A slow-cooker turkey breast cooks up moist and tender, leaving your oven free for the rest of your sides. Use the juices at the bottom of the slow cooker to make a fantastic gravy.
With just a few simple ingredients and a little patience, you can create a mouth-watering meal that everyone will love. I love to serve this with rosemary roasted potatoes and honey roasted carrots.
Well, Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and turkey will start going on sale very soon. It is an excellent time to stock up on a few turkeys and put them in the freezer. Be sure to grab a turkey breast to try this delectable recipe. This recipe will work with either bone-in or boneless turkey breast.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Turkey breast: skin-on, bone-in or boneless
- Seasonings: onion powder, garlic powder, salt, dried marjoram or oregano, and freshly ground black pepper. Dried rosemary or thyme are other seasonings to try.
- Vegetables: onion, carrots, and celery. You can use any combination of these vegetables to infuse the turkey with flavor and moisture.
How to Cook a Turkey Breast in a Slow Cooker
Remove any packets or innards packed with your turkey breast. Rinse the turkey with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
Combine onion powder, garlic powder, marjoram, ground thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Using your hands, smooth this paste over the turkey. Put the carrots, celery, and onions in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the turkey breast on top of the vegetables, breast side down.
Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Carefully remove the breast to a pan and cover loosely with an aluminum foil tent. Discard the vegetables and strain the juices at the bottom of the slow cooker, reserving two cups for the gravy.
Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle with a 1/4 cup of flour while whisking. Keep whisking until the mixture turns light brown. Slowly whisk in the juices that you reserved and cook until thickened. Place the turkey breast under the broiler on low for a few minutes to crisp and brown the skin if desired.
Preparation Tips
- Do not purchase a turkey breast larger than your slow cooker, so think ahead.
- Don’t overcook the turkey breast. After 4 1/2 hours, check the internal temperature every thirty minutes. Turkey is done when it reaches 165 degrees.
- Let the turkey rest in a very loose foil tent. You don’t want moisture trapped under it, so lay a piece of foil over the top without sealing the edges.
- For a beautiful presentation, place the breast under the broiler for a few minutes. Stay close, as I have always found broilers somewhat unpredictable. If you place the turkey under the broiler, pull the turkey from the slow cooker at an internal temperature of 155-160 degrees.
- If the gravy becomes too thick, thin it out with small amounts (a quarter of a cup at a time) of chicken broth.
Serving Suggestions
- Vegetables: green beans almondine, glazed carrots, and creamed peas with pearl onions
- Potatoes: easy twice-baked potato casserole, instant pot mashed potatoes, and roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts
- Dressing: Southern cornbread dressing, Thanksgiving stuffing, and sausage stuffing
More Turkey Recipes
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 turkey breast skin on bone in or boneless (4-8 lbs)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon marjoram
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion quartered
- 2 large carrots cut in thirds
- 2 stalks celery cut in thirds
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup flour
Instructions
- Remove any packets or innards that are packaged with your turkey breast. Rinse the turkey with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, stir the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, ground thyme, salt, marjoram, black pepper, and olive oil to form a paste. Using your hands smooth this paste over the turkey breast.
- Place onions, carrots, and celery in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the turkey breast on top of the vegetables breast side down. Make sure that the vegetables keep the breast from direct contact with the bottom of the crockpot.
- Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Carefully remove the breast to a pan and cover loosely with an aluminum foil tent. Discard the vegetables and strain the juices at the bottom of the slow cooker, reserving two cups for the gravy.
- Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle with a 1/4 cup of flour while whisking. Keep whisking until the mixture turns light brown. Slowly whisk in the juices that you reserved and cook until thickened. Place the turkey breast under the broiler on low for a few minutes to crisp and brown the skin if desired.
Notes
- Do not purchase a turkey breast larger than your slow cooker, so think ahead.
