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Overhead shot of slow cooker turkey breast with gravy and cranberry sauce on a plate
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5 from 3 votes

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

A moist, flavorful and easy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is the perfect entrée for a smaller Thanksgiving gathering or for a cozy Sunday supper!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword bone in slow cooker turkey breast, easy slow cooker turkey breast recipe, slow cooker turkey breast
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Resting Time 15 minutes
Total Time 7 hours 35 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 210.4kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Equipment

Ingredients

  • ½ cup chicken broth or white wine
  • 1 bone-in whole turkey breast (about 6-7 lbs total)
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh garlic or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon dried sage or poultry seasoning
  • 1 medium apple, chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped
  • 1 whole carrot, chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

  • Place chicken broth, apple, celery, carrot, onion and bay leaf in the bottom of a slow cooker.
  • Pat turkey dry; rub with butter and place in the slow cooker.
  • In a small bowl, combine rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt, pepper and sage. Rub herb mixture onto the turkey.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or until turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove turkey to a cutting board and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. I like to remove the skin before slicing, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Notes

  • It's important to remember that every Crock Pot cooks at a slightly different temperature -- and therefore it's really helpful to get to "know" your slow cooker. For instance, my Crock Pot tends to run pretty hot, and therefore cooks a turkey breast through in about 6 hours. If you're not sure about your own pot, 7 hours is a great place to start (but keep an eye on it at 6 hours). It's definitely possible to overcook pork and turkey in the slow cooker, so it's always best to use a meat thermometer to know when your meat is done. The turkey breast is finished when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
  • To prepare gravy using the drippings in the slow cooker, simply strain the drippings and use about 1 cup of the drippings and a turkey gravy packet to prepare the gravy.
  • Can I cook a frozen turkey in a slow cooker? No, experts do NOT recommend putting frozen meat in a Crock Pot. This is because slow cookers do not reliably get frozen meat to a safe temperature of 140 degrees F evenly or quickly enough.
  • If using a frozen turkey breast, make sure that you allow plenty of time for the turkey to thaw in the refrigerator before cooking. A general rule of thumb is to plan on 24 hours of thawing time in a 40 degree F refrigerator for every 5 pounds of turkey.
  • A 6-7 lb. bone-in turkey breast will yield about 2-3 pounds of cooked meat. For instance, my 6.5 lb. turkey breast yielded 2.75 pounds of edible meat. Nutrition information provided below is for 1/8 of the meat without skin.
  • The turkey skin does not get browned and crispy in the slow cooker, the way that it would in a regular oven. As a result, I prefer to remove the skin before slicing and serving. The meat inside is flavorful and juicy! If you prefer to leave the skin on, you can place the turkey under the broiler just until it's crisp and golden!
  • You can freeze any leftover turkey breast. Allow the turkey to cool to room temperature, then wrap the meat in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • You can keep the turkey breast warm or reheat the turkey breast on the "warm" setting in your slow cooker with some of the drippings.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the turkey breast (not including skin) | Calories: 210.4kcal | Protein: 46.9g | Fat: 1.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 129.4mg | Sodium: 81.1mg | Potassium: 455.2mg