Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
This Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is too simple to make in the crock pot. With just 6 ingredients, it’s perfect for a stress-free holiday meal or for dinner on a weeknight. It pairs well with so many delicious side dishes and will be a family favorite main course.
Using the slow cooker for a turkey breast may just be my favorite hidden secret of the Thanksgiving holiday. We always entertain a lot of friends and family every November, which means we need a lot of food! This crock pot turkey breast is always something I make to have extra turkey on the table.
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If you’re intimidated by roasting a whole bird or find it to be a pain, I totally understand. This slow cooker turkey breast is your solution. I’ve even served it on a weeknight with a side or two for a comforting dinner. Plus it makes for the best leftovers the next day. Serve it with Whipped Mashed Potatoes or Green Beans with Bacon for a bite your family will remember.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- So much easier than making a regular turkey. This is a true foolproof, hands-free cooking method. The slow cooker does all of the work for you so you can enjoy your holiday or focus on making the side dishes.
- Great way to add extra turkey to any meal. If you are making turkey for a large crowd, I like to make a whole bird and then this breast on the side to make sure there’s enough food without making a second turkey.
- Makes moist, and juicy turkey every time. Forget dry or bland turkey, this recipe makes each bite super flavorful and delicious.
Ingredients
Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below
- Boneless turkey breast: You’ll want this to be 3 to 4 pound and make sure it’s boneless.
- Turkey rub: We love using a pre-mixed rub but you can also make your own with my homemade version in the tips noted below.
- Salted butter: You’ll want to soften the butter before prepping the recipe since you’ll rub it onto the outside of the turkey for extra delicious flavor.
- Dry rubbed sage: This goes into the seasoned butter mixture to give the turkey breast so much flavor.
- Turkey or chicken stock or broth: The liquid that goes into the bottom of the slow cooker to help it cook evenly and keep it moist.
- Cornstarch: We add a little bit of cornstarch to help thicken the stock and the turkey drippings into a delicious gravy.
- Plate Garnishes: We love to decorate the serving platter for a holiday table with fresh herbs, cranberries, stuffing, or orange slices
Tools You’ll Need
How to make Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels.
- Lay the breast skin side down on a cutting board. Season the meat side with 2 tablespoons of the turkey rub
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining turkey rub with the butter and sage until well combined.
- Loosen the skin on the turkey breast without detaching it. Stuff half of the seasoned butter between the skin and meat, spreading as evenly as possible.
- Spread the remaining seasoned butter on top of the skin.
- Pour turkey or chicken stock or broth in the slow cooker.
- Transfer the turkey breast to the slow cooker, skin side up. Sprinkle more seasoning on top if desired.
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours. Use the meat thermometer ensure a temperature of 160°F – 162°F. It will raise to the recommended 165℉ as it rests. Add additional time if needed.
- Once cooked, transfer the turkey breast from the slow cooker to a cutting board and rest 10-20 minutes (while you make the gravy).
- Skim the remaining liquids in the crockpot of any solids and discard. Separate and discard the fat if desired.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water or broth. Add the mixture to a medium skillet or saucepan along with the strained juices from the crockpot over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower to simmer until thickened to your desired texture. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
- Slice the turkey breast in 1/2-inch slices, then place on a serving plate.
- Garnish the plate as desired and serve the gravy on the side.
Expert Tips
- Make sure you thaw the turkey breast completely before cooking. If you buy it frozen, just like a regular turkey you want to thaw it in the fridge for up to 3 days to make for even cooking in the crock pot.
- Carefully loosen the skin with your fingers. You don’t want to poke a hole in the skin. We spread the softened butter mixture underneath the skin to add both rich flavor and moisture to the meat while it cooks.
- Cook the turkey on low for 3 to 4 hours and avoid overcooking. Use a meat thermometer to help you know when it’s finished cooking. Once the thermometer reaches 160ºF, you can remove the turkey breast. It will raise to 165ºF as it rests.
- Let the turkey breast rest for 10-20 minutes before slicing. This is key to any great turkey. It allows the juices to settle for moist and juicy meat when you slice and enjoy.
