cook a Turkey
You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this top-rated Thanksgiving turkey recipe:
Season the turkey: Stir together parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon-pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Rub the cavity of the turkey with the herb mixture, then stuff the cavity with celery, orange, onion, and carrot.
Prepare the turkey: Place the turkey in a roasting pan lined with foil long enough to wrap around the bird. Pour Champagne and broth over the turkey, making sure to get some of the mixture inside the cavity.
Roast the turkey: Bring the foil over the turkey and seal. Roast in a preheated oven until the juices run clear. Uncover the turkey and continue roasting until the skin turns golden brown.
How Long to Thaw a Turkey
The safest way to thaw a turkey is in the refrigerator. Allow approximately 24 hours for every 5 pounds of meat. If you have a 15-pound frozen turkey, it'll take about three days to thaw completely in the fridge.
How to Season a Turkey
This flavorful, juicy Thanksgiving turkey is seasoned from the inside out: The cavity is stuffed with an herbaceous mixture of dried parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon-pepper seasoning, and salt. The Champagne and chicken broth, which are poured over the turkey before roasting to keep the meat incredibly moist and juicy, also add irresistible flavor.
What Temperature to Cook a Turkey
If you follow this recipe with a 15-pound turkey, your Thanksgiving centerpiece should be fully cooked after about 3.5 hours in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
How Long to Cook a Turkey
Cook your unstuffed turkey for about 13-15 minutes per pound. This 15-pound turkey should be fully cooked within about 3.5 hours — but you should always check the internal temperature before serving to prevent food poisoning.
What Temperature Is Turkey Done?
An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read at least 180 degrees F (80 degrees C).
How to Carve a Turkey
Carving a turkey isn't as difficult as you might think. You'll just need a knife, a cutting board, a meat fork, and some easy-to-follow instructions.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons ground dried rosemary
2 tablespoons rubbed dried sage
2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1 (15 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
1 medium orange, cut into 8 wedges
1 medium onion, chopped into large pieces
1 medium carrot, cut into ½-inch slices
2 stalks celery, cut into ½-inch slices
1 (750 milliliter) bottle champagne
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
Directions
Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a roaster with sheets of aluminum foil long enough to wrap around turkey.
Stir parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon-pepper seasoning, and salt together in a small bowl.
Rub herb mixture into turkey cavity, then stuff with orange wedges, onion, carrot, and celery. Tie turkey legs together with kitchen string, then tuck the wings under the body.
Place turkey on the foil in the roasting pan. Pour champagne and chicken broth over turkey, making sure to get some liquid in the cavity.
Bring aluminum foil up and over the top of turkey and seal; try to keep the foil from touching the turkey.
Roast turkey in the preheated oven until juices run clear, 2 ½ to 3 hours. Uncover turkey and continue baking until the skin turns golden brown, 30 to 60 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh, near the bone, should read 180 degrees F (80 degrees C).
Remove turkey from the oven, cover with two sheets of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area before slicing, 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!
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