Crockpot Turkey Breast Recipe (Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast)

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This Crock Pot Turkey Breast Recipe is the easiest way to make incredibly juicy, tender turkey with hardly any hands-on work. A savory herb butter keeps the meat flavorful while the slow cooker gently cooks it to perfection, then a quick trip under the broiler creates beautifully golden, crispy skin. It’s the perfect solution for a small Thanksgiving dinner, holiday gatherings, or anytime you’re craving turkey without roasting a whole bird.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that the slow cooker does all the hard work. There’s no need to fuss with brining, constant basting, or tying up your oven for hours. Instead, the turkey cooks over a bed of onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and fresh herbs, creating rich, flavorful drippings that become an easy homemade gravy you’ll want to pour over everything.

Since your oven stays free, you’ll have plenty of room to bake all your favorite holiday sides. Serve this turkey breast with Paula Deen Corn Casserole, Green Bean Casserole, Sausage Stuffing, or Sweet Potato Casserole for a Thanksgiving meal that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen.

✨ Before You Begin

✨ Check if your turkey breast is pre-brined. Many brands, including Butterball, come pre-brined, so they already contain plenty of salt. That’s why this recipe uses unsalted butter and doesn’t call for additional salt on the turkey or in the gravy. If you’re using a turkey breast that isn’t pre-brined, you can add 1 to 2 teaspoons of table salt to the compound butter.

✨ Plan about ¾ to 1 pound of bone-in turkey breast per person. If you love leftovers for sandwiches and soups, increase that to 1½ pounds per person.

✨ For boneless turkey breast, plan on about ½ pound per person. Boneless turkey has less waste, so you don’t need quite as much.

✨ Don’t forget the kids. Younger children usually eat about half an adult portion, while teenagers can generally be counted as adults when planning your holiday meal.

✨ Thaw the turkey completely before cooking. For the best texture and most even cooking, start with a fully thawed turkey breast. The safest method is to thaw it in the refrigerator, which usually takes 2 to 3 days, depending on the size of the turkey. If you’d like more information on safe thawing practices, the USDA has an excellent guide

Ingredients + Key Notes

Turkey Breast. This recipe works with either a bone-in or boneless turkey breast, but I highly recommend using a bone-in, skin-on turkey breast. The bone helps keep the meat extra juicy and adds more flavor to the drippings for homemade gravy.

Aromatics. Onion, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, fresh thyme, and rosemary create a flavorful bed for the turkey while infusing the cooking juices with rich, savory flavor.

Unsalted Butter. Softened butter combines with the seasonings to create a flavorful herb butter that keeps the turkey moist. If you’re using a turkey breast that isn’t pre-brined, you can add 1 to 2 teaspoons of table salt to the butter mixture.

Seasonings. Garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, poultry seasoning, and a touch of brown sugar create a savory seasoning blend with just enough sugar to help the skin brown beautifully under the broiler. The finished turkey will not taste sweet.

Turkey Drippings. The flavorful juices left in the slow cooker become the base for an easy homemade gravy. If you don’t quite have enough drippings, simply add a little chicken broth to make up the difference.

White Wine. A splash of white wine adds depth to the gravy. If you prefer not to cook with wine, substitute an equal amount of chicken broth.

Butter + Flour. These combine to create a simple roux that thickens the gravy into a rich, silky sauce.

🥣 How to Make Crockpot Turkey Breast

Prepare the slow cooker. Arrange the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary in the bottom of the slow cooker to create a flavorful bed for the turkey.

Make the compound butter. Stir together the softened butter, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, poultry seasoning, and brown sugar until well combined.

Season the turkey. Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels, then generously spread the compound butter over the entire turkey. If you can, gently loosen the skin and spread some of the butter directly on the meat for even more flavor.

Slow cook. Place the turkey breast on top of the vegetables, skin-side up. Cover and cook on LOW, checking the internal temperature after about 5 hours. The turkey is done when the thickest part of the breast registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Rest the turkey. Transfer the turkey to a rimmed baking sheet or baking dish and let it rest for 20 minutes. This helps the juices redistribute throughout the meat before slicing.

