Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- Featured Comment
- REASONS TO MAKE SLOW COOKER TURKEY BREAST
- WHAT ARE TURKEY BREAST HALVES
- Also known as a split turkey breast.
- TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SUCCESS
- WHAT TO SERVE WITH TURKEY BREAST
- TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE
- SLOW COOKER TURKEY BREAST: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Recipe
- Ingredients
- Equipment
- Instructions
Moist, tender, perfectly seasoned crockpot turkey. No oven space. Includes THE BEST turkey gravy using drippings!
Featured Comment
REASONS TO MAKE SLOW COOKER TURKEY BREAST
- Saves on oven space. Cooking a holiday meal can be stressful! Between all the side dishes that need to be prepped and warmed in the oven and the constant basting of your turkey, there’s a lot happening in the kitchen. But the turkey can be one less thing to worry about this year – and it frees up all the oven real estate.
- Juiciest and tender meat. With its long, low-heat cook and covered (and also very forgiving) environment, the turkey slowly simmers in its juices, preventing the lean turkey meat from drying out, and yielding a very, very juicy turkey breast and turkey meat that is exceptionally tender.
- Scaled-down turkey dinner. Skipping a big holiday gathering this year? Need extra turkey to complement your big bird? This no-fuss turkey breast is here for you.
- Great any time of year. Turkey breast is not just for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. With its hands-off, super easy approach, this can be made any time, even those super busy weeknights!
- Uses up all those juicy drippings. All those leftover drippings are used for the most flavorful turkey gravy for serving.
WHAT ARE TURKEY BREAST HALVES
Also known as a split turkey breast.
This is simply half of a whole turkey breast, typically sold with skin-on. The smaller portion makes it ideal for a scaled down turkey meal, and more manageable pieces to cook with.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SUCCESS
- Use the right size crockpot. A 6-qt slow cooker, or bigger, is ideal for this recipe. The turkey breast halves may not fit in anything smaller.
- Thaw the turkey breast. If using frozen turkey breast halves, allow 24 hours to thaw completely in the fridge or 1-2 hours in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes.
- Use your favorite seasoning combination. Dried herbs, fresh herbs, paprika, poultry seasoning, onion powder and garlic powder are all great options.
- Choose a wine you will drink. A dry white wine (pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc) is great here – it does not have to be anything fancy or overpriced. Just something you don’t mind sipping on since you will have an open bottle.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. Check your turkey breast halfway through cooking, around 2 1/2 hours, inserting through the thickest part of the breast but avoiding the bone. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Crisp the skin. This is completely optional but you can also choose to crisp the skin under the broiler for a few minutes. Not a fan of the skin? You can remove it altogether!
- Let your bird rest. Let your turkey breast rest for at least 15-20 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH TURKEY BREAST
- Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Skillet Buttermilk Biscuits
- Sheet Pan Scalloped Potatoes
- Instant Pot Sweet Potato Casserole
- Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Fried Shallots
TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE
6-qt slow cooker
SLOW COOKER TURKEY BREAST: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
To defrost boneless turkey breast halves in the refrigerator, we recommend allowing 24 hours to thaw.
Additional chicken stock can be used for white wine as a non-alcoholic substitute.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
We have a recipe for roasted turkey breast here.
Recipe
Yield: 8 servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours
Ingredients
Equipment
Slow Cooker
Instructions
1. In a small bowl, combine paprika, thyme, poultry seasoning, onion powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper.
2. Place onion and celery into a 6-qt slow cooker; add chicken stock and wine.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Strain slow cooker drippings through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids.
6. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
7. Gradually whisk in pan drippings. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5-10 minutes.
8. Serve turkey immediately with gravy.
Thank you for an amazing recipe that I will use every Thanksgiving from now on (and maybe even on an ordinary weeknight!)