Simple Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
on Nov 08, 2020, Updated Jul 17, 2024
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Making sure your turkey breast is moist and tender, not at all dry, is the biggest goal. You couldn’t ask for a better friend than the set-it-and-forget-it crockpot (frees up oven space!).
Many people prefer the white meat of turkey, and in general, that means the breast. Whether you’re preparing a turkey breast for a smaller Thanksgiving gathering or just a fall or winter dinner, making sure your turkey breast is juicy, moist, and tender — not at all dry — is the biggest goal. And in this case, you couldn’t ask for a better friend than the set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker.
Finding one dish to make in the slow cooker frees up precious oven space during the holidays. And turkey breast is tailor-made for slow cooking. You also end up with wonderfully flavorful cooking juices that can turn into the best gravy ever. I’ve been a roaster all of my life, but now I’m sold that there is more than one way to make a great turkey breast. Serve with a Fresh Green Bean Casserole, Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Roasted Garlic, or Sweet Potato Casserole for a perfect, well-rounded, and hearty meal.
Table of Contents
Slow cooker Turkey Breast: Moist, flavorful, and with only 15 minutes of hands on time before you set it and forget it!
How Long to Cook a Turkey Breast in a Crockpot
This turkey breast cooks for 6 hours on low in the crockpot. I prefer the lower setting for turkey breast, which I think helps it stay moist and juicy.
Ingredients
- Carrots, celery, and onions – Cooking these veggies with the turkey adds flavor and helps the meat retain moisture during the slow cooking process.
- Minced garlic
- Chicken broth – Provides flavor and moisture.
- White wine – Also adds flavor and helps keep the turkey moist.
- Butter – The base for the turkey rub — another flavor and moisture boost.
- Sage and thyme – Use dried or fresh.
- Turkey breast – Six or seven pounds would be my recommendation. Make sure you choose a turkey breast that will fit in your slow cooker with room to spare around it.
- Cornstarch – Helps turn the cooking juices into gravy. You can also use flour for this, but cornstarch keeps this turkey breast gluten-free.
How to Make Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- Add veggies and broth: Place the vegetables in the slow cooker. Pour in the wine and chicken broth.
- Season turkey: In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of the butter, sage, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Spread the mixture over the turkey breast and place the turkey in the slow cooker on top of the vegetables.
- Cook in slow cooker: Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the turkey is fully cooked with an internal temperature of 165 degrees (use an instant-read thermometer).
- Optional broiling step: The turkey is ready to serve at this point, though the skin will not be crispy. If you wish to crisp up the skin, just before the turkey is cooked, preheat the broiler. Transfer the turkey to a roasting or broiling pan and broil the turkey until the skin gets browned; you may need to turn the turkey breast on one side and then the other to get the most even browning. Watch it carefully so that it doesn’t burn.
- Make gravy: Meanwhile, make the gravy. Strain the juices from the slow cooker with a strainer, discarding the solids. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the cornstarch or flour and continue whisking until it turns golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the strained pan drippings. Bring the gravy to a boil, whisking frequently until thickened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a pitcher or gravy boat.
- Serve: Let the turkey breast sit for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing and serving with the warm gravy.
FAQs
As long as you plan to put the turkey breast in the slow cooker just before you go to bed and take it out as soon as you wake up, that’s fine. It can cook for 6 hours on low and then hold on warm for another 2 hours safely, but don’t let it go longer than that.
If you’re not serving the turkey breast for breakfast (and I think you’re probably not!), then you want to remove it from the crockpot and refrigerate it until ready to serve. Cold turkey breast is best sliced and used for sandwiches or in dishes like turkey tettrazini or turkey hash. However, if you wanted to reheat it in the slow cooker or the oven before serving, you could also do that.
Yes. The longer it’s cooked, the tougher the meat will get. Low and slow is the way to go, which is why the slow cooker is perfect for this recipe. This allows the meat to cook through while remaining juicy and tender. Don’t let it cook past an internal temp of 165 degrees.
