Slow Cooker Turkey Breast – Easy Crockpot Recipe
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This Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is an amazing alternative to roasting a whole bird. It’s perfectly moist, simple and delicious. With this recipe, you can have your favorite Thanksgiving meal any day of the week. And the best part about it is that most of the heavy lifting is done by the slow cooker. It literally takes just 5 minutes to prepare.
If you’re getting ready for Thanksgiving you may want to check this collection of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes or Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipes.
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This recipe was originally posted on September 28, 2014, but I’m bringing it back from the archives by popular demand! In fact, this post is historical….you can even see that the photos have the previous logo of this website.
Making Turkey Breast in a Crockpot is An Easy Alternative to Cooking the Whole Bird
To roast a whole turkey takes a lot of preparation and a lot of babysitting while in the oven, in order to make a beautiful, flavorful and moist bird. But now you can forego the need to slave on this bird in the oven, and have a fantastic thanksgiving dinner by simply making this awesome turkey breast in your crockpot.
The slow cooker is very forgiving, so it is actually difficult to overcook and dry out your meat. It will be soft and will fall off the bones. If however you accidentally overcook it, it still shouldn’t be dry; rather, it’ll be soft so easier to shred then cut. But to avoid overcooking, watch the internal temperature. See the Tips and Tricks section below for all the information on how to cook your turkey breast in a slow cooker so that it comes out perfectly every time.
Concerning the spices for this turkey breast, I decided to go with the fresh thyme and rosemary, and spice rub made out of salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder; but you can actually use whatever spices and flavors you wish. I’m sure it’ll be equally as delicious.
Watch how to Make it and See Details Below
Tips, Tricks & FAQs on how to Make a Perfect Turkey Breast in A Slow Cooker
Over the past five years, I’ve received a number of questions regarding this dish from my readers. So, I figured this would probably be an opportune time to answer these questions and offer some fresh ideas. With Thanksgiving around the corner, many of you may be looking for an alternative bird cook.
How do you Make Turkey Breast in a Slow Cooker
It is really easy to make this turkey breast. Simply placed your turkey breast on a bed of cut-up onions and garlic, season generously with a spice rub, drizzle with olive oil, add herbs and let the slow cooker do the job.
See the printable recipe below for exact instructions.
What Type of Turkey Breast is the Best for Crockpot
I strongly recommend bone-in split turkey breast. Not only is the meat better when cooked on the bone (less prone to drying out), but also your gravy will be more flavourful too. If you have boneless turkey breast you will need to be more mindful of the fact that it will cook faster. So check the temperature often.
If you have a big slow cooker and want to use both breasts, then go for it. As long as you can fit it in, it will cook. It may require more time to cook through, so plan accordingly.
How Much Turkey Breast Should I Consider Per Person?
On average you should count 1 lb of turkey breast per person. If you want to have leftovers then 1.5 to 2lbs per person should be a generous amount.
How Long Does It Take to Cook Turkey In A Slow Cooker?
There is no simple answer to it, just estimates. You’ll need to cook your turkey until it reaches 165F. The time will depend on the size of your slow cooker, the size of your bird, and whether it’s on the bone or boneless.
For this recipe, I used a 3lb split skin-on, bone-in turkey breast. I cooked it first for 1 hour on high and then 3 hours on low. Personally, I like to raise the temperature of my slow cooker first and then give it a time to cook slowly. If your turkey breast is smaller then 3 lbs, start checking the temperature an hour earlier.
Here are some estimates for different sizes of the breast:
- 4-6 lbs turkey breast, cook for 5-6 hours on low;
- 8 lbs, cook for 6-7 hours on low.
If you want to start on high for the first hour, then start measuring the internal temperature at least an hour earlier.
Should the Turkey Breast be Completely Thawed?
Absolutely! This is a must. For safety reasons, you should never put frozen turkey into a crockpot. Frozen turkey could lower the temperature of the pot and expose your bird to dangerous bacteria.
Always remember, when cooking poultry…safety first. Thaw your turkey completely in the fridge. On average every 4 lbs of frozen turkey will need 24 hours thawing time.
How to Tell When the Turkey Breast is Done?
Turkey Breast is done when it reaches 165°F.
What type and size of Slow Cooker is best for this recipe?
The best type for this recipe is an oval slow cooker with at least 6 QT capacity. This recipe is for a split turkey breast on a bone wich weights approximately 3 lb. You may need a bigger slow cooker for a bigger bird.
Is Adding Water or Other Liquid to the Slow Cooker Required to Make this recipe?
