Our crockpot turkey breast is not only the easiest way to prepare a turkey breast, its moist, tender turkey will knock your socks off! Because it’s slow-cooked in the crockpot, there’s no need to brine the turkey to keep it moist. The magic of the crockpot does that for you!
We use a delicious compound butter to add a great butter-infused flavor. After the breast has cooked in the crockpot, we pop it in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up and brown the skin. This recipe is a total game-changer!
Cooking the turkey breast in the crockpot frees up your oven for all your side dishes. Let’s face it! We all LOVE the side dishes.
Speaking of which, I hope you’ll try our favorite green bean casserole, (my family’s been making this fabulous recipe for 4 generations!), sausage stuffing, sweet potato casserole, and Paula Deens corn casserole for your Thanksgiving feast!
PRE-BRINED TURKEY BREAT
As you read through this recipe, you’ll notice that I use unsalted butter and don’t add salt and pepper to the bird or the gravy. The reason for that is that some turkey breasts, such as Butterball come pre-brined. Even without adding any salt, if you’re using a pre-brined turkey breast it will have lots of salt.
If you’re sensitive to salt, make sure you don’t use a pre-brined bird. If you’re sure it’s not pre-brined, feel free to add 1-2 teaspoons salt to the compound butter.
HOW MUCH TURKEY BREAST TO PLAN PER PERSON
- Bone-In Turkey: I generally plan on 3/4 to 1 pound per person.
- If you want to plan for heavy leftovers, go up to 1.5 pounds per person.
- Boneless Turkey Breast: If you’re serving a boneless turkey breast, plan on 1/2 pound per person.
- Are There Children? Plan on serving children about half as much as an adult. Now, if you have teenage kids, I generally count them as adults.
HOW TO THAW A TURKEY BREAST
I always thaw the turkey breast completely before using it in this recipe. The safest way to thaw a turkey breast, or whole turkey for that matter, is to do so in the refrigerator.
The turkey breast will take 2-3 days to thaw in the fridge, depending on the exact size of the breast.
Here’s a link from the USDA with more info on thawing a turkey. It’s good reading!
CROCKPOT TURKEY BREAST INGREDIENTS
Turkey Prep
- Turkey Breast: This recipe can be used for a boneless or bone-in turkey breast. I’d encourage you to use a bone-in turkey breast for best and moistest results. I also add the extra flavor the bones add.
- Aromatics: We use onions, celery, carrots, and garlic to create a rack in the bottom of the crockpot and also a broth for the gravy.
- Bay Leaf: Add a nice, light herbal flavor to the turkey broth.
- Thyme + Rosemary: More great herbs to round out the flavor of the broth
Compound Butter
- Butter: I use unsalted butter. If you use salted butter, reduce the salt in the recipe.
- Salt: I use plain table salt.
- Garlic Salt + Onion Salt: This adds great garlic and onion flavor that combines easily with the butter.
- Pepper: Fresh cracked black pepper.
- Poultry Seasoning: This is one of my favorite seasoning combos. It has all the perfect flavors to complement turkey.
- Brown Sugar: Balances out the seasoning and helps just a little when browning the skin. Don’t worry, the turkey will not taste sweet at all!
Gravy
- Crockpots In General: Remember that all crockpot have a temperature range. Yours might run hotter or colder. That’s why the point below is so important.
- Timing: It’s really important to check the internal temperature of the bird about 5 hours into the cooking time. This will give you an idea of where the turkey temperature is at. If your crokpot runs hot, the turkey may be done early.
- Turkey Stalk: This is the broth that’s created from the vegetables and turkey drippings.
- Chicken Broth: This is only used if for some weird reason you don’t end up with 1 1/2 cups of broth.
- White Wine: This adds great flavor and depth. If you don’t want to use alcohol, you can substitute chicken broth.
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter.
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour. It combines with the butter to make a roux.
- Salt + Pepper: Adjust the amount to your taste for the perfect seasoning.
TIPS
- Overnight: This Turkey breast is even better if you apply the compound butter overnight, refrigerate, then cook.
- 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.
- 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!
- 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.
STORING + FREEZING + MAKE-AHEAD
- How Long Can You Keep This in The Fridge? Your turkey leftovers will last in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Can You Freeze This? Yes! Put the cooled meat in a resealable plastic bag or freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to three months. When ready to eat, fully thaw overnight in the fridge, heat, and enjoy!
- Make-Ahead: This recipe is great for make-ahead. I prep the veggies, place them in the bottom of the crockpot as directed, apply compound butter to turkey, then place the crockpot liner covered in the fridge. It might be a tight squeeze, you can cover the liner with plastic wrap rather than use the crockpot lid.
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
HOW TO BROWN THE TURKEY SKIN
After the turkey breast has come to 165ºF (74ºC), remove from the crockpot and allow it to rest for 20 minutes. Set in a baking dish (I used a 9X13 inch baking dish), make and position collar if necessary, then set in the oven, on the lowest shelf, under the broiler until skin is browned. Watch carefully!
I literally sit on a kitchen stool in front oven the oven to make sure it doesn’t burn! It’s so easy when broiling for things to burn and no one wants that disaster on the Holidays!
HOW TO MAKE TURKEY BREAST IN THE CROCKPOT
- Prepare the turkey + crockpot. Arrange the veggies and herbs at the bottom of the crockpot.
- Make the rub. In a bowl, combine all the rub ingredients.
- Whisk.
- Place the turkey in the crockpot. Slater the rub on all sides of the turkey.
- Crock It. Cook on low for 6 hours. Check the temperature.
- Crisp it. Place the turkey on the rimmed baking sheet. Make a foil collar if the turkey breast doesn’t sit straight up in the roasting pan. Broil until the skin is crisp.
- Make the gravy. In a skillet, melt the butter and whisk in the flour.
- Pour in white wine and whisk until the mixture forms a paste
- Add the sieved turkey broth.
- Continue to cook until the gravy thickens.
- Pour into a gravy boat and serve with turkey
- Serve.
***See the full instructions below.
MORE THANKSGIVING DISHES
- Paula Deen Green Bean Casserole
- Tennessee Onions
- Crockpot Creamed Corn
- Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
- Pineapple Casserole
- Baked Macaroni And Cheese
- Strawberry Pretzel Salad
- Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
- Lion House Rolls
- Corn Pudding
Check out all our PIE RECIPES!
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Crockpot Turkey Breast
Our crockpot turkey breast is the easiest way to prepare a turkey breast. It's moist and tender, there's no need to brine the turkey to keep it moist.
Servings: 4 - 5 servings
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
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:
Notes
- Overnight: This Turkey breast is even better if you apply the compound butter overnight, refrigerate, then cook.
- 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.
- 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!
- 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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Love your recipes! I want to make this one but can’t find a turkey breast less than 7 pounds. Can I just use that and cook longer? Thanks!
Thank you Tina! Yes, you can use a large turkey breast if it fits in your crockpot!