Brown the skin. Broil the rested turkey until the skin is beautifully golden and crisp. See How to Brown the Turkey Skin below for additional tips.

Make the gravy. While the turkey rests, strain the flavorful drippings from the slow cooker. Prepare the gravy using the drippings, butter, flour, and white wine, then season to taste. Slice the turkey and serve with the warm homemade gravy.

How to Brown the Turkey Skin

One of the only downsides to cooking a turkey breast in the slow cooker is that the skin won’t brown or crisp on its own. Fortunately, there’s an easy fix!

Once the turkey reaches 165°F, transfer it to a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet and let it rest for 20 minutes. If the turkey doesn’t sit upright, use a simple foil collar to support it. Place the turkey on the lowest oven rack and broil just until the skin is beautifully golden brown and crisp.

Keep a close eye on it! Broilers work quickly, and the skin can go from perfectly browned to burned in a matter of seconds. I always stay right by the oven while it’s broiling—those few minutes are well worth it for beautifully crisp, golden skin.

⭐ Pro Tips

⭐ Season the turkey the night before. If you have time, spread the compound butter over the turkey breast, cover, and refrigerate overnight. This gives the seasonings more time to flavor the meat, but it’s completely optional if you’re short on time.

⭐ Slip the butter under the skin. For the most flavorful and juicy turkey, gently loosen the skin and spread some of the compound butter directly on the meat. If the skin tears a little, don’t worry—it happens! Before broiling, brush the skin with a little melted butter to help it brown evenly.

⭐ Use a foil collar if needed. Some turkey breasts don’t sit upright after cooking. If yours tips to one side, make a simple foil collar to support it while it browns under the broiler. Fold heavy-duty foil into a thick oval ring and tuck it under the turkey until it stands securely.

Serving Suggestions

Complete your holiday meal with a few delicious classic Thanksgiving favorites:

• Mashed Potatoes – Creamy, buttery, and perfect for soaking up every bit of homemade turkey gravy.
• Creamed Spinach – A rich, comforting vegetable side that pairs beautifully with turkey.
• Classic Cranberry Sauce – Sweet, tart, and the perfect contrast to savory turkey and gravy.
• Lion House Rolls – Soft, fluffy rolls that belong on every Thanksgiving table.
• Pumpkin Pie – A timeless holiday dessert with warm spices and a silky filling.

Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead

Refrigerator: Store leftover turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Keep any leftover gravy in a separate container and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.

Freezer: Turkey freezes beautifully! Let it cool completely, then transfer the sliced or shredded turkey to a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Make-Ahead: This recipe is perfect for holiday meal prep. Up to 1 day in advance, arrange the vegetables in the slow cooker insert and prepare the compound butter. Rub the butter over the turkey breast, cover, and refrigerate separately or, if space allows, place the turkey on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker insert, cover tightly, and refrigerate. When you’re ready to cook, simply place the insert back into the slow cooker and start cooking as directed.

Reheating: For the juiciest leftovers, place the turkey in a baking dish with a splash of chicken broth or leftover gravy. Cover tightly with foil and warm in a 325°F oven until heated through. Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave at 50% power to help prevent the meat from drying out.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! ❤️ Kathleen

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Crockpot Turkey Breast

This Crockpot Turkey Breast is the easiest way to make juicy, tender turkey with minimal hands-on work. A savory herb butter keeps the meat flavorful while the slow cooker gently cooks it to perfection over a bed of onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and fresh herbs. Finish it under the broiler for beautifully crisp, golden skin, then use the flavorful drippings to make an easy homemade gravy. Perfect for a small Thanksgiving gathering, holiday dinners, or whenever you're craving turkey without roasting a whole bird.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time6 hours hrs

Total Time6 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 - 5 servings

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

Turkey and Set-Up

• ▢ 3-4 pounds skin-on, bone-in, turkey breast
• ▢ 1 large yellow onion, sliced into slightly thinner than 1/2 inch rings
• ▢ 2 stalks celery, trimmed and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
• ▢ 2 carrots peeled, trimmed and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
• ▢ 1 head garlic, sliced in half, any loose paper removed
• ▢ dried bay leaf
• ▢ 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• ▢ 2 inch stalk fresh rosemary

