This Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Recipe makes the juiciest boneless turkey breast with the most flavorful gravy. It’s a foolproof recipe and is so easy to make!
A slow cooker is the perfect way to cook a smaller turkey dinner – perfect for weeknight dinners or to cook a turkey for a small crowd. (It easily serves 2-4 people with leftovers!)
I love this recipe because the turkey slow cooks with a lid on, so it comes out so tender and juicy – and it requires hardly any effort. The best part is, the juices drip down onto the onions and make such a delicious gravy!
And by a fun surprise, this recipe is also gluten-free! (It can even be made Paleo and Whole30 compatible if you use ghee instead of butter.)
Table of Contents
- Slow Cooker Boneless Turkey Breast Ingredients
- How to Cook Turkey Breast in a Crockpot
- Let the Turkey REST!
- Make Gravy from the Drippings
- Want Crispy Skin?
- Bone-In Turkey Breast in the Slow Cooker
- How to Store Leftover Turkey
- Leftover Turkey Recipes
- Recipe Tips
- Slow Cooker Boneless Turkey Breast Recipe
- What to Serve with It
Slow Cooker Boneless Turkey Breast Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for the best turkey breast recipe. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- 3-5 Pound Boneless Turkey Breast
- Broth – Chicken Broth or Turkey Broth (I like to make stock from the bones from a turkey carcass and freeze or pressure can it for use later in the year.)
- Butter, softened
- Onion
Turkey Breast Rub
- Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Dried Oregano, Dried Thyme, Dried Sage, and Paprika. (You can also use fresh herbs if you have them.)
You will also need a 6 quart crockpot and an instant read meat thermometer.
How to Cook Turkey Breast in a Crockpot
- First, defrost the turkey for a day or two in the refrigerator. Be sure to use a fully THAWED turkey breast. (The crock pot doesn’t heat up fast enough to cook frozen meat – though some people say it does… I don’t mess with food poisoning.) Here’s how to safely thaw a turkey.
- Once defrosted, remove the turkey breast from the packaging and netting and dispose of the gravy that comes with it, because the one we are going to make is going to be so much better. For ease here, I like to place the turkey on a paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet. It will cook faster if the pieces are small, so it’s okay if you actually end up with a few smaller pieces of turkey once the netting comes off.
- Then, dry the turkey by gently patting it with paper towels. The butter and seasoning will stick better once the turkey is dry.
- Next, mix up the butter spread – the softened butter with herbs and salt.
- Coat the turkey breast with the softened butter mixture, then line the bottom of the crockpot with sliced onions. Pour 1 cup of turkey stock or chicken broth over the onions.
- Place the seasoned turkey breast on top of the onions. (Pictures 1-2)
- Cover the crockpot and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours. Once the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165°F, though it will likely reach more than that – remove the turkey and set it to the side to rest. (Check the thickest piece.) (Pictures 3-5)
Let the Turkey REST!
Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes before slicing it. This will ensure that you have perfectly juicy meat. Be sure to cover it with a tent of aluminum foil to keep the turkey warm.
Seriously. This is the SECRET to juicy turkey!
While the turkey rests, you can make a delicious gravy!
Make Gravy from the Drippings
While you can get really fancy and strain the gravy, add flour, all that fun stuff – it’s so much easier than that.
I just blend the onions with the turkey drippings, transfer the liquid to a small saucepan, bring it to a simmer, and cook it down for about 10 minutes until it thickens. That’s it!
Give the gravy a taste to adjust the salt and pepper, but it likely won’t need any more seasoning.
Spoon the gravy over the turkey and enjoy!
I learned how to make yummy gravy like this from Michelle at Nom Nom Paleo – her Instant Pot Chicken and Onion Gravy is fabulous.
Want Crispy Skin?
If your turkey has skin, hold off on spooning the gravy over the turkey until you serve it or the skin will get soggy.
Instead, place the pieces with skin under the broiler for a few minutes until the skin gets a little crispy – right before serving it. Don’t overdo it though, or the turkey will dry out.
Bone-In Turkey Breast in the Slow Cooker
You CAN cook a bone-in turkey breast in a crockpot.
It will take a little longer to cook a whole turkey breast on the bone (boneless is usually smaller pieces so it cooks faster) – but otherwise, you should be able to follow this recipe.
Cook a bone-in turkey breast in the slow cooker on LOW for 6 hours, then check the temperature closest to the bone to make sure it’s 165° F. If needed, you can also add another half batch of the butter and turkey rub mixture if the turkey breast is really big.
Save the bone for later to make turkey stock or a pot of soup!
Pin this to save it for later!
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Recipe Tips
- Be sure to dry the turkey with paper towels. Don’t rinse it though, just dry it to help the butter mixture stick!
- Use a thawed turkey. If your turkey is frozen, follow this guide to thaw it quickly.
- Get the rub everywhere. Make sure to get the rub in every crevice of the turkey – even under and on top of the skin.
- You might not need the full 4 hours of cook time. You might not even need 3 hours. Newer slow cookers get so hot – kind of a bummer! So keep an eye on the turkey as you are mulling about the kitchen. Since turkey meat can get dry if it’s overcooked, I would recommend just taking a look at it after two hours, and just see how things look. It probably won’t be cooked yet, but around 3 hours, you can take the temperature! It should be 165°F.
Have You Tried This Recipe?
Please rate it and leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you think!
Slow Cooker Boneless Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 3-5 lb. boneless turkey breast
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 large yellow onion cut into roughly ½ inch slices
- 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons kosher salt *
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage or a scant teaspoon of fresh sage
- 1 cup turkey stock or chicken broth
Instructions
- Defrost the turkey for a day or two in the refrigerator.
- Remove the thawed turkey breast from the packaging and netting and dispose of the gravy that comes with it. Place the turkey on a paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet.
- Dry the turkey by gently patting it with paper towels. The butter and seasoning will stick better once the turkey is dry.
- In a small bowl, mix together the butter and turkey rub.
- Coat the turkey breast with the softened butter mixture.
- Then line the bottom of the crockpot with sliced onions.
- Pour 1 cup of turkey stock or chicken broth over the onions.
- Place the seasoned turkey breast on top of the onions.
- Place the turkey breast on top of the onions, then cover and cook on Low for 3-4 hours.
- Once the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165°F, remove the turkey and set it to the side to rest (20 minutes) with foil tented over the top to keep warm. (Check the thickest piece.)
Make Turkey Gravy from the Drippings
- Blend the onions with the turkey drippings using an immersion blender.
- Transfer the liquid to a small saucepan, then bring it to a simmer, and cook it down for about 10 minutes until it thickens. Taste to adjust the salt and pepper, then serve!
To Make Crispy Skin
- If your turkey has skin, hold off on spooning the gravy over the turkey until you serve it – place the pieces with skin under the broiler for a few minutes until the skin gets a little crispy – right before serving it. Don't overdo it though, or the turkey will dry out.
- Then, spoon the gravy over the turkey and enjoy! (Or just serve the gravy on the side!)
Notes
Special Equipment Needeed
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.
What to Serve with It
I serve this with my usual Thanksgiving sides:
