This Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is without a doubt, this is the easiest, safest and tastiest way to cook turkey breast without brining. It’s moist and juicy, takes 3 minutes to prepare, then just leave it to cook in your slow cooker (crock pot). Then use the juices to make a killer gravy!
Even if you’re a first timer, you can have confidence in this turkey breast recipe. It’s a 5 star reader favourite with over a thousand glowing reviews!
Slow cooker turkey breast
Turkey breast is notoriously lean so the only way to guarantee it comes out juicy if you roast it in the oven is to brine it. If you don’t brine it, then even if you use a meat thermometer, it is extremely difficult to roast the turkey breast perfectly.
I created this Slow Cooker Turkey Breast after trying a handful of recipes for turkey breast and being disappointed by the bland looking skin, dry meat and mediocre gravy. So I tossed out everything I’d read and decided to come up with my own version using a slow cooker. This is by far the juiciest turkey breast I’ve ever had – without brining. And my friends agreed!
It’s almost magical how a recipe this simple can yield such extraordinary results. Moist turkey with incredible flavour and a gravy that’s off the charts!
How long to cook turkey breast in the slow cooker
A 2 kg / 4 l2b turkey breast will take 5 to 6 hours on LOW in a slow cooker. Check the internal temperature at 5 hours. See recipe notes for cook times for other sizes.
How to make slow cooker turkey breast
I promised you easy – and easy it is! Here’s how it goes down:
Slather turkey with a simple magical rub;
Place in a slow cooker on a bed of onion and garlic (these flavour the juices that comes out of the turkey and forms the basis for the gravy + keeps turkey elevated out of liquid while slow cooking);
Slow cook for 5 to 6 hours;
Briefly broil/grill or bake to crisp the skin; then
Use slow cooker juices to make a killer gravy. It’s incredible because it’s essentially made with the best homemade stock – the turkey juices!
PS That’s a multi function cooker you see. I use the slow cooker function for this recipe.
⚖️ Automatic recipe scaler ⚖️
Click or tap on Servings on the recipe. Then slide until the turkey reaches the weight of your turkey. It will change all the ingredient quantities for you! Then refer to the recipe notes for the right cook time for your turkey.
Slow cooker turkey breast tips!
Type of turkey breast – bone in or boneless turkey breast is fine. Skin on is recommended because the fat under the skin melts while the turkey is cooking and it bastes the turkey (helps with flavour and moisture). Also skin is required to get that lovely browned seasoned crust you see in the photos.
Single or double breast? Either is fine. These photos show a single turkey breast. See here for what a double turkey breast looks like (on the bone, also called a turkey buffe or turkey crown)
What size? Turkey breast differ drastically in size – they can range from 1.5/3lb to over 5kg/10lb! The beauty of this recipe is that it will work for any turkey breast size – as long as it fits in your slow cooker! Note the different cook times in the recipe.
A great rub goes a long way with turkey breast! It not only adds flavour, it seasons the broth and it gives the turkey breast great colour!
How long to cook turkey breast in the slow cooker – A 2 kg / 4 lb turkey breast will take about 5 to 6 hours on LOW in a slow cooker. See recipe notes for cook times for other sizes.
How to tell when turkey breast is done – When the internal temperature is 165F / 75C. That’s optimum perfectly-cooked juiciness, allowing for a slight temperature increase while the turkey rests.
Elevate the turkey breast with a halved garlic and onion to ensure even cooking because otherwise the breast will be half submerged and poaching in liquid (you will be amazed how much liquid the breast leeches while cooking)
Crisp the skin under the broiler. The extra flavour you get is worth it – and it only takes a few minutes
Use slow cooker juices for GRAVY – the turkey juices are loaded with flavour and are the best broth ever to make an absolute killer gravy!
Slow Cooking is FORGIVING! Because of the low temperature, there’s far less risk of drying out the turkey from overcooking. So even if the turkey is in the slow cooker for 1 or 2 hours longer than necessary, it will still be lovely. Plus – speaking really frankly – that gravy can save anything. ANYTHING!
Prefer ROASTED turkey breast? Use this Garlic Herb Butter Roasted Turkey Breast.
What to serve with turkey
Turkey breast is more often than not a centrepiece for holiday feasting in many households around the world. So with this in mind, here are some side dish suggestions for Thanksgiving and Christmas menus!
And you might also find these helpful: Thanksgiving recipe index and Easy Thanksgiving Menu suggestions
Traditional Thanksgiving sides for turkey
Christmas side suggestions
A safe recipe – even for first timers
I know it can be nerve racking, trying a new recipe – especially you’re new to cooking, and it’s a centrepiece for Thanksgiving or Christmas!
But you can have Confidence in this Slow Cooker Turkey Breast recipe. It’s been viewed over 8 million times since I first published, there’s over a thousand fantastic reviews, it’s a simple recipe and there’s a recipe video below to guide you through it step by step.
Slow cookers are an extremely forgiving way to cook lean proteins because they use such a low heat so there’s a much bigger window in which the turkey is perfectly cooked (as in, 2 hours or so) compared to the oven (less than 20 minutes from perfect to overcooked-dry).
And in all honesty – worst case? Your turkey goes a bit over and it’s not quite as juicy as you hoped. Of course, I’m doing everything in my power to help avoid this – including sending over virtual positive vibes.😂
But if it does – don’t fret! That Turkey Gravy is so insanely good, it will totally make up for it! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
SLOW COOKER: Many people have said that my slow cooker looks like a pressure cooker. They are actually correct, it is a slow cooker and pressure cooker in one (but no, it is not an Instant Pot). It is called a Breville Fast-Slow Cooker (it’s an Australian product). I use the slow cooker function for this recipe.
