Tender Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Recipe - Oh Sweet Basil (2024)

Slow cooker turkey breast that is tender, juicy and so full of flavor! Plus, it frees up your oven for baking rolls and Thanksgiving sides! And the drippings make the most amazing gravy…drooling!

We don’t live by a lot of family so we’ve learned how to make awesome, perfectly moist turkey without roasting a whole bird since our family of 5 just can’t eat an entire turkey.

As time has gone on, we have realized so many people just want a perfectly juicy breast no matter how many people are coming so a slow cooker turkey recipe was a must!

A turkey breast recipe just doesn’t get any easier than this! The slow cooker does all the work for you, and then you can crisp it up in the broiler afterward to get that golden crispy skin.

It starts with a 24 hour brine, and then a delicious herb compound butter is added. It cooks in the slow cooker for 8 hours, and you’re ready for turkey time! Tender, juicy, moist and flavorful turkey you can make any time of year!

There’s no need to wait for Thanksgiving to serve up delicious turkey breast for dinner, especially when it is this easy to make! I’m on a campaign to make slow cooker turkey breast a regular Sunday meal!

Turkey Basics

Before we jump in to making this slow cooker turkey, I want to cover a few of the basics:

• A frozen turkey will need thaw 24 hours per every 5 pounds.
• Safe internal temperature for a turkey is 175 degrees F the thigh and 165 degrees F in the breast.

So let’s assume you are going to roast a 6 pound turkey breast that is frozen when you purchase it and you want to have your meal on Thursday afternoon. Here is your brief timeline:

• Remove turkey from freezer to thaw in the fridge: 2 1/2 days ahead of time (Tuesday morning – Wednesday morning)
• Brine: 24 hours (Wednesday morning – early Thursday morning)
• Turkey in slow cooker: 8 hours
• Turkey crisps in broiler: 5 minutes
• Turkey rests: 15 minutes

Now you are ready to carve that bird and eat up!

How to Make Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

Brine

The brine is used to lock flavor and moisture into the turkey. A few simple ingredients will give you the best flavor:

• Apple cider
• Water
• Brown sugar
• Kosher salt
• Bay leaves
• Garlic cloves
• Fresh rosemary
• Orange peel
• Lemon peel

Grab a large stock pot and put all the ingredients into the pot. Stir everything together until the sugar and salt dissolve. Place the turkey carefully into the brine, put the lid on the pot, and set it in the refrigerator for 24 hours. You will want a bone-in, skin-on turkey breast. We like to look for about a 6 pound turkey to feed our crew (see FAQ section below for help on selecting what size turkey you need for your gathering).

Butter

When the turkey has brined for 24 hours, pull the turkey out and pat it dry. Then get to work on the herb butter. You’re going to need some jarred seasonings, some fresh herbs, and butter of course!

• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Smoked paprika
• Thyme (fresh)
• Sage (fresh)
• Rosemary (fresh)
• Savory (fresh)
• Kosher salt
• And…BUTTER!!

Mix the butter and all the seasonings and herbs together in a bowl. Then spread the herb butter all over the bird under skin and all over on top of the skin too.

Slow Cooker

Place the buttered turkey into the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. That’s it! It is really that easy! Check the internal temperature of the turkey after the 8 hours. You want an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit for safe eating.

Broil

After the bird has reached temperature, move it to a baking sheet and stick it in the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the skin. You’ll be surprised how browned it gets just in the slow cooker, but if you’re like me, you need that crispy skin! Let it rest for 10-15 minutes and then slice and serve!

Tips for Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

• Type of turkey – you want a bone-in, skin-on turkey breast for the best result and best flavor.
• Size – consider the size of the crowd you will be feeding and then plan on 1lb/person
• Rub – butter + seasonings + fresh herbs (see section above for details)
• How long to cook – for a 6lb bird, you’ll want about 8 hours on low, bigger will need a little longer, smaller a little less
• Tell when done – you will know when your turkey is done when the internal temperature is 165 degrees
• Crispy skin – stick the cooked turkey under the broiler for a few minute to crisp up the skin
• Gravy – the drippings from the turkey make the best gravy ever! Pour the drippings into a fat separator, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a skillet, then whisk in 4 tablespoons of flour until thick and smooth. Add 1 cup of the separated drippings and whisk until the gravy forms.

What to Eat with Slow Cooker Turkey Breast?

I’m going to try to stay focused here because turkey sides are just about my most favorite things ever. Your oven is totally free because your turkey is in the slow cooker, so get some classic green bean casserole going in the oven and our sweet potato souffle. You can also whip up a batch of perfectly mashed potatoes, and then bake the potato rolls last so they are nice and warm for serving!

Let’s not forget the pie! Pecan pie, classic pumpkin pie and razzleberry pie are all must haves for me!

If these aren’t cutting it for you, head to all our Thanksgiving recipes to find anything you need!

If slow cooker turkey isn’t what you are after, try our turkey in a bowl, instant pot turkey breast, herb roasted turkey breast or apple pecan smoked turkey! All epic-ly delicious in their own ways and for different reasons!

Slow cooker turkey breast is fool-proof, always perfect, and so juicy and tender! Your guests will think you spent hours prepping, basting and roasting, when all you spent was a few minutes making a brine and herb butter! Try it! You’re going to love it!

More Turkey Recipes You’ll Love:

• Deep Fried Turkey
• Turkey in a Bowl
• Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
• Turkey Pot Pie Soup
• The Ultimate Leftover Turkey Club
• Award Winning Instant Pot Turkey
• Thanksgiving Leftovers Turkey Tetrazzini
• Apple Pecan Smoked Turkey Breast

Sides for Turkey

• Green Beans and Potatoes
• Cheesy Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Butternut Squash Kale Salad

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