Juicy Crockpot Turkey Breast (with Easy Gravy!)

This Crockpot Turkey Breast is so juicy and delicious! It’s simple to prepare in the crockpot and is perfect for when you don’t want to make a whole turkey. It’s coated in a garlic herb butter for maximum flavor and is perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner!

For more Easy Thanksgiving Recipes, be sure to check out my Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes, Sweet Potato Soufflé, and Apple Sausage Stuffing.

If you’re looking for an easier method for cooking your Thanksgiving turkey, then this Crockpot Turkey Breast recipe is for you.

I love making a turkey breast because it’s much less work than making a whole bird. Plus when you make your turkey breast in the crockpot, the meat comes out juicy every single time, unlike the oven which can sometimes produce a dry turkey.

Plus if you’re making this easy crockpot turkey breast for your Christmas or Thanksgiving meal, then you’ll probably need all the oven space you can get for your sides and pies (here’s looking at you Chocolate Pecan Pie!) So, using your slow cooker to make the turkey is a win win!

And don’t forget the delicious, and super easy homemade gravy you can whip up with the turkey drippings. It’s so good, you’ll want to eat it with a spoon! The recipe for that is included, too!

Ingredients for Crockpot Turkey Breast

• Bone-in turkey breast – look for a turkey breast that is about 6-7 pounds. I like to use a bone-in turkey breast because it comes out tender and super flavorful and creates enough turkey drippings to make a delicious gravy! Make sure your turkey breast is completely thawed before cooking.
• Onion – one large yellow or sweet onion cut into chunks creates the base for the turkey breast to sit on in the crockpot. It adds a lot of flavor to the turkey and also the drippings for the gravy.
• Dry spices – you will use a combination of poultry seasoning, salt, and black pepper for seasoning the turkey.
• Fresh herbs – I like to use sage, rosemary, and thyme for making the herb butter.
• Butter – you will only need about 1/4 cup (1/2 a stick) of unsalted butter softened to room temperature. This will be used for making an herb butter to rub both under and on top of the turkey skin.
• Garlic – a couple cloves of freshly minced garlic adds great flavor to the herb butter.
• Flour – if you’re making gravy from the turkey drippings (which I hightly recommend; it’s so good!), then you will need a small amount of all purpose flour to thicken the gravy.
• Chicken stock – you will ONLY need this if your turkey drippings are less than 2 cups. When I cook a 6-7 pound turkey breast, I usually end up with plenty of drippings and don’t need the stock.

A full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions are located in the recipe card below.

How to Make Juicy Turkey Breast in the Crockpot – Step by Step

Step 1: Use paper towels to thoroughly pat dry the thawed turkey breast. Combine spice rub ingredients in a small bowl. Combine the herb butter ingredients in a separate small bowl. Loosen skin from the breast meat of the turkey by running a small spatula gently underneath the skin. Spread about half of the herb butter underneath the skin on the breast. Use your fingers to smush it around on top of the skin. Rub the remaining butter mixture all over the outside of the entire turkey and on top of the skin. 

Step 2: Generously sprinkle more of the seasoning mix over the buttered turkey. 

Step 3: Place the onion wedges in the bottom of the crockpot, and then place the prepared turkey on top.

Step 4: Cover the crockpot and cook on low heat until a meat thermometer inserted into the breast meat reaches an internal temperature of 160-165 degrees F, about 4-6 hours. You can also cook on high heat for 3-4 hours. When the turkey is done cooking, follow instructions in the recipe card below for crisping the turkey skin using your oven broiler.

Step 5: To make the gravy, strain the drippings (excluding the onions) from the crockpot into a liquid measuring cup using a mesh strainer.

Step 6: In a small saucepan, melt ¼ cup (½ stick) of unsalted butter over medium low heat. Whisk in ¼ cup all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute.

Step 7: Slowly pour the turkey drippings while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook until simmering and thickened. Taste, and add salt and pepper to taste if necessary.

Step 8: Serve immediately with the sliced turkey.

Tips and Notes

• Thaw your bird – make sure to use a completely thawed turkey breast. Most bone-in turkey breasts are sold frozen a the grocery store, so make sure you allow enough time for your bird to thaw before slow cooking. A frozen turkey breast that weighs about 6-7 pounds will need about two whole days to thaw in the fridge.
• The size of your slow cooker is important when cooking a turkey breast. I used a 6 quart slow cooker to make my seven pound bird and it fit just fine with the lid on top. You might need to turn your turkey around to fit inside of your crockpot and you can always lay a large sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the crockpot so that it overhangs the sides. Tuck the aluminum foil around the sides of  the crockpot and cover with the lid to help keep the heat inside of the pot.
• The forgiving nature of the crockpot – don’t stress if you leave your turkey breast in the crockpot for a little longer than the recipe calls for. The moist cooking environment that the slow cooker creates will yield a super tender turkey breast, even if you have to leave it an hour or so longer than needed. This is why I love to make it this way as opposed to the oven, which can dry out the breast meat.
• Rest before slicing – make sure to allow your turkey breast to rest for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing. This allows the turkey to absorb all of its own juices as it cools, as opposed to leaking out as you cut the meat.
• Don’t skip the gravy! Homemade gravy is super easy to make with the drippings from the turkey and is the finishing touch! We love it over mashed potatoes, too!
• Store any leftover turkey in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Also, be sure to check out some of my favorite ways to use up leftovers below!

What to do with Leftover Turkey

There are so many things you can do with leftover turkey! While making a killer turkey sandwich is one of them, I love to amp it up a bit and make turkey sliders with cranberry sauce instead! I also like to use leftover turkey in place of the chicken in my Chicken Cobbler or Chicken Pot Pie with Crescent Roll Crust.

For something a little different, try my Turkey Bolognese. It’s so delicious and is something I look forward to making every year with Thanksgiving leftovers! 

​Serving Suggestions

While your crockpot turkey breast might be the main attraction at your holiday meal, the sides are just as important (if not more so, in my opinion!) My favorites that I make EVERY year include Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole, Apple Sausage Stuffing, and Smothered Green Beans. 

And don’t forget the desserts! Pumpkin Pie in a Cup is my kids’ favorite Thanksgiving dessert. We are also huge fans of Pecan Pie Cheesecake and my super popular Apple Crisp!

FAQs

If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I love to hear from you and always appreciate your feedback!