- If you want crispy skin, you can broil the breast. Keep a careful eye, you will only need to put the turkey breast under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Homemade Poultry Seasoning alternative. 2¾ Tbsp sea salt, 1 Tbsp granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp garlic, 1 Tbsp onion, 1¼ tsp lemon juice, ¾ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp chili pepper, ½ tsp natural butter flavor, ⅓ tsp ground black pepper
What to serve with boneless turkey breast in a slow cooker
There are so many delicious side dish options when it comes to serving turkey breast. Here are some favorites we always add to our holiday table:
- Pineapple Casserole Recipe
- Brown Sugar Baked Carrots
- Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes
- Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- Crockpot Cornbread Pudding
- Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
storage
Store any leftover boneless turkey breast in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of chicken stock or gravy in the microwave or the oven until warmed through.
You can freeze cooked turkey breast as well for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat.
If you want to prep the turkey breast in the slow cooker in advance, no problem. Up to a day beforehand, rub the turkey breast with the seasoned butter and keep it covered on a baking sheet in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, but it will take a longer time to cook in the slow cooker and we find the meat can often get tough.
You can but we can’t promise they will be delicious once the turkey is done cooking. They will help to flavor the broth to make an even more delicious stock and gravy.
No, you want to only partly cover it and the slow cooker will do the rest. Completely covering it will make the skin soggy.
Skin-side up is key to keep the skin from becoming too wet in texture.
More Easy turkey recipes
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast (boneless)
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds boneless turkey breast
- 1/4 cup turkey rub (see note) divided
- 1/2 cup salted butter room temperature
- 1 tablespoon dry rubbed sage
- 1 1/2 cups turkey or chicken broth or stock
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Plate Garnishes: fresh herbs, cranberries, or orange slices
Instructions
- Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels.
- Lay the breast skin side down on a cutting board. Season the meat side with 2 tablespoons of the turkey rub
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining turkey rub with the butter and sage until well combined.
- Loosen the skin on the turkey breast without detaching it. Stuff half of the seasoned butter between the skin and meat, spreading as evenly as possible.
- Spread the remaining seasoned butter on top of the skin.
- Pour turkey or chicken stock or broth in the slow cooker.
- Transfer the turkey breast to the slow cooker, skin side up. Sprinkle more seasoning on top if desired.
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours. Use the meat thermometer ensure a temperature of 160°F – 162°F. It will raise to the recommended 165℉ as it rests. Add additional cook time if needed.
- Once cooked, transfer the turkey breast from the slow cooker to a cutting board and rest 10-20 minutes (while you make the gravy).
- Skim the remaining liquids in the crockpot of any solids and discard. Separate and discard the fat if desired.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water or broth. Add the mixture to a medium skillet or saucepan along with the strained juices from the crockpot on medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower to simmer until thickened to your desired texture. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
- Slice the turkey breast in 1/2-inch slices, then place on a serving plate. Garnish the plate as desired and serve the gravy on the side.
Video
Notes
- Make sure you thaw the turkey breast completely before cooking. If you buy it frozen, just like a regular turkey you want to thaw it in the fridge for up to 3 days to make for even cooking in the crock pot.
- Carefully loosen the skin with your fingers. You don’t want to poke a hole in the skin. We spread the softened butter mixture underneath the skin to add both rich flavor and moisture to the meat while it cooks.
- Cook the turkey on low for 3-4 hours and avoid overcooking. You’ll want to use a meat thermometer to help you know when it’s finished cooking. Once the thermometer reaches 165ºF you can remove the turkey breast.
- Let the turkey breast rest for 10-20 minutes before slicing. This is key to any great turkey. It allows the juices to settle for moist and juicy meat when you slice and enjoy.
- If you want crispy skin, you can broil the breast. Keep a careful eye, you will only need to put the turkey breast under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Homemade Poultry Seasoning alternative. 2¾ Tbsp sea salt, 1 Tbsp granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp garlic, 1 Tbsp onion, 1¼ tsp lemon juice, ¾ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp chili pepper, ½ tsp natural butter flavor, ⅓ tsp ground black pepper
Nutrition
About Laura
Taught by some of the best, cooking and entertaining has always been my favorite hobby. Food is my love language! The conception of Dinner in 321 came from my family talks that sharing our dinners would help others learn new skills, tasty recipes, and make cooking fun! Read more…
