Are you tired of serving dry turkey breasts? Fortunately, it can be avoided and we are here to show you how.
Turkey breast meat is thick yet super lean (minimal fat). Due to the thickness, turkey breasts typically need about two hours to cook all the way through. If you cooked fatty meat for that long, the fat would melt during the cooking process, lubricate the muscle fibers, and keep the meat juicy. Since the typical turkey breast contains little fat, it can dry out during long cooks.
You can avoid serving dry turkey breasts by wet or dry brining before cooking, but that won’t be feasible if you don’t have the time or fridge space to brine a turkey breast. If brining is not an option, consider cooking your turkey breasts in a slow cooker.
NOTE: We highly recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure doneness as every slow cooker cooks differently. Internal temperature needs to be 165°F in both the thickest part of the breast (without touching the bone) and in the thighs to ensure doneness and food safety.
Cooking a juicy and flavorful turkey breast is easier than you think with a slow cooker While roasting a whole turkey in the oven is the traditional method for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, using a slow cooker to make turkey breast is a handy alternative for smaller gatherings.
The beauty of slow cooking turkey breast is that it requires minimal prep work, cooks low and slow to become incredibly tender, and frees up your oven for side dishes. With just 10-15 minutes of prep time, you can enjoy delicious, herbed turkey breast with very little effort.
Benefits of Cooking Turkey Breast in a Slow Cooker
There are several advantages to using a slow cooker instead of the oven when making turkey breast:
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Minimal prep work: Simply rub the turkey breast with herbs, butter, and seasoning and place in the slow cooker. No complicated roast prep needed.
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Tender and juicy meat The low, gentle heat and steam environment leads to very moist turkey breast
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Infuses flavor: Spices, herbs, broth, and aromatics penetrate into the meat over several hours.
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Hands-off cooking: Once assembled, let the slow cooker do the work. No basting required.
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Frees up oven Make side dishes in the oven while the slow cooker tackles the turkey
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Portability: Bring the cooked turkey in a slow cooker to holiday dinners and potlucks.
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Leftovers: Shred leftovers for sandwiches, salads, casseroles, and soups.
How to Cook a Turkey Breast in a Slow Cooker
Follow these simple steps for juicy, tender turkey breast cooked in a slow cooker:
Ingredients Needed
- 3-5 pound boneless turkey breast or 5-7 pound bone-in turkey breast
- 1⁄4 cup butter, softened
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 tsp fresh thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 1⁄2 cup chicken broth
Instructions
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Rub the turkey breast: Combine softened butter, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Rub mixture all over turkey.
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Prep the slow cooker: Place onion slices in slow cooker. Add chicken broth.
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Add turkey: Place seasoned turkey breast on onions in slow cooker.
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Cook: Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours (bone-in) or 5-6 hours (boneless), until internal temperature reaches 160°F.
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Finish and rest: Broil turkey 10-15 minutes until browned. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Slow Cooker Temperature and Cook Times
For best results, follow these cook times when making turkey breast in a slow cooker:
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Bone-in turkey breast: Cook 7-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high
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Boneless turkey breast: Cook 5-6 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high
The internal temperature should reach 160°F before finishing in the broiler. Then allow the turkey to rest before slicing.
Tips for Moist, Flavorful Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Here are some helpful tips to ensure your Crockpot turkey breast turns out perfectly cooked and full of flavor:
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Pat turkey completely dry before rubbing on butter mixture. This helps the seasoning adhere.
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Use a flavorful butter rub with garlic, herbs, citrus, and spices. This adds tons of flavor as the turkey cooks.
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Place turkey on a bed of aromatics like onions, celery, carrots, and citrus. This infuses more flavor.
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Pour broth in the slow cooker to keep the meat extra juicy and provide cooking liquid.
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Add more seasoning halfway through cook time by lifting the lid and rubbing on more herb butter.
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Brush on pan juices toward the end of cooking for added moisture and flavor.
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Brown the turkey under the broiler at the end for crispy skin.
FAQs About Cooking Turkey Breast in a Slow Cooker
What size slow cooker do I need?
For a 3-5 pound boneless turkey breast, a 4-6 quart slow cooker is sufficient. For a 5-7 pound bone-in breast, use a 6-7 quart size. Make sure the breast can lay flat with the lid on.
Can I cook a whole turkey in a slow cooker?
While it is possible to cook a small 10 pound turkey in a very large slow cooker, it’s not recommended. Sticking with just the breast portion is much easier.
Do I need to add liquid to the slow cooker?
Yes, adding some chicken or turkey broth provides moisture and flavor. About 1/2 cup of broth is sufficient.
Should I prep or brine the turkey breast first?
Brining is not necessary since the slow cooking method keeps turkey breast very moist and flavorful. Simply rub on a flavorful butter mixture before cooking.
Can I cook stuffing in the slow cooker too?
It’s best to cook stuffing separately to prevent food safety issues. Cook it in the oven while the turkey breast slow cooks.
Recipes and Serving Ideas for Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Once you’ve mastered the basics of cooking turkey breast in a slow cooker, try out these recipe ideas:
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Simple Herbed Turkey Breast – The basic recipe outlined above.
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Citrus Rosemary Turkey Breast – Turkey seasoned with lime, lemon, and rosemary.
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Cranberry Orange Turkey Breast – Turkey seasoned with cranberries and orange.
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BBQ Turkey Breast – Shredded turkey tossed in a homemade BBQ sauce.
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Turkey Breast with Gravy – Easy gravy made from the pan drippings.
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Leftover Turkey Sliders – Pile turkey on mini buns with cranberry sauce and stuffing.
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Turkey and Wild Rice Soup – Rich soup made with leftover turkey.
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Turkey Pot Pie – Comforting pot pie filling made with turkey breast.
With the simple method outlined above, you can easily make turkey breast in the slow cooker for holidays, weeknight meals, game day snacks, and more!
Why Should You Make Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
A slow cooker uses low heat to slowly cook turkey, letting the meat marinate and simmer in its own juices. Also, since a slow cooker does not release steam, it locks moisture inside the pot and meat to help deliver juicy turkey breasts.
Slow cooking bone-in turkey breast can take five to six hours, but the results are unbelievable – moist and tender turkey meat packed with flavor. Even better, the hands-off cooking process is so convenient. Just place the turkey breast inside the slow cooker, close the lid, set the cooker, and relax until the timer goes off.
Instant Pot® or Electric Pressure Cooker
Unlike a slow cooker, instant pots and electric pressure cookers, cook food quickly. Since these fast cookers lock in steam and cook food quickly, you can use them to make flavorful and moist turkey breasts. An Instant Pot® also has a slow cooker setting for cooking turkey breasts with low heat.
Learn more about how to cook turkey breast in an Instant Pot® or electric pressure cooker here.