This Slow Cooker Turkey Breast and Gravy is the easiest and most stress-free way to make a perfectly juicy turkey breast for Thanksgiving or any small gathering. I love this recipe for apartment cooking, hosting a friendsgiving, and saving oven space for other parts of the meal.
Cover a bone-in split turkey breast all over with a simple herb compound butter and then cook it in the crockpot until tender and flavorful. The best part is that the drippings from the crockpot are used to make a rich pan gravy that tastes like it took hours. No basting, no babysitting the oven, just perfectly juicy turkey every single time!
Looking to make a full Thanksgiving turkey instead? Try my dry brine turkey recipe that is made with an irresistible herb butter!
HANDS OFF RECIPE
Foolproof
Quick Look: Crockpot Turkey Breast and Gravy
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 👩🍳 Cook Time: 5 hours
- 🕖 Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
- 🍗 Servings: 6 servings
- ⚡️ Calories: 443 calories per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cooking Method: Slow cook in crockpot on low
- 🛒 Main Ingredients: split turkey breast, butter, dried herbs
- ⭐️ Difficulty: Medium! The turkey is easy to cook, but getting butter under the skin and perfecting the pan gravy can take a little finesse.
Kelley left this 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“The best recipe ever! I have cooked my Thanksgiving turkey and gravy with Madeline’s recipe for four years. The turkey is so tender and flavorful. I recommend doing two turkey breasts, so there’s plenty!”
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No oven babysitting – Cooking any type of Thanksgiving meal gets stressful, so I love having something in a slow cooker that I do not have to worry about. Set it in the crockpot, walk away, and come back to perfectly cooked turkey.
- Juicy turkey every time – Turkey can be intimidating to make! I created this recipe to give people a foolproof method for a perfect turkey every time. The low and slow heat keeps the moisture locked in so the turkey never dries out.
- Perfect for small gatherings – A 3lb split turkey breast feeds 4-6 people which is the perfect size for a small Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or a comforting weeknight dinner.
- Homemade dripping gravy – One of my favorite parts of this recipe is still making a gravy from the drippings in the crockpot. It is rich, savory, and so much better than anything from a jar.
For an oven recipe for turkey breast, check out how to roast a turkey breast.
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.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s a quick look at the ingredients you need to make this crockpot turkey breast and gravy. For the amounts and method, head to the full recipe.
- 3lb bone in, skin on split turkey breast – A bone-in split breast gives you the most flavor and the juiciest meat. The bone conducts heat and keeps the meat moist. Look for split breast at your grocery store, or ask your butcher to split a whole breast for you.
- Yellow onion, carrot, celery – These vegetables sit on the bottom of the crockpot under the turkey. They add flavor to the turkey as well as the drippings which makes the most delicious gravy.
- Turkey stock – Use turkey stock if you can find it for the richest flavor. Chicken broth also works if needed.
- Butter – The butter is mixed with herbs and garlic to make a simple compound butter. It gets rubbed all over the outside and under the skin of the turkey to season it deeply.
- Salt and pepper – Season the compound butter generously. Salt really helps tenderize the meat as it cooks.
- Garlic – Fresh minced garlic goes into the compound butter for an aromatic flavor that infuses the turkey.
- Dried sage, rosemary and thyme – This combination is the classic Thanksgiving herb blend. They give the turkey that warm holiday flavor.
- Flour – Flour is whisked into butter to create a roux that thickens the drippings into a smooth, glossy gravy.
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.
How to Make Crockpot Turkey Breast and Gravy
Step 1: Grease a crockpot or slow cooker with oil. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the slow cooker with the turkey stock and stir gently.
Step 2: In a small bowl combine butter with minced garlic, salt, pepper, dried thyme, sage, and rosemary. Rub the mixture all over the top and bottom of the turkey breast and under the skin of the turkey. Close the top of the slow cooker and set to high heat for 1 hour.
Step 3: Reduce the heat to low and cook for an additional 4 hours until 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 2-3 minutes to crisp the skin and set aside as you prepare the gravy.
Step 4: Pour the rest of the ingredients over a strainer to separate the veggies from the juices. 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.
Step 5: 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 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.
Mad’s Expert Tips for the Best Crockpot Turkey Breast and Gravy 🍗
- Rub the butter under the skin. Do not just put the butter on top of the turkey. Getting it under the skin seasons the meat directly and is what makes this turkey so flavorful and juicy.
- Broil the skin at the end. The slow cooker produces amazing, juicy meat but it does not crisp the skin. Broil the finished turkey for just 2-3 minutes on a sheet pan to get that beautiful golden skin before serving.
- Use a meat thermometer. Every slow cooker runs a little differently. The turkey is done when it reaches 165F internally. Check it at 4.5 hours and continue cooking in 30 minute increments if needed.
- Strain the drippings for the gravy. Pour the drippings through a fine mesh strainer to remove the vegetables before making the gravy. This gives you a cleaner, more flavorful gravy.
I also use herbed butter for juicy chicken meat in this lemon herb spatchcocked chicken recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Can I cook this turkey breast on high the whole time?
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. You do not 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.
Serve these Thanksgiving sides with your turkey breast!
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!
Email Recipe for Later
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
- To cook this recipe faster you can cook the whole thing on high for 2 and a half to 3 hours.
- You do not need to dry brine this turkey, but it will be even more flavorful if you do!
- Get the butter under the skin of the turkey to really infuse the flavors into the turkey breast.
- Broil the turkey breast for 2-3 minutes after cooking to get a golden brown crispy skin.
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.
Leave a Reply