It won’t hurt. However keep in mind that onions and garlic, along with turkey itself, produce so much liquid that you won’t even want to use all of this for your gravy. But if you feel uncomfortable going this route, then feel free to add some chicken stock, wine, or water. All will work. You will just end up with a little bit more liquid at the end, but that’s it. The flavors will still be there.
Should the Turkey Breast be Elevated?
Yes! As mentioned above, the turkey will produce a lot of liquid and you don’t really want it to be swimming in it. So place your turkey breast on top of the cut-up veggies (I used onions and garlic, but feel free to add more veggies)
Can I Add Other Vegetables to the Crockpot?
Absolutely! The more veggies you add, the more flavorful your gravy will be. Try adding carrots, celery and parsnip.
Did you rub any of the spices under the skin?
I actually just sprinkled all the spices on the top of the breast. But, I’m pretty sure that rubbing spices under the skin will actually make this turkey even better…so, by all means, do it! Rub it under, and while you’re at it, sprinkle more on top.
How do I Get a Crispy Skin on my Turkey Breast?
Very easy. Just pop it under the broiler for 3-4 minutes once it is done cooking in the crockpot.
Can I Make it Ahead of Time?
I would not recommend it, as the turkey could either dry out if you leave if for too long on a warm setting, or it could become very soft (to the point that you need to shred it instead of slicing it).
What to Serve Turkey Breast With
You can serve this Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with any of your favorite Thanksgiving sides. Here are a couple of my suggestions:
Potatoes:
- Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes with Candied Pecans
- Potatoes and Leek Au Gratin
- Potatoes Boulangere
- Greek Lemon Potatoes
Other Sides:
- Sourdough Mushroom Leek Stuffing
- Balsamic-Glazed Brussels Sprouts
- Cheesy Brussels Sprouts
- Acorn Butternut Squash Gratin
- Best Green Salad
- Greek Green Beans
And if you’re looking for some awesome wine pairings for Thanksgiving, my guide to Italian wines with some selection of cheeses and cured meats should help you with both the wine and an appetizer for the big day,
How to Make Gravy from Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Drippings
The best part of this recipe is that you’ll end up with a lot of liquid which is the perfect base for an amazing gravy. The things that may come as a surprise is the amount of water that this bird produces and the amount of fat on top of that. Make sure to spoon the fat off before you make the gravy.
You’ll need to use a strainer to strain the juices into the saucepan. Then bring the juices to boil. Combine corn starch with milk, season with salt and pepper, and add to the sauce. It will quickly thicken it up. Add lemon juice and check for seasoning. Adjust if needed.
Here are a couple of questions that I received from readers about the gravy:
Can you recommend paleo friendly gravy?
Yes. Just add root vegetables at the bottom (like carrots, parsnip, celery). Once the turkey is cooked, strain the veggies and blend them. They can thicken your gravy.
My gravy came out a little bitter? Could that be lemons?
When I initially published this post I added halved lemons to the slow cooker (that you can still see on the photos). However, some lemon skin can produce a little bitter taste.
So, I’ve updated this recipe to remove the lemons. Once you’re making your gravy, you can add lemon juice at the end to get a little tanginess. This is optional but highly recommended.
You can also use my tutorial on how to make Easy Homemade Gravy.
Here are a few other Turkey recipes that you may like:
- Fall Harvest Roasted Turkey Breast
- Maple Mustard Roasted Turkey
- Leftover Turkey Soup
- Leftover Turkey Sandwich
- Leftover Turkey Spanish Rice
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Ingredients
For the Turkey:
- 3 lbs Split turkey breast on the bone
- 1 Head of garlic
- 1 Onion large, yellow or white
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dry garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
For the gravy:
- 2 cups Turkey drippings from slow cooker if you have less, add turkey or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 1-2 tablespoons Corn starch
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Turkey:
- Cut your garlic head in a half;
- Cut onion into large pieces;
- Add all of the above to the bottom of the slow cooker (6QT);
- Place the turkey breast on top of the garlic, onion;
- Sprinkle the top with the spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika;
- Spoon over Extra Virgin Olive oil on top of the turkey;
- Bundle up the herbs and add to the slow cooker;
- Cover and cook on high for 1 hour and 3 hours on low until internal temperature reaches 165F;
- For extra crispy skin, broil for 3-4 minutes.
For the Gravy:
- Once the turkey is done, you can take it out along with all the veggies and herbs.
- The sauce will contain fat on the top - remove it so the gravy is not too heavy;
- Pour the sauce in a small saucepan;
- Bring it to boil;
- In a cup mix together milk with corn starch;
- Add to sauce and cook until thickened up (See note 1 below);
- Check for seasoning, add salt and pepper if needed;
- Now you can also add lemon juice for some extra flavor (See note 2 below).