Rub:

• ▢ 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon poultry sage
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

Gravy:

• ▢ turkey stock from crockpot
• ▢ if needed chicken broth (I never needed chicken broth)
• ▢ 2 tablespoon white wine
• ▢ 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• ▢ 1/4 cup flour
• ▢ to taste salt + pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare Turkey + Crockpot

• Remove turkey from packing and pat dry well with paper towels.
• Arrange rings of onion in a single layer on the bottom of a crockpot. Sprinkle the carrots and celery over the onions. Place the garlic heads on either end of crockpot. Sprinkle bay leaf and fresh herbs over the vegetables.
  

Make Rub:

• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all rub ingredients.
  
• Place the turkey in the crockpot, breast side up and generously slather all sides and the cavity with the dry rub, using most for the side and top.
  

Crock It!

• Cover the crockpot and set it on LOW for 6 hours. Do not cook on high!! Check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer inserted in the middle of the breast. When done, it will read 165ºF (74ºC).

   Check internal temperature at 5 hours to monitor cooking.
  
• Remove the turkey from the crockpot, set it on a rimmed baking sheet, and let it rest for 20 minutes before crisping the skin. Do not keep warming in the crockpot.

Crisp It!

• While the turkey is in the crockpot, arrange the oven rack in the bottom positions. Turn the oven to broil.
• Place the turkey on the rimmed baking sheet in the oven on the arranged oven shelf. Broil, watching constantly, for 3-5 minutes, or until skin is nicely golden and crispy.
  

Make The Gravy!

• Before turkey is in the oven, while it's resting on the counter, make the gravy.
• Remove garlic heads from the crockpot and squeeze cooked garlic into the crockpot and discard empty garlic heads.
• Pour the ingredients through a sieve into a large 4-cup measuring cup. Press on solids with the back of a large spoon to extract all the liquid. If you do not have 1 1/2 cups of liquid, add chicken broth to make up the difference.
  
• In a 12-inch skillet, melt butter.
  
• Whisk in flour and whisk constantly, until the flour gets a light golden color.
  
• Pour in white wine and whisk until the mixture forms a paste.
  
• Slowly add turkey broth, whisking constantly.
  
• Continue to whisk until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened. At this point, if gravy isn't as thick as you like, continue to boil, until enough liquid has evaporated to create your desired consistency. Adjust seasoning, to taste, with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning.
  
• Pour into a gravy boat and serve with turkey as soon as it comes out of the oven.
  

Fans Also Made:

• 
  Grandma's Turkey Carcass Soup
• 
  Instant Pot Turkey Chili (45-Minute Meal!)
• 
  The Best Turkey Brine
• 
  Turkey Burgers

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Notes

1. Overnight: This Turkey breast is even better if you apply the compound butter overnight, refrigerate, then cook.
2. Under The Skin: If you’re feeling brave or feel confident in your skill level, gently loosen the skin and apply the compound butter underneath the skin. It’s actually simple to do, you just run the risk of tearing the skin. It happens! If you place the compound butter under the skin, apply a few tablespoons of melted butter to the skin before broiling.
3. Time For Overnight? If you plan ahead, it’s great to apply the compound butter the night before you cook the bird, then refrigerate. It’s not absolutely necessary but it does add even more delicious flavor!
4. Uneven-Shaped Turkey: If your turkey breast doesn’t sit straight up in the roasting pan when you brown it, you’ll need to make a “foil collar”. I make mine in the shape of an oval. One side of the collar has only one layer of foil, then the second side needs to have as many layers necessary to hold the turkey upright. I used 3 layer of foil on my second side.
   • Place the collar slightly under the turkey breast and tighten to hold up the breast.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 828kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 70g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 273mg | Sodium: 1825mg | Potassium: 307mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 6311IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 65mg

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