Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
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Moist, tender, perfectly seasoned crockpot turkey. No oven space. Includes THE BEST turkey gravy using drippings!
I’m all about saving on oven space. Crockpots, Instant Pots. I will take them all. Especially when the crockpot does all the work for you. And I really mean, all the work for you.
So if you’re not about making an entire turkey this year, this slow cooker recipe will be your heaven. It requires just 2 turkey breast halves in a slow cooker for just 3-4 hours. In those 3-4 hours, you will have all the oven space you could possibly need for the rest of your sides.
The end result? Perfectly juicy, moist, tender turkey breast meat. It also browns beautifully in the slow cooker, promise. No need to broil it or anything. And you know all those juicy drippings? You can strain them to make the best gravy ever.
Who knew a turkey could be this easy?
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2 celery ribs, cut into thirds
- ¾ cup chicken stock
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 2 boneless, skin-on turkey breast halves, about 1 1/2-2 pounds each
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature and divided
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine paprika, thyme, poultry seasoning, onion powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Place onion and celery into a 6 or 8-qt oval slow cooker; add chicken stock and wine.
- Using your fingers, carefully loosen the skin from the breast meat, spreading 4 tablespoons butter under the skin. Secure skin over the butter with wooden picks; brush skin with 1 tablespoon melted butter and season with paprika mixture.
- Place turkey, breast side up, on top of the vegetables. Cover and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Remove turkey from the slow cooker; let rest 10-15 minutes.
- Strain slow cooker drippings through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids.
- Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in pan drippings. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5-10 minutes.
- Serve turkey immediately with gravy.
Did you make this recipe?
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Will it turn out okay without the 8 TBS of butter? I would only use a little for the skin to brown it. Thanks.
I recommend using all of the butter for the best results possible, Jean. 🙂
Can this be made in an instapot? I don’t have my slow cooker anymore
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know how it turns out! Good luck! 🙂
Have tried a number of recipes from your blog. Have never been disappointed. Am definitely making this recipe for my card game Friday night. The ladies will love it.
Hi,
What I’m having trouble understanding is how were you able to get that brown color on your turkey? Usually when one uses the slow cooker to cook meat, the meat doesn’t really turn a deeper color. Do you have a secret?
The secret is the melted butter that is brushed on top of the skin! 🙂
Do you brine your turkey breast before slow cooking it? If you do, does that make the gravy more salty?
No brine needed here. 🙂
Can I make 3 lbs of breast? Would cooking time be longer?
Yes, cooking time will have to be adjusted.
How much longer do you think? Thank you! I love every recipe I’ve made from your site.
This recipe has only been tested using 2 (1 1/2 to 2 pound) boneless, skin-on turkey breast halves so I cannot answer with certainty at this time. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know how it turns out! Good luck! 🙂
This sounds amazing! Can I use a 14 lb whole turkey? Maybe just double just spices or all ingredients?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know how it turns out! Good luck! 🙂
Is it okay to halve the recipe and only do one turkey breast? I only have a family of three and still get plenty of leftovers with one.
Absolutely!
Love all of your recipes! If halving this recipe, would you also recommend adjusting the cooking time at all? Thank you!
Yes, when halving the recipe, the slow cooker will not need as much time. 🙂
As soon as I see an email from Damn Delicious I get excited. You are one of a handful of bloggers I never hesitate to try a recipe from. This looks great. Was wondering if the bone in honeysuckle white young turkey breast I have in the freezer would work if I increase the liquids and vegetables? It weighs about 5 pounds. The gravy sounds scrumptious too!
Sure, that sounds amazing! But cooking time may have to be increased as needed to account for the additional weight. 🙂
Can you make this with out wine. No one in this house drinks wine and we don’t have any
You can substitute additional chicken stock. 🙂
This sounds and looks delicious! For the dry white wine, what type is best? Pinot Grigio? Sauvignon Blanc? Or am I way off base?
Pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc are great options, Jenna! 🙂
Sauvignon Blanc is fine
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