- Don’t overcook the turkey breast. After 4 1/2 hours, check the internal temperature every thirty minutes. Turkey is done when it reaches 165 degrees.
- Let the turkey rest in a very loose foil tent. You don’t want moisture trapped under it, so lay a piece of foil over the top without sealing the edges.
- For a beautiful presentation, place the breast under the broiler for a few minutes. Stay close, as I have always found broilers somewhat unpredictable. If you place the turkey under the broiler, pull the turkey from the slow cooker at an internal temperature of 155-160 degrees.
- If the gravy becomes too thick, thin it out with small amounts (a quarter of a cup at a time) of chicken broth.
Nutrition
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Melissa C
I am loving the way this turkey breast turned out in the slow cooker! I am definitley grabbing a Turkey breast and making this for this week…. Turkey is yummy and lean and I love it anytime of the year. Add a little stuffing and gravy and I am happy 😉
Michelle
I love how it leaves the oven free for all the sidess! I can’t wait to try it with your gravy suggestion and rosemary roasted potatoes!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Michelle! Enjoy!
Lynndee
I haven’t tried preparing turkey using my slow cooker. I will save your recipe for later. This is making me excited for Thanksgiving.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Lynndee! Enjoy!
Jupiter H
Oh wow I had no idea you could cook turkey breast in a slow cooker and it come out like that! Thank you for this easy to follow recipe.
Stephanie
You really need a lot of patience when cooking turkey but all of it is worth it! This recipe is perfect! I can’t wait to make this again. It was flavorful and juicy!
Karen
Your recipe is amazing!!! I tried it yesterday and my husband couldn’t believe it wasn’t oven-baked. I will be doing it over and over again. Thanks a lot.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure. Karen!
Yancy
This is such a great recipe for this time of year! I love anything cooked in the slow cooker and this turkey breast pairs up so well with all of the vegetables.
Beth Pierce
I agree 100%
Lisa
I wouldn’t think of cooking turkey breast this way but it looks good! It looks juicy which is something I struggle with when cooking turkey.
Cheli
I never really think about eating whole pieces of turkey outside of the holiday season. Looking at this recipe is making me strongly reconsider this pattern, it looks so good!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Cheli! Enjoy!
Catherine
I made the slow cooker turkey breast for a cozy Sunday dinner, and it was incredible! The meat turned out so tender and juicy, and the flavors were just perfect.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Catherine!
Allyson Zea
I love being able to throw this in the crock pot and forget about it! It always makes the house smell amazing and it’s SO MOIST!
Krystle S
This recipe is definitely a keeper. It’s perfect for when you want a delicious turkey dinner without the fuss of cooking a whole bird.
Beth Pierce
I agree 100%
Cynthia
Hello, Do you put any liquid in the crockpot when you put the Turkey breast on top of the vegetables?
Beth Pierce
No I do not.
Brian
Hi! Can’t wait to try this for Christmas! I noticed in the recipe it calls for 1/2 cups of butter and flour and in the article is says 1/4 cups of Butter and flour. Which is correct?
Beth Pierce
Hey Brian! So sorry about the delay. I had to pull my notes. It is a 1/4 cup of each. I have since corrected the recipe. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. Merry Christmas!
Michele B
I’m a white meat fan and my fiance likes dark meat, so if I got a breast and some legs, would this recipe work out? Would any adjustments need to be made?
Thanks! Sounds delicious!
Beth Pierce
Sorry about the delay Michelle! I have been feeling under the weather this last week so I am really running behind. You don’t need to make any adjustments. I hope you enjoy your meal. Happy Thanksgiving!!
Jennifer
How would one go about making this for a 3lb turkey breast? Would you cook for the same amount of time, and would you still use the same amount of seasoning?
Beth Pierce
Sorry about the delay. Everyone in the family seems to under the weather. Cut the seasonings down by about 1/4 and I would start checking that at a little under 4 hours. Internal temperature will be 165 degrees when it is done.