Video
Notes
2. Originally I posted this recipe with the lemons added to the crockpot. It happens that the sauce can get a little bitter from the lemons. I guess it depends on the lemons. I suggest to skip the lemon and adjust the tanginess of the gravy at the end with some lemon juice.
Nutrition
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This looks amazing. Question though, how did you get the skin to crisp up like in the photo? Did that happen naturally in the slow cooker or did you place it under a broiler for a few minutes?
Hi Zee, it actually happened naturally. I made it a few times before but it never crisped up like this. This time I literally throw it in the crockpot before I left for work around 8 am for 8 hours. We were not back home before 6PM and did not eat it before 8PM. It was sitting in a crockpot on “Warm” and I think this made the trick. I was a little scared when I saw how crispy it was on the top and thought that meat can be dry, but it was super soft and tender. Also you need to put the breast on top of the onions, garlic etc so it is not swimming in the juices. And add all the dry spices on top before setting it up. I hope it will come up so crispy for you too. Good luck 🙂
About how many pounds was the turkey breast?
Hi Jan, mine was about 3 pounds. I usually buy it in Trader Joe’s and they have them in as size from 2,5 -3 pounds. I hope that helps.
This looks amazing! Did the turkey breast get that brown on the top just from the slow cooker? I’ve never had any luck getting things to brown on the top. Or did you broil it in the oven at the end? I will be sad if my turkey doesn’t turn out as beautifully as this one on Thanksgiving day. 😉
Thanks!
Hi Jordyn, I did not put it under the broiler. Zee on another comment asked me the same question :). I place the turkey breast on top of onion, garlic, lemon etc, so it was not swimming in juices. I put a lot of dry rub on top and I think what made it crisp up is leaving it for another couple of hours on “Warm”. It only happened because I set it up before I left for work around 8 am and we ate it around 8 pm. I made this dish couple of times before but never left it on “Warm” for so long. I think that’s why it got so crisped up. I was actually scared that the meat can be dry but it was super juicy. Good Luck! Depending on your hour of dinner, plan ahead and give yourself couple more hours to just keep this turkey on “Warm”.
I’ve added this to my Thanksgiving menu – thank you! How big was the turkey breast that you used? I was thinking about using a meat thermometer as well, but I want to make sure I time the rest of the meal right for the weight.
Hi Lauren, mine was about 3 pounds. You can use thermometer and double check if it’s cooked. I usually set up mine in the morning and then eat it for dinner, so it stays on warm for a couple of hours. So I have never situation that it was not cooked through.
Thanks for the response! I can’t wait to try this.
Hi,
Not sure if this is a dumb question or not…but when you said to cut the garlic head in half, do both halves go in there and do you leave the garlic skin on? I will be making this for my son and I on Thanksgiving, as it’ll just be the two of us. And I would like to be prepared. I hope mine comes out as wonderful as yours! Sounds so yummy and cannot wait to try it!
Hi Melinda, thanks for checking my recipe. I took whole garlic head with the skin and cut it in the half and put both pieces and the bottom of the crockpot.You will discard the garlic at the end and if you want to make the gravy, the best way is to strain the sauce through cheese clothes.
Hi,
I just sent a comment about the garlic head, if we are to take the skin off of each clove or to leave the entire head together, (skin included), and cut in half. And if we are to put both halves in.
Now my next question is, when you said a large bone in turkey breast, how many pounds did you use? I just bought about 6.5 pounds. Will the crockpot at low for 8 hours, cook the turkey thoroughly? Just wanted to make sure before I cook this the night before thanksgiving. I would hate to cook it and then to find out it is too large to cook in the crockpot, lol! Again, thanks in advance for all your help! Take care and talk to you soon!
Melinda, do you have two breast together? This seems pretty big. Mine was not more than 3 pounds. I usually buy it in Trader’s Joes and their size is between 2,5 -3 pounds. I’m not sure if the big one like yours fit in your crockpot. Why don’t you try to put it in and see of it fits. If it does I would suggest you cook your turkey on high for 4 hours and then check the temperature. It needs to read 165 in the middle of the breast. If it does, then it’s cooked. You can easily leave it on warm for another 2 hours and let it crisp up on the top. I hope it helps.
