Simplify Thanksgiving with this Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy recipe. Make a delicious and juicy turkey breast in your crockpot with simple ingredients and less work than a traditional full turkey.
Hands-off
Minimal prep
You’ll Learn: How to keep turkey breast juicy with easy compound butter and veggie layering
Worth It: It’s juicy, foolproof, and you don’t have to babysit the oven
Bonus: Easy leftovers for sandwiches or soups
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Less Hands on Cooking – Prep the veggies and the compound butter, place this turkey breast in the slow cooker and wait for it to be done. No need to baste or babysit your oven all day.
- Juicy Turkey Every Time – It is easy to overcook a turkey in the oven because of inaccurate temperatures and hot spots. The crock pot method cooks it slowly and evenly so that it is juicy all the way through the breast.
- Perfect for Small Groups – Smaller groups don’t need a whole turkey. The smallest one at my store was 11 pounds! This is the perfect size for 3-4 people.
- Easy to Customize – Change up this turkey breast recipe to fit your preferences. Add extra garlic, pepper or even smoked paprika for a little spice. Simmer extra herbs into the gravy. You can even use a plant based butter to make this recipe dairy free.
How Many People Will This Feed?
This recipe is for three lb of turkey breast which will feed 4 people. Three pounds is the perfect size to fit inside of a standard slow cooker or crockpot.
If you are having a bigger group, you may want to make this slow cooker turkey breast recipe in addition to a full turkey especially if your group likes breast meat better than dark meat.
If you are having a small Thanksgiving or friendsgiving with three to four people, then this turkey recipe is the perfect size.
Serving Suggestions
This crockpot turkey breast can be the center of your Thanksgiving meal or just one small part of it. Whether it is the main protein or just one of many, you will want to serve it with all of the traditional Thanksgiving sides.
I love the flavor of this Italian sausage stuffing with the traditional turkey. Creamed corn is another side dish that tastes fantastic alongside turkey breast. Pair it with any of your holiday favorites, like green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, or mashed potatoes.
You can also serve this turkey as a comforting weeknight dinner in the winter. For an easy and healthy meal I like to serve it with this green beans almondine recipe. Apple cranberry sauce is also a great side to serve with it!
Is It Safe To Cook Turkey In A Slow Cooker?
Yes! It is completely safe to cook a turkey breast in a slow cooker. Make sure that it is fully thawed before you place it in the slow cooker.
Then, make sure the the internal temperature of the turkey breast reaches 165 degrees fahrenheit. That way you know the turkey meat is fully cooked through.
Never lock the lid of the slow cooker unless it is turned off and you are transporting the food somewhere. Never leave the slow cooker on overnight.
Ingredients
- 3lb bone in, skin on split turkey breast – cook times may vary depending on the size of your bone-in turkey breast
- Yellow onion, carrot, celery – this trio gives the classic flavors to your turkey breast
- Turkey stock – use turkey stock if possible, but if needed, feel free to use chicken broth instead
- Butter – soften the butter so you can combine it with your spices and easily spread it on your turkey
- Salt and pepper – salt and pepper season the meat and the salt will also help make it a tender turkey breast
- Garlic – mince up some garlic to add to your butter mixture
- Dried sage, rosemary and thyme – this combination of fresh herbs gives you the classic Thanksgiving flavors
- Flour – the flour will help thicken your gravy for the perfect consistency
Ingredient Substitutions
I found my split turkey breasts at Trader Joe’s. The ones I like to use are bone in, skin on split breasts. The brand Empire Kosher is available in my area. If you can only find a full skin-on turkey breast, ask the butcher to split it into two so that you can fit it into your crockpot. You may need to thaw the turkey before it can be split into two separate breasts.
I love using the onion, carrot and celery for the best flavor, but you could also shorten your prep time by using a tablespoon of onion powder or even onion soup mix. Instead of garlic, you could use a teaspoon or two of garlic powder instead.
Do I need to Brine turkey Breast?
You don’t have to, but make this slow cooker turkey even juicier by dry brining it overnight before cooking. Pat it dry and coat the turkey breast on all sides in kosher salt and place in your fridge overnight.
Then, remove from the fridge the next and pay dry again before continuing with this recipe. The salt will soak into the meat to preserve the juices as it cooks.
how To Make A Slow Cooker Turkey Breast With Gravy
Step 1: Prepare the veggies and turkey breast
To begin, grease a crockpot or slow cooker with oil to ease clean up. Then, add diced onion, diced carrots, and diced celery to the slow cooker with the turkey stock ands tir gently.
