Tender, juicy, and slow-cooked all afternoon in your Crockpot, a turkey breast is the perfect amount of meat for a smaller holiday celebration or a weekend dinner.
My easy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is seasoned with a garlic-herb butter, so the drippings make the most delicious gravy!
Save the Oven for the Side Dishes!
If you don’t necessarily need to roast a whole big turkey for Thanksgiving (maybe because you’re cooking for a smaller group, or making more than one main dish), I definitely suggest that you try making just a turkey breast! Try it in the slow cooker with this easy recipe that requires no brining.
I love that I can let the turkey breast cook in my Crock Pot on the counter, leaving my stove and oven free to bake holiday pies and amazing sides like Sweet Potato Casserole, Buttery Herb Stuffing, and Homemade Crescent Rolls.
A slow cooker turkey breast also makes a wonderful any-day family dinner, or turkey for two (with leftovers).
While you can cook a turkey breast in the oven, I think that slow cooking is my favorite way. The white meat of the breast can sometimes overcook and become dry when roasting, and in the slow cooker, it stays moist and delicious!
It takes 5-6 hours on low to slow-cook a bone-in turkey breast, and once it’s done, I carefully transfer it to a hot oven so that the skin gets all perfectly browned and crispy, just like if I’d roasted it.
Use the drippings in the crock to create the best homemade turkey gravy!
Ingredient Notes
Simple is better when it comes to seasoning turkey!
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Turkey Breast: Look for a bone-in turkey breast; these should be easy to find around Thanksgiving and Christmas. The more formal name for this cut of meat is “turkey crown”, and it just means that it is the two full breasts, still attached to the bone, with the legs and wings removed.
- Butter: This turkey breast is seasoned with a whole stick of butter! Allow your unsalted butter to soften completely so that it can be evenly infused with the herbs, spices, and garlic, and spread easily over the meat. Butter works better than olive oil in this case, as it can be packed underneath the skin of the turkey.
- Seasonings: Simply salt, ground black pepper, and sweet paprika. For a smoky flavor, replace the sweet paprika with smoked paprika.
- Fresh Herbs: Parsley, rosemary, and sage are a classic trio for seasoning poultry. You’ll only need a small bunch of each. Use whatever herbs you have leftover from the turkey to make your herb stuffing or to garnish your platters.
- Minced Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves to give this turkey breast the most amazing flavor! Jarred garlic just doesn’t do the job as well. Mince the garlic finely so that it can be evenly distributed.
- Lemon Zest: The zest (just the yellow part) from one fresh lemon gives the turkey a bit of brightness.
- Onion and Garlic: A quartered onion and 3 additional cloves of smashed garlic go into the bottom of the slow cooker to infuse the meat with even more savory flavor as it cooks.
Tip!
A 5½ pound turkey breast will serve 8-10 people for dinner, or 4-6 people with some slices leftover for sandwiches the next day!
Make Gravy with the Turkey Drippings!
Once you’ve removed the cooked turkey breast from the crockpot, carefully pour the liquid left into a fat separator or a large glass measuring cup. Skim away the fat, and use the flavorful drippings to create the perfect homemade turkey gravy!
Need to know more about the delicious holiday side dishes you see here? I think you’ll love my homemade crescent rolls, green bean almondine, and homemade cranberry sauce.
More Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Love
Bread Machine Dinner Rolls
Baked Sweet Potato Cheesecake
Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
Pumpkin Pecan Pie
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Equipment
- 6 to 7-quart slow cooker 5.5-6.5 liter
- Small bowl
- Spoon
- Instant-read thermometer
- baking tray
- Knife and cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in turkey breast crown about 5½ pounds/2.5 kg
- 1 stick (½cup) (113 g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon fine salt plus more to season
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika see notes
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ tablespoon (7 ml) chopped fresh sage
- Zest of 1 small lemon
- 1 yellow onion quartered
- 3 garlic cloves smashed
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the softened butter, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, paprika, minced garlic, parsley, rosemary, sage, and lemon zest until combined.
- Pat the turkey crown dry with paper towels.
- Use a small spoon to loosen the skin from the turkey breast, working from the edge toward the center. If you reach any spots where the skin is still attached by thin tissue, carefully use the tip of a paring knife to release it. Be gentle so the skin doesn’t tear, then spread about two-thirds of the herb butter evenly underneath.
- Spread the remaining butter all over the outside of the turkey.
- Put the quartered onion and smashed garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Place the turkey, skin-side up, on top of the onions and garlic. Lightly season the top with a pinch of salt.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours, until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F (74°C). No additional liquid is needed, the turkey will release plenty of juices.
- For crispy skin, transfer the turkey to a baking tray and place in a preheated 475°F (245°C) oven or under a hot broiler for 5-10 minutes until golden.
- Rest for 15 minutes, then slice and serve.
Notes:
- This recipe will feed 8-10 people as a main dish, without leftovers.
- For a boneless turkey breast, start checking for doneness at 4½ hours.
- Paprika: I like sweet paprika, but for a smoky flavor, use smoked paprika instead.
- Crisping: If your broiler runs very hot, watch closely to avoid over-browning.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover turkey for up to 3 days. Freeze sliced turkey for up to 3 months. Reheat gently with a splash of gravy or stock until hot.
- If you prefer to remove the skin: You can take it off before cooking, but the turkey will be less juicy. Spread the seasoned garlic butter directly over the turkey and cover the slow cooker tightly to retain moisture. The cooked skin can also be removed if you want leaner slices of turkey.
- To Make Gravy: Save the drippings, and follow the instructions in my homemade turkey gravy recipe!
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.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Recipe Tips
- Boneless Turkey Breast can also be cooked in the slow cooker! For a boneless roast, start checking for doneness after 4½ hours on Low.
- Adjust the cooking time for a larger or smaller turkey breast. The meat is ready when the internal temperature of the widest part is 165°F (75°C). A 2-3 pound turkey breast may only take 4-5 hours on low heat, while a 7-8 pound one could take 6-7 hours.
- Crisp the turkey skin under the broiler, and keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn. If you plan to serve the turkey in gravy or don’t enjoy the skin, you can skip this step and just remove it instead. The skin won’t crisp up from the slow cooker alone, so this extra step is key!
- You can remove the skin before cooking crockpot turkey breast, but if you want a moist turkey breast, I suggest keeping it on. Otherwise, spread the herb butter directly over the surface of the turkey meat and keep the slow cooker covered tightly to retain moisture.
- Not sure if a turkey breast will be enough for your holiday dinner? Check out my ultimate guide to Thanksgiving turkey, where I talk about all of those details and more!
Looking to make more of your holiday meal on the counter rather than in the oven? Create an entire slow cooker holiday menu! Try my Crock Pot Stuffing, Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes, and Crock Pot Green Bean Casserole
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