Cooking the turkey with vegetables like carrots, celery, and onions will help the meat retain its moisture. Spreading the butter mixture on top and inside of the turkey breast also helps this process. Lastly, it is important to allow a turkey to rest after it comes out of the crockpot or the oven. It may be tempting to dig in right away, but covering the turkey with foil and allowing it to rest will make sure that its natural juices stay in the meat. If you cut and serve your turkey right out of the oven, the juices will run out, and it will become dry.
Pro Cooking Tips
- If you wish to crisp up the skin, just before the turkey is finished cooking in the slow cooker, preheat the broiler. As soon as the turkey is done, transfer the turkey to a roasting or broiling pan and broil the turkey until the skin gets browned. You may need to turn the turkey breast on one side and then the other to get the most even browning. Watch it carefully so that it doesn’t burn.
- Let the turkey rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.
Leftovers and Storage
- Leftover turkey will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- If you can store extra turkey without slicing it first, it will stay juicier.
- You can also freeze leftover turkey and keep it for future meals. A few tips on thawing leftover turkey will help, too.
- Explore 15 Leftover Turkey recipes that are sure to spark some inspiration!
What to Serve With Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
More Easy Turkey Recipes
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Easy Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey
- Simple Lemon-Garlic Turkey Breast
- Cajun Turkey
- Traditional Roast Turkey
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Simple Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large carrot (peeled and sliced 1-inch thick)
- 1 stalk celery (sliced 1-inch)
- 1 onion (diced)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened; divided)
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh sage (or ½ teaspoon dried sage)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- ½ teaspoon celery seed (optional)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (6 to 7-pound) bone-in turkey breast
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour)
Instructions
- Place the carrots, celery, onions, and garlic in the slow cooker. Pour in the wine and chicken broth.
- In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of the butter, sage, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Spread the mixture over the turkey breast and place the turkey in the slow cooker on top of the vegetables.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the turkey is fully cooked with an internal temperature of 165 F.
- Optional Broiling Step: The turkey is ready to serve at this point, though the skin will not be crispy. If you wish to crisp up the skin, just before the turkey is cooked, preheat the broiler. Transfer the turkey to a roasting or broiling pan and broil the turkey until the skin gets browned; you may need to turn the turkey breast on one side and then the other to get the most even browning. Watch it carefully so that it doesn’t burn.
- Meanwhile, make the gravy. Strain the juices from the slow cooker with a strainer, discarding the solids.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the cornstarch or flour and continue whisking until it turns golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the strained pan drippings. Bring the gravy to a boil, whisking frequently until thickened 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a pitcher or gravy boat
- Let the turkey breast sit for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing and serving with the warm gravy.
Notes
- Once the turkey comes out of the slow cooker and rests for 20 or so minutes, it is ready to slice and serve. The turkey is ready to serve at this point, though the skin will not be crispy.
- If you wish to crisp up the skin, just before the turkey is finished cooking in the slow cooker, preheat the broiler. As soon as the turkey is done, transfer the turkey to a roasting or broiling pan and broil the turkey until the skin gets browned; you may need to turn the turkey breast on one side and then the other to get the most even browning. Watch it carefully so that it doesn’t burn.
So, you mentioned to crisp the skin, to put it FIRST on broiler before placing it on the slow cooker or after is cooked? When I roast turkey, I crisp the skin first but still including as the cooking time for the turkey. Can you please clarify? I am making this on Thanksgiving! Thanks!! And I assume butter will be already on skin if uncooked) ?
Hope this is more clear!: If you wish to crisp up the skin, just before the turkey is finishing cooking in the slow cooker, preheat the broiler. As soon as the turkey is done, transfer the turkey to a roasting or broiling pan and broil the turkey until the skin gets browned; you may need to turn the turkey breast on one side and then the other to get the most even browning. Watch it carefully so that it doesn’t burn. Happy Thanksgiving!
Can’t wait to try this.
For the gravy, you have cornstarch in the ingredients but call for flour in the instructions. Are they interchangeable here?
Thanks!
sorry yes, adjusted to make clear that you can use either!