Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: All the flavors just meld together and are all intensified by the rich gravy.
Texture: Tender, juicy, and moist.
Ease: The easiest way to prepare a Thanksgiving turkey.
Pros: Doesn’t take up valuable oven space on Thanksgiving, and is SO juicy and tender. Plus, it’s perfect for serving a smaller group, so it’s ideal for Friendsgiving celebrations.
Cons: Absolutely none!
Would I make this again? Definitely.
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This Thanksgiving turkey recipe has so many things going for it. Not only is it some of the most tender and moist turkey breast I’ve ever tasted (I’m usually a dark meat girl) but it’s so ridiculously easy to make.
Everything goes right into the slow cooker, so you can move on to the rest of your Thanksgiving recipes. No brining, no marinating, and no basting required for this crockpot turkey breast.
Best of all, no taking up precious space in your oven! That means you don’t have to plan and strategize your side dishes around that slow-roasting bird, taking away a lot of the holiday cooking stress.
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This Slow Cooker Turkey Breast recipe is especially great if you’re cooking for a smaller group, so it’s perfect if you have a smaller crowd for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving.
I LOVE using my slow cooker for recipes like this because I can use the thermometer probe and program the slow cooker to automatically turn to the “warm” mode once it reaches the internal temperature of 160°F. No babysitting, and no worrying about overcooking.
Every slow cooker heats differently, and the size of your turkey will also impact the time it takes to cook, so keep this in mind as you program your crockpot. Err on the side of caution and start with a shorter cook time, because you can always remove the lid and stick an instant-read thermometer inside the meat to test for doneness. If the meat thermometer shows it’s not done yet, simply keep cooking.
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Ingredients for Crock Pot Turkey:
- Onion
- Bone-in turkey breast with skin
- Low-sodium chicken broth
- Bay leaves
- Seasonings: salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried sage, and black pepper
- Plus cornstarch, to help thicken the delicious and easy turkey gravy!
Tips for a Juicy, Tender Turkey Breast:
- I always take poultry out of the slow cooker or oven once it reaches 160°F because the temperature will continue to rise as it rests. This helps ensure juicy and tender turkey breast.
- Cook the turkey breast side down and rest it breast side down, so all the juices accumulate in the breast meat.
What to Serve with Thanksgiving Turkey:
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Soft Pretzel Stuffing
- Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Ultimate Macaroni & Cheese
How Can I Use Up Leftover Turkey Breast?
These recipes make great use of any leftovers:
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
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Ingredients
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 1 (5 to 7 pound) bone-in whole turkey breast with skin
- 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for the gravy
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon dried sage
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place the onion, turkey breast (breast side down), broth, and bay leaves in a 6-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, and sage.
- Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Carefully transfer the turkey to a carving board and loosely tent with foil while preparing the gravy.
- Strain the liquid in the slow cooker into a saucepan. Let it settle for five minutes then skim the fat from the surface. Bring the gravy to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into the gravy. Simmer for another 2 minutes, stirring, until thickened completely. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Remove the skin and discard before carving the turkey into slices. Serve alongside warm gravy.
Recipe Notes
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This post was recently updated with new photos by Patty Kraikittikun-Phuong.
Well it’s in the crockpot now but I bought too big of a turkey breast (8+lbs) and I almost couldn’t fit it in. I had to put it on its side. (omg) Hopefully after it cooks awhile I can move it breast side down. Idk. This will be an interesting thanksgiving. Lol Anyone else have this issue?
I made this recipe last year and I am doing it again this year. It was delicious, juicy and tender, everybody loved it and so easy to make. Turkey breast is perfect for small families like mine.
I have always made a large whole turkey in the oven, but we usually only eat mostly the white meat, and a good bit of the dark meat ends up getting thrown out. About 4-5 years ago I came across this recipe and decided to try it. BEST DECISION EVER! Well, for cooking, anyway…lol. It says to cook it breast side down, and I knew I had a winner because one year I accidently cooked mine in the oven breast side down and it was so much more tender than usual. There always seems to be quite a bit of herbs left after I douse the turkey in it, and I don’t often make homemade dressing, so I make 2 boxes of dressing, but I add the left over herbs I’ve made up for the turkey and OH! MY! GOSH! You have GOT to try it. Whether you make homemade or box, you will have the best stuffing/dressing EVER if you use the herbs from this recipe in it. I also make my tsp or TBS rounded instead of flat, so there’s plenty. Merry Christmas, everyone. Happy Cooking, and thanks SO much for this recipe!! It sure has made my Thanksgiving and Christmas meals so much easier <3
Aw yay! So happy you love this recipe so much, thanks for taking the time to comment with your rave review!
I have a PRO TIP I forgot to mention in my original comment. Before adding the turkey to the crock pot, take some heavy twine/thread/shoelaces and put 2 of them short ways across the crock pot across the sides and to the bottom. Then when your turkey is done, you can get it out much easier by pulling it up by your twine/thread/shoelaces, letting most of the juices drip back into the crock pot to use for the gravy, and you don’t have a big mess on your counter. Silly me forgot to ‘tent’ it while waiting for my rolls to cook so it could have been more tender for left-overs, but when I went to cut it, it was just falling off the bones so I did most of it with my hands. All leftovers were gone in less than 2 days, though 🙂
I will try this recipe this Thanksgiving, I’m only cooking a 5.5 turkey breast in crockpot. I only eat turkey once a year, so i hope it comes out great! Thanks so much…keep you posted.
Excited to hear how your Thanksgiving turkey is, I hope you enjoy! 🙂
The recipe looks amazing! Any thoughts on using turkey thighs and/or drumsticks instead of turkey breast? Our family prefers dark meat over white.
Could you brine the turkey breast before cooking?
I will be trying this recipe this Thanksgiving. My husband is dairy free and has a hard time finding a gravy he likes. And talk about ease, this sounds great. I will post comments and hopefully I’ll remember to take a picture before eating, thanks!
I hope this turkey is a hit at your Thanksgiving! Enjoy! I would LOVE to see your Thanksgiving turkey photos.
Should turkey breast be thawed before going in crockpot? Thank you.
Can I use a skinless, boneless turkey breast?
I have made this recipe several times both with and without bone in breast, so yes, you can use a skinless, boneless turkey breast. I have discovered that I can cook 2 boneless ones at the same time in my crockpot, but can only cook 1 of the bone in. Today, my 2nd bone in that I bought for Christmas is in the crock pot. Happy Cooking.
I’m so excited about this slow cooker option. I’m using a 7lb boneless breast. How long do you suggest as your recipe is a bone-in?
Thanks.