Turkey Tenderloin Slices

2020. January in earnest, the year with Nora in it. I'm twenty-nine weeks pregnant and the third trimester has arrived with its specific opinions about sleep and standing and the general arrangement of furniture as it relates to navigating a small apartment at three in the morning. I know this territory. It still requires adaptation.

Back at work after the holidays and the floor has the January quality I always find clarifying: less sentiment, more presence. The patients are the patients. The work is the work. I did a New Year's inventory in the car on the way in Monday morning—not resolutions, just taking stock. Seven years at MGH, four on this floor. This is the job I wanted and the job I have and they're the same job, which is rarer than people understand until they have it.

Liam and I made a resolution together. His suggestion, approximately: "outside every day." We've been doing the winter version of outside—ten minutes, properly bundled, around the block—and he runs along the sidewalk making the vapor trails of his breath and says "steam!" with delight every time. Steam, yes. You breathe in winter and become part of it and Liam finds this spectacular. He finds most things spectacular. I am trying to learn from this approach.

I made a big pot of turkey soup with the carcass from Christmas—I'd kept it in the freezer—and it was the right January food, the kind that makes you feel cared for by past decisions. The kitchen warm, the windows fogged. Liam wanted a bowl before dinner. I gave him one. He said "good soup, Mama." He says this about most of my soups now. I believe him every time.

That pot of turkey soup was only possible because of a decision made weeks earlier—saving the carcass, wrapping it carefully, tucking it into the freezer like a small act of faith in my future self. If you want to build that kind of kitchen momentum, turkey tenderloin is exactly where to start: it’s quick enough for a Tuesday, and the slices reheat beautifully, making them just as useful the next day—or the day after that. This is the recipe I come back to when I want food that feels like taking care of things before they need caring for.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs turkey tenderloin (1–2 tenderloins)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Pat the turkey tenderloins dry with paper towels—this helps them brown evenly rather than steam.
Season. In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Rub the olive oil over the tenderloins, then coat all sides with the spice mixture.
Sear. Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the seasoned tenderloins and sear for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown.
Roast. Pour the broth into the skillet around (not over) the turkey. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast for 18–22 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F.
Rest and finish. Remove from the oven, place the butter on top of the tenderloins, and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes—the butter will melt into the pan juices as the turkey rests.
Slice and serve. Slice the tenderloins crosswise into 1/2-inch medallions. Spoon the pan juices over the top and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve warm.

Nutrition (per serving)

Turkey Tenderloin Slices — The Pot You Made for Future You