I thought that maybe the 6.5 pounds may have been too big…I couldn’t tell in your picture how big the one you have cooked. I have a pretty big crockpot and I actually bought the turkey after I sent you the message, but before you responded. So I took your suggestion to see if it will fit in there and it looks like it does, whew! I was nervous there for a minute, haha! I did try to find a smaller one but they were all pretty much two breast. So I got the smallest one I found. Besides, my son is 14, and he eats like a growing boy, so this would be great for leftovers. He is a protein guy 🙂 Now that I found out the turkey can fit…my next question is, do I double the recipe? And I see that you said to put it on low for 8 hours, and this is for the 3 pounder. So your suggestion is for me to cook it on high for 4 hours and then check to see if it is cooked, and then to warm it for additional couple of hours til it crisps. If the temperature does not reach 165 after 4 hours, should I cook it at low or “warm” for additional 4 hours instead of two? I appreciate all of your advices, I’ve just started to use the cockpot and am nervous when it comes to making meat. However, I’ve made 5 crockpot recipes and they came out fabulous, much to my surprise! So was my son 🙂 Thank you for your great advice!!!
Melinda, I would double the ingridients if they fit. These are really just aromatics so if you add more they will make the trurkey and the sauce more flavourful. But if more doesn’t fit in your crockpot, don’t worry, the flavour still be there. Corckpots are really good and I’m sure your bird will come out great. I would suggest cook it for 4 hours on high, then check the temperature and if it doesn’t reach 165 degrees (be care not to touch the bone), leave it on high for another hour and check again. I would be surprised if by now it is not cooked. After that you can leave it at warm. This part is really not necessary as your bird will be fully cooked and very moist. I only say that because it did the trick for me with crisping up the skin on top. Good luck 🙂
Did you rub any of your spics under the skin? Or did you just put on top of the skin? I’m making a small thanksgiving dinner for my husband and I on Wednesday since he is working on the holiday and can’t join our families on thanksgiving. This recipe looks great but some of the recipes I have been looking at rub the spices under the skin and over the skin. I just wondered what you did and if it would be worth rubbing under the skin also? Thanks so much!
I’m very sorry Kristy I didn’t get back to you earlier. I thought I did and now I looked at my comments and I see that I haven’t replied to you. I actually just sprinkled all the spices on the top of the breast. I litteraly prepared it in 5 minutes before leaving for work and did not have time to rub it under the skin. I’m pretty sure that rubbing spices under the skin will make this turkey even better, so by all means do it. Rub it under and sprinkle more on top. I hope it will come out great.
Hi, I want to use this for my thanksgiving turkey. It weighs about 9 lbs. This is my first time cooking a thanksgiving turkey and i’m not sure how much ingredients I have to put in the crock pot. Can you please help me?
Hi Tiffany, my turkey breast was just one and its weight was about 3 pounds. 9 pounds seems a little big for the crockpot. Is this just the breast (double breasts) or the whole bird? I suggest you try to fit it in first before you cook it. But for sure I would double the ingridients.
This recipe looks fantastic and a great way to free up to the oven for the side dishes! Does the meat become so tender that it shreds or are you able to slice it up? Thanks in advance!
Hi Kanishka, the meat does come out very tender so slicing may be actually a challenge.
Just made this for dinner today. It was absolutely delicious! We had a 5lb full turkey breast. I ended up cooking it on high for about 5 hours and 1 1/2 on low. It was very juicy! I did add a little bit of chicken broth to the cooker. You were right the juices made the best gravy! Great great recipe 🙂
Great to hear it Erin. Thanks so much for letting me know that it came out great for you 🙂
you don’t need to add chicken stock or wine or water to the crockpot ??
Whitney, it won’t hurt. I don’t do this because I’ve done this turkey so many times and I know that onions, garlic and lemon along with turkey itself produces so much liquid that you won’t eve want to use all of this for your gravy. But if you feel uncomfortable putting dry slow cooker on, add some chicken stock or wine, or water. It all will work. You will just end up with a little bit more liquid but that’s it. The flavors will still be there. Good luck 🙂
Merry Christmas! Made this today for our Christmas dinner. It came out perfectly. I added carrots and parsnips so I can make soup from the carcass and juices. Thanks for such a super recipe and great instructions.
Amanda, thanks so much for letting me know that it came out perfectly for you. I hope you had wonderful Christmas.
i think that you are cooking a half turkey breast, like you would a half of the chicken breast. Turkey breasts are usually sold whole. Also you said you cooked yours on warm, was this the entire time.
Hi Jennifer. You’re right it was a half breast but that’s the only type I have ever found. I didn’t even know that you can buy whole turkey breast. Anyways, I cooked it on low for 8 hours and then left it on warm as we were still at work when the turkey was cooking.
Making this for the second time tomorrow! Such a great, easy recipe!
