We have the absolute best Slow Cooker Turkey Breast recipe that is perfect for a smaller crowd on Thanksgiving Day! Just let it cook low and slow while you prepare all the other traditional side dish recipes. This juicy turkey breast will definitely impress your whole family and turn those flavorful juices into the best turkey gravy!
Easy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Unless you are new around here, you know we definitely know how to serve a delicious Thanksgiving dinner! We have made a juicy roasted turkey breast, grilled turkey breast, and smoked turkey breast, but this crock pot turkey breast is definitely a game changer. It only takes minutes to get it in the slow cooker and then you can just set-it-and-forget-it! Plus, you don’t have to worry about it taking up oven space, win-win! It is perfect for your next small gathering at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other special occasion.
This holiday season, if you find yourself wondering the size of turkey you need, you definitely need to check out our post on how much turkey breast per person to plan!
What You Will Need
- turkey breast – make sure the turkey breast is fully thawed before cooking, otherwise the cook time will be considerably longer.
- butter – every traditional turkey needs lots of butter spread on the outside to add flavor and roast to a golden brown.
- fresh garlic – everything is always better with garlic. In this recipe card, we have some in the bottom of the slow cooker, plus mixed into the herby butter!
- fresh herbs – most grocery stores offer a little bit of each fresh herb needed all together in one pack. Again, chop some to mix in the with the butter and toss some in the slow cooker.
- kosher salt & black pepper – always a must when cooking any type of meat.
- yellow onion – perfect for elevating the turkey breast off the bottom of the slow cooker and adding so much flavor!
- chicken stock & white wine – a flavorful combination that brings all the moisture to this cooking process.
- olive oil – optional to rub on the outside of the turkey breast, if you want to broil briefly.
How To Cook A Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
The first steps to preparing this easy recipe are to place the soft butter, chopped herbs, and garlic in a small bowl and mix to combine.
Once the turkey breast is fully thawed and sits out at room temperature for about 1 hour, you can pat it dry with clean paper towels.
Then rub that butter mixture in all the nooks and crannies of the turkey breast.
Next, place the sliced onion, smashed garlic, and fresh herb sprigs in the slow cooker along with the chicken broth and white wine.
Now place the prepared turkey breast in the crock pot and cover.
Let it all cook on the high setting for 3-4 hours or the low setting for 5-6 hours. Check the internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat and once it reaches 165 degrees F it is done.
If you prefer a crispy turkey skin, you can move it to a rimmed baking sheet or baking dish, and place it under the broiler for just a few minutes. Otherwise, just let it rest for 10-20 minutes before carving and serving.
Best Way To Serve A Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
We are big fans of turkey for Thanksgiving so this tender turkey breast is typically the highlight of our holiday table! Served up with mashed potatoes, traditional stuffing, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, and don’t forget that delicious gravy to pour over everything. And if you still need more ideas for holiday side dishes, we have a complete list of 45+ Thanksgiving Side Dishes!
Recipe FAQ
We used a bone-in turkey breast for these photos because we love the added flavor that comes with a bone-in option, but you can easily use a boneless turkey breast too! Just try to find one that still has the skin on because it really helps to keep the moisture in and so juicy!
In this slow cooker turkey breast recipe we kept is simple with an herbed butter, salt, and pepper, but you can also use a turkey seasoning, turkey marinade, or turkey brine.
Typically, when it comes to slow cooking anything we recommend using the low setting. That low and slow heat usually provides the best results, but if you are short on time, the high setting will get the job done.
If you choose the high setting, it will only take about 3-4 hours. And on the low setting it will take 5-6 hours. Just be keep that meat thermometer handy to check the internal temp.
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Other Turkey Recipes You Might Like
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Thanksgiving
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Description
A step by step tutorial on how to make a tender and juicy crock pot turkey breast. Perfect for a small Thanksgiving gathering!
Ingredients
- 6–7 pound turkey breast
- 3–4 tablespoons butter, room temp
- 2–3 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1–2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
- 1 sweet yellow onion, sliced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2–3 sprigs fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage)
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Thaw Turkey: ensure your turkey breast is fully thawed and then let it sit out at room temperature for an hour or so before cooking. Pat dry with a clean paper towel.
- Garlic Herb Butter: in a small bowl combine the butter, garlic and chopped herbs.
- Prep Turkey: Pat turkey breast dry with a clean paper towel. Rub Garlic Herb Butter all over and season with kosher salt and ground black pepper.
- Prep Slow Cooker: Place sliced onion at the bottom of the slow cooker along with the chicken broth, white wine, smashed garlic, and herb sprigs.
- Cook Turkey: Place prepared turkey in the slow cooker and cover. Let cook on HIGH 3-4 hours or on LOW for 5-6 hours – or until fully cooked. Turkey is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature (at its thickest part) of 165 degrees F.
- Broil Turkey (optional): If you want a more crispy skin on your turkey breast (doesn’t everyone!) then remove your turkey breast from the slow cooker when it reaches an internal temperature of approx. 160 degrees. Preheat your broiler. Transfer your turkey breast to a baking dish and brush with a little olive oil. Place under the broiler (carefully watch) until the outside starts to brown and crisp up. If parts of the bird start to get more crispy than others, you can always try and place a small piece of foil over the brown parts and return to the broiler until the rest browns.
- Serve: Remove from oven and let rest 10-20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
- Gravy: Don’t forget to use the juices from the slow cooker to make some Homemade Turkey Gravy!
Notes
- Slow Cooker: you will need to use a larger slow cooker for this recipe.
- Total Cook Time: every slow cooker is different and there are a variety of factors that may impact your total cook time – the only way to truly track your turkey cook time is to use an instant-read thermometer or probe.
- Cook Time Listed: cook time listed in the recipe card is for the high end of the slow cooker time on HIGH.
- Storage: store cooked leftover turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Serving: serve with some Easy Green Bean Casserole, Orange Cranberry Sauce, Wild Rice Stuffing and some Easy Pumpkin Pie!
- Leftovers: got leftovers – try our Turkey Pot Pie with Biscuits!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6oz
- Calories: 298
- Sugar: 0.8 g
- Sodium: 439.1 mg
- Fat: 6.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.2 g
- Protein: 54.3 g
- Cholesterol: 138 mg
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