Then, in a small bowl, whisk softened butter with minced garlic, salt, pepper, dried thyme, sage, and rosemary.
Rub the butter mixture all over the top and bottom or the turkey breast and under the skin of the turkey.
If you’re having trouble, it helps to rub the bottom with the butter mixture, place it in the slow cooker, and then, rub the butter on the top with the breast in the slow cooker.
Step 2: Slow cook the turkey breast for 5 hours
Next, place the top on the slow cooker and set to high heat for 1 hour. Then, reduce the heat to low and cook for an additional 4 hours.
You are looking for an internal temperature of 165F so you may need to cook it on low for longer or shorter than 4 hours, use a meat thermometer to check this.
Once the internal temp reaches 165F, turn the slow cooker off and remove the turkey breast.
To crisp the skin of the turkey breast, set your oven to broil and place the cooked turkey breast on a lined baking sheet. Broil for just 2-3 minutes to crisp the skin and set aside as you prepare the gravy.
Step 3: Prepare the turkey gravy and carve the turkey breast
Then, pour the rest of the ingredients from the slow cooker over a strainer to separate the veggies from the liquids. You should have about 2 cups of drippings for the gravy.
Next, melt 4 tbsp of butter in a pan over medium heat. Once the butter is all melted add the flour to the pan and stir to combine.
Then, slowly pour in small amounts of the juices stirring constantly to form a smooth gravy. Once the juices are all added to the pan, cook for an additional 2 minutes stirring constantly then turn off the heat.
Finally, slice the turkey breast off the bone and serve with the gravy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cook this on high?
Yes! To make your crockpot turkey breast a little faster, you can set the slow cooker to high heat for the whole time. On high it will take between 2 and a half and 3 hours for the turkey breast to come to the proper internal temperature.
Can I use a boneless turkey breast?
Yes, you can use a boneless turkey breast, but it will cook faster and you will have a less flavorful gravy. A boneless turkey breast will be done on low in 3-4 hours – no need to cook on high for the first hour.
Can I make this ahead of time?
This recipe is best made and served immediately. You can prep the veggies and compound butter the day before and just assemble the day you want to eat it.
storage and reheating
Once prepared, slice the turkey breast and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Store the gravy and turkey separately. Reheat in slices in a skillet over low heat until just warmed through. You can also use leftover turkey to make this turkey noodle soup.
Check out these other delicious Thanksgiving recipes!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
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Recipe
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy
Ingredients
Turkey Ingredients
- 3 lb bone in skin on split turkey breast (I like Empire Kosher brand)
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup turkey stock or chicken stock
- 4 tbsp softened butter
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried sage
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
Gravy Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup flour Use cassava flour if grain free
Instructions
- Grease a crockpot or slow cooker with oil to ease clean up
- Add diced onion, diced carrots, and diced celery to the slow cooker with the turkey stock and stir gently
- In a small mixing bowl combine softened butter with minced garlic, salt, pepper, dried thyme, sage, and rosemary
- Rub the butter mixture all over the top and bottom or the turkey breast and under the skin of the turkey
- If you’re having trouble it helps to rub the bottom with the butter mixture, place it in the slow cooker and then rub butter on the top with the breast in the slow cooker
- Close the top of the slow cooker and set to high heat for 1 hour
- Reduce the heat to low and cook for an additional 4 hours – you are looking for an internal temperature of 160 – 165F so you may need to cook it on low for longer or shorter than 4 hours, use a meat thermometer to check this
- Once the internal temp reaches at least 165F turn the slow cooker off and remove the turkey breast
- To crisp the skin of the turkey breast, set your oven to broil and place the cooked turkey breast on a lined baking sheet. Broil for just 2-3 minutes to crisp the skin and set aside as you prepare the gravy.
- Pour the rest of the ingredients from the slow cooker over a strainer to separate the veggies from the juices – you should have about 2 cups of juices for the gravy
- Heat 4 tbsp of butter in a pan over medium heat
- Once the butter is all melted add the flour to the pan and stir to combine
- Slowly pour in small amounts of the juices stirring constantly to form a smooth gravy
- Once the juices are all added to the pan, cook for an additional 2 minutes stirring constantly then turn off the heat. Taste the gravy and season with salt and pepper as needed. If you would like a thinner gravy, pour in more turkey stock from the carton and continue cooking.
- Slice the turkey breast off the bone and serve with the gravy
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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