Hey Criss! I’m so glad you found my recipe and you like it. It really made my day 🙂
I made this yesterday and the smells all day in the house were amazing and the turkey came out so tender. The gravy, however, had some bitter undertones. I tried to offset it by adding some brown sugar and salt but I couldn’t remedy it. I wonder if the bitterness came from the lemon rinds? Has this ever happened to you?
Hey Sue, it actually did happened to me once. I guess it depends on the lemons. For the next time, do not put any lemons and once your turkey is done and you think that your gravy could use some tang, add some lemon juice at the end. Thanks for letting me know!
Hi! Coming from a college student who’s spending thanksgiving by herself and whose never cooked a turkey before, I’m really excited to try out this recipe!
Hi Emily, I hope it will work out well for you! Happy Thanksgiving.
Hi there! I just came across this on pinterest and I am in love. I’m going to attempt this for Thanksgiving this week – however, I had a question. Have you tried adding carrots under the turkey breast as well? I wanted to make a veggie of some sort and I was wondering if this would be possible.
Thank you!
Hi Alexis, I’m sure that the more the veggies you add the more flavorful your gravy will be. Be careful with lemons though. It came out bitter for me few times, so I am skipping lemons now. You can always squeeze some fresh lemon juice when making gravy to get a little tang. I’m not sure if carrots cooked for 8 hours will be good or if they are going to turn out to be too soft for a side dish. You may try and if they turns out to be too soft, just use them for the gravy and cook some extra carrots for the side dish. I hope this helps 🙂
Hi! I just got back from the store with all the ingredients to try this turkey recipe tomorrow. I just realized I got a rolled, boneless turkey breast. Do you think it will turn out the same? How would you adjust cooking time? I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks,
Karen
Hi Karen, I think you should be fine without the bone. Keep in mind that your meat will be very soft and falling apart. Slow cooker gives the meat a lot of moisture. I think it’s delicious, but I guess it’s the matter of taste. You can try the temperature of the meat after 6-7 hours on low or 2,5 – 3 hours on hight. Remember that the inside temperature should be 165 F. It may happen that your meat will be done earlier. Also I would skip the lemons, as the sauce turned out a little bitter few times for me. I think it probably depends on lemons, but to be on a safe side, skip the lemons and adjust seasoning when making the gravy. Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving!
hi edytha
loved the recipe, used a 9 lb turkey breast and didnt have any lemons so i used oranges -put the dry spices on the turkey with olive oil as per your recipe and the veggies under the turkey left it on warm overnight 11pm to 8 am-very tender and delicious thanks for sharing
Thanks Suzy! I’m so happy it came out good for you 🙂
Hi, Edyta. I really want to try this slow cooker turkey for the Christmas holiday; but what size slow cooker do you own? Mine is three-and-a-half quarts … too small! But maybe it is time for me to upgrade (and I can still use my older cooker for side dishes!) If you are able to edit this page, you might want to mention the size of your slow cooker, for the sake of us old-timers who may only own of those cookers that are too small.
I use the big one. I think mine will be 6.5 Qt. But if your meat fits the smaller one, that’s fine.
I cannot believe I have not rated this recipe yet! It is delicious. The only thing i do differently is add stir fry veggies in the last 5 minutes or so of cooking. We love this!!!! Thanks, LinMarie
Hey LinMarie, I think it’s a really good idea to add stir fry veggies. Thanks for trying and improving my dish 🙂
This is by far the best turkey I’ve ever eaten. So moist and delicious. I did bake in the oven since it wouldn’t fit in my crock pot, but the flavors were spectacular. Will do this from now on!!
Thanks Margie
I enjoy this recipe for the turkey but I have learned not to add the lemons. They really do ruin the gravy.
Lemons can be tart. It’s better to keep them off. Thanks Dee
Can u recommend a paleo friendly way to make the gravy (dairy-free and no corn starch)?
Hi Theresa, the best way to make paleo friendly gravy is to use root vegetables. Place carrots, parsnip, celery, potato and onion at the bottom of the slow cooker. Skip the lemon. Once your turkey is cooked you can puree your vegetables to make gravy. I hope it helps.
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Hi! I have an odd question. I really love your recipe and I have made it last year in the slow cooker. I was wanting to do it in the oven this year, as I have the perfect pan with a rack for a turkey that I wanted to use. I was wondering if you could tell me how to adapt this for the oven?
Hi Madison, thanks for using my recipe. I have not made this turkey breast in the oven, but I will look into it and adjust the recipe for you. Please send me a message through my Contact page and I will reply to your email.