Slow Cooked Turkey Breast

Free-up oven space and make tender, juicy Slow Cooked Turkey Breast in a crock pot. While a crock pot may not be large enough for a whole turkey, a turkey breast fits perfectly making it ideal for smaller gatherings. This turkey is rubbed with butter for richness and sprinkled with a flavorful seasoning blend. It’s then slow cooked on a bed of fresh carrots, onion and celery to season the flavorful drippings. After slow cooking, give the turkey a few minutes to rest while you make the gravy, then slice and serve.

Ingredients to Make Easy Slow Cooked Turkey Breast Recipe

Naturally, most of us usually think about making a whole turkey around Thanksgiving and for smaller gatherings, a juicy baked turkey breast is just the right size. If you enjoy turkey for sandwiches and casseroles year-round, this slow cooker turkey breast recipe is a terrific starting point.

For those who may be a little uneasy about baking a whole turkey for the first time, this slow cooker technique provides a great alternative. It allows you to free-up your oven to prepare other dishes, and it’s a moist cooking environment making it unnecessary to baste the turkey while it cooks. This slow roasting technique results in the juiciest turkey breast.

Checkout this quick list of Ingredients you’ll need to make an 8 lb Turkey Breast in a Crock Pot Recipe: (Scroll down for the full printable recipe card.)

• Turkey Breast – You’ll need one 7-8 pound bone-in turkey breast. If frozen, thawed in the fridge.
• Butter – Salted or unsalted butter adds a richness to the flavor.
• Poultry Seasoning – You can use your favorite brand of poultry seasoning or turkey seasoning. I used Poultry Magic, but there are many others, McCormick Original Chicken, is also tasty.
• Salt and Pepper – Plain table salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Celery – Celery adds flavor to the cooking liquid.
• Carrot – One large carrot to form a “rack” for the turkey and to season the broth.
• Onion – One quartered or sliced sweet onion, yellow onion or white onion for a hint of onion flavor.
• Aromatics – Two bay leaves. You can use dried or fresh bay leaves.
• Liquid – The turkey will release juices white cooking. Chicken stock or chicken broth will kick start the process and add moisture to the cooking environment.

How to Make the Best Tender Slow Cooked Turkey Breast Recipe

• Prep the Crockpot – Spray the inside of a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. (Or fit with a liner)
• Pat Dry the Turkey Breast – Pat dry the turkey breast using paper towels. This will allow the seasonings to adhere.
• Butter – Rub the turkey with softened butter all over and under the skin.
• Poultry Seasoning – Pull back the skin and sprinkle the breast meat liberally with the seasoning then season the exterior ending with a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.
• Veggies – Arrange the celery, carrot, onion and bay leaves in the bottom of the slow cooker. Drizzle with chicken broth.
• Center the Turkey Breast Side Up in the Slow Cooker – Dot the top with the remaining tablespoons butter.
• Lock the Lid in Place – Cook according to the cook time in the recipe. Check for doneness at 6 hours with an instant read thermometer. Poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F.
• Let Stand – Remove turkey breast to a platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil.
• Make Gravy – Remove the vegetables and strain the drippings. Pour into a stove top pan. Set the temperature to medium-high and bring to a boil.
• Make the Slurry – Dissolve all purpose flour or cornstarch in just enough cold water or milk to completely dissolve. Whisk the slurry mixture into the cooking broth, repeating as needed until your desired thickness is reached. Taste and adjust the seasonings, to your taste. Simmer to reduce slightly, then serve with slices of turkey.

Kitchen Equipment to Make Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Recipe

• One 6-quart or larger oval slow cooker. Is a Slow Cooker and a Crockpot the Same? Yes, in essence they are. Crock Pot is a brand that has become synonymous with slow cooking. The directions are the same regardless. They can vary in performance so know how your appliance cooks adjusting the time as needed.
• Measuring spoons for the seasonings.
• Vegetable peeler for the carrots.
• Instant read thermometer (meat thermometer) to check for doneness.
• Sharp knife and chopping board.

Recipe Variations, Tip and Substitutions

• Poultry Seasoning – The poultry seasoning I use for this turkey breast recipe is called Poultry Magic. (affiliate link) It includes an expanded flavor profile that includes paprika and a hint of spice. You can use your favorite poultry seasoning blend to make this recipe. Keep in mind the sodium content, and adjust the salt in the recipe as needed.
• How to Choose the Best Turkey Breast – When choosing the turkey breast, consider the size and shape of your slow cooker. An oval slow cooker tends to do best as the shape is favorable to fitting a turkey breast, or even a whole chicken, more easily. I actually place the turkey breast in it to test and make certain it will fit prior to actually making it. Don’t wait until Thanksgiving to test it out.
• How Do You Crisp the Skin – Slow cookers provide a moist cooking environment that won’t crisp the skin of the turkey. After slow cooking, if you prefer crisp skin, transfer the juicy turkey breast to a baking dish and it place under the oven broiler baking until it’s crisped and browned to your liking.
• Boneless Turkey Breast – You can make a boneless turkey breast using this same crock pot technique, but it will cook more quickly. Check it around the halfway point with a meat thermometer to check for doneness. (160-165°F)
• Fresh Herbs You can add any fresh herbs that you enjoy. Fresh sage, rosemary or thyme.
• Spices and Seasonings – You can use seasoning salt in place of plain salt. You could also add onion powder or garlic powder, depending on the poultry seasoning that you use.
• Side Dishes to Serve with a Turkey Breast You may also like to try my recipes for Cranberry Apple Rice Pilaf, Southern Sweet Potato Casserole, make-ahead Turkey Gravy, sweet Cranberry Chutney, homemade Green Bean Casserole and  Southern Cornbread Dressing to go with this crock pot turkey breast.

How Long Do You Bake Slow Cooked Turkey Breast in Oven?

Depending on the size it will take anywhere from 2-3 hours to bake a turkey breast. For oven preparation, see the Cook’s note in the recipe card for specific instructions. Bake skin-on turkey breast in the oven covered at 325°F for 20 minutes per pound or until an internal temperature of 165°F is reached. Uncover and crisp the skin under the oven broiler.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers – Store leftover Slow Cooked Turkey Breast in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheating – Leftover turkey can dry out quickly when reheating. You can reheat it gently drizzled with gravy, or the leftover drippings in the microwave or in a preheated 350°F oven covered with foil just until heated through. You can enjoy also it cold for turkey sandwiches, salads or use it in wraps, none of which require reheating.
• Freezer – Cool turkey breast and wrap it in plastic wrap and heavy duty foil then pop it into a freezer bag. Store it frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge.

More Slow Cooker Recipes to Make

Slow cooking remains a favorite at our house that can take you from appetizers to desserts. More slow cooker recipes you may also like to try:

• Slow Cooker Roast Chicken and Vegetables is a one pot meal.
• Slow Cooked Dr Pepper Barbecue Beef is delicious cooked low and slow.
• Applewood Cider Slow Cooker Chicken simmers in apple cider adding a hint of apple in the flavor.
• Slow Cooked Three Cheese Mac and Cheese is great for busy oven days.
• Tender fall apart .Slow Cooked Braised Beef Short Ribs
• Slow Cooker Potato Soup with Ham.
• You can throw down a shrimp boil any day of the week with this Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil recipe.
• Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes from The Magical Slow Cooker.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Slow Cooker
• Kitchen Utensils
• Knives and Chopping Board
• Measuring Set