Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy

Simplify your friendsgiving or 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.

It doesn’t have to be stressful to make your Thanksgiving turkey

When I made my first full Thanksgiving dinner I was SO nervous to make the turkey. It is BIG and takes days to thaw out AND its so easy to over cook and dry out.

No one wants a dry thanksgiving turkey, but don’t worry. You can use this slow cooker turkey breast with gravy recipe to make the juiciest and most delicious turkey without the extra work.

Just grab a bone in turkey breast with the skin on. Rub it with a simple herb butter and slow cook to perfection. Your guests will be amazed that a crock pot turkey breast could be this delicious.

How many people will this crockpot turkey and gravy recipe feed?

This recipe is only for a 3lb breast so it might not feed your whole group. SO you may want to use this crockpot turkey breast recipe in addition to a full turkey.

You will surely have enough leftovers if you make this turkey breast in addition to full turkey.

If you are having a small Thanksgiving or friendsgiving with 3-4 people, then this turkey recipe is the perfect size!! OR you could make one of these the day before and one the same day as your friendsgiving and feed 6-8 people.

What kitchen tools will I need to make this Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy?

• Slow cooker (crockpot)
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Liquid measuring cup
• Sauce pan

ingredients

The best part about this crockpot turkey breast recipe is that you set it and forget it!

• 3lb bone in, skin on split turkey breast – cook times may vary depending on the size of breast
• Yellow onion
• Carrot
• Celery
• Turkey stock (or chicken stock)
• Butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic
• Dried sage, rosemary and thyme
• Flour

Where can I buy the correct turkey breast for this recipe?

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 are having a tough time finding this turkey breast, I recommend going to the butcher counter at your local grocery store.

If you can only find a full 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.

Let’s 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 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 the butter on the top with the breast in the slow cooker.

Step 2: Slow cook the turkey breast for 5 hours

Next, close the top of 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 juices. You should have about 2 cups of juices for the gravy.

Next, 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.

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.

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.

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 and reheat in the microwave or on the stove stop.

Check out these other delicious Thanksgiving recipes!

• Easy Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• One Pot White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
• Crispy Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts
• Pumpkin Oat Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

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!

Recipe

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews

Easy to make crockpot turkey breast with gravy

Recipe By: Madeline

Prep: 15 minutesCook: 5 hoursTotal: 5 hours 15 minutes

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Servings: 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Turkey Ingredients

• 3lb 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

1. Grease a crockpot or slow cooker with oil to ease clean up
2. Add diced onion, diced carrots, and diced celery to the slow cooker with the turkey stock and stir gently
3. In a small mixing bowl combine softened butter with minced garlic, salt, pepper, dried thyme, sage, and rosemary
4. Rub the butter mixture all over the top and bottom or the turkey breast and under the skin of the turkey
5. 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
6. Close the top of the slow cooker and set to high heat for 1 hour
7. 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
8. Once the internal temp reaches at least 165F turn the slow cooker off and remove the turkey breast
9. 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.
10. 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
11. Heat 4 tbsp of butter in a pan over medium heat
12. Once the butter is all melted add the flour to the pan and stir to combine
13. Slowly pour in small amounts of the juices stirring constantly to form a smooth gravy
14. 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.
15. Slice the turkey breast off the bone and serve with the gravy

Notes

*** To cook this recipe faster you can cook the whole thing on high for 2 and a half to 3 hours.

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.