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Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 2 kg / 4 lb turkey breast, skin on, bone in or boneless (if using frozen, thaw it) (Note 1)
- 1 head of garlic, cut in half horizontally
- 1 onion (brown, yellow or white), unpeeled, cut in half
- 5 sprigs of thyme (or 2 tsp dried thyme leaves)
Rub
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 5 grinds of black pepper
- 1 1/2 – 2 tbsp olive oil
Gravy
- Chicken stock/broth (or water), for topping up liquid (see Gravy step 1)
- 4 tbsp / 50g butter
- 1/4 cup / 35g flour
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place Rub ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine, it should be a wet paste.
- Pat the turkey dry all over with paper towels. Slather with the Rub, using most for the side and top.
- Place the garlic, onion and thyme face down in the slow cooker. Place the turkey breast on top so it is elevated.
- Slow Cook on LOW for 6 hours (do not use high) or until internal temperature reads 165F/75C when thermometer is inserted into the middle. Check internal temperature at 5 hours if you can. (To roast, follow this recipe).
- Remove turkey from the slow cooker (do not leave in slow cooker on Warm setting) and let it rest for 20 minutes before crisping the skin.
Crisp the Skin
- Preheat gril/broiler to high.
- Place an oven shelf 30cm / 1 foot from the heat source.
- Remove turkey breast from the slow cooker into a heatproof serving dish.
- Place on the oven shelf and broil for 3 to 5 minutes until the skin is crispy. Keep an eye on it – it browns very quickly!
- Serve immediately with gravy on the side.
Gravy
- Strain the liquid into a measuring jug, squishing the garlic etc to extract all the flavour. If you are short of 2 cups, top up with chicken broth (I usually get 2 cups of liquid from a 4 lb / 2 kg turkey breast).
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and mix to combine. Pour about 1/2 cup of liquid into the flour mixture and mix until it forms a paste. Slowly add remaining liquid, stirring as your go. Use a whisk if required to make the gravy smooth. Simmer until thickened – take it off before it is as thick as you want because it will continue to thicken.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with turkey.
Recipe Notes:
- 1 kg / 2 lb: 4 – 5 hours on low
- 2 – 3 kg / 4 – 6 lb: 5 – 6 hours on low
- 4 kg / 8 lb: 6 – 7 hours on low (see 8 June ’17 report from reader Tony)
- 5 kg / 10 lb: 8 – 9 hours on low
Nutrition Information:
Originally published November 2016. Updated for some housekeeping November 2019 – no change to recipe.
Life of Dozer
This is what a turkey coma looks like.
I ended up doing a combination of your rub for slow cooking the turkey and the garlic butter (long story) but the combination worked really well and the turkey was fantastic and so easy. Thank you, Nagi
Hallelujah Nagi! This is hands down the best turkey I’ve had in all my 70 years. My daughter cooked this for Xmas lunch and as I don’t have a slow cooker – wondering how to adapt this for slow cook in the oven – temperature, length of cooking etc.
we have been following your blog/ cook book for years and we call you Princess Nagi in our family. Thanks so much.
YES!!! I’m so glad to hear that Helen, thank you for letting me know!! I’m not sure about the oven, I haven’t done a slow roasted turkey breast. But I love the idea of it! Maybe that will be the one I do next year!! N x
I always do a turkey buffe slow cooked in the oven. I slather with garlic herb butter and put some under the skin. Then I wrap in prosciutto. Wine and stock in bottom of pan and covered with foil. I remove the foil and prosciutto towards the end to crisp it up.
Made this for Christmas. Best turkey ever, juicy, flavored perfectly, so easy and tasted so good.
Frankly, I don’t like turkey because it is always too dry, but my son loves it. They were on sale after Thanksgiving, so I bought a breast to make for Christmas. I decided that the crockpot would be the only way, and your recipe was first to pop up. Will be giving it a stab tomorrow, but I do plan to put potatoes beneath the turkey. The turkey will lend its flavor to the mash that I will make, so I won’t have to add any juices when I make the mash (which is usually what I do anytime I make mashed potatoes… it always ties those flavors together). Will also be trying that leftover turkey pot pie recipe in the days following… that is if my family leaves any.
Thanks in advance!
Made this tonight for a pre-Christmas gathering. It was absolutely delicious. So much better than roasted in the oven. I used a 2.6 kg turkey buffe and it fitted in my big instant pot. Took about 5 and a half hours. Did the gravy too and it turned out perfect. Thanks Nagi – you’re awesome
Hi just wondering if anyone has made this ahead without crisping the skin? Want to make it on Christmas eve to take cold on Christmas day!
Can you add carrots and potatoes to the crockpot?
Hi Nagi I have cooked yr slow cook chicken recipe several times and it is lush! I have a 2.5k boneless turkey breast crown rolled which is covered in streaky bacon. Could I still use this method in slow cooker and crisp up in oven for short while . ? Also can I still use juice as gravy as streaky bacon has a lot of fat?? Many thanks
Stellar! Like seriously the best turkey we’ve ever had! Who knew? Added lemon to the bottom of the crockpot, along with the garlic,onion, and thyme, and the gravy was spectacular!
Hi, can I use this method if the turkey breast is pre-stuffed from my butcher? Thanks
Too bad all your friends were contacted by you to respond on Nov 26th-28th.Dishonest is being nice
Our Thanksgiving trip was cancelled a day before we were to leave. I found this recipe, and it was SO good – tender and juicy. We didn’t have much skin on the breast, so we didn’t crisp it, but it was delicious! Thank you for the great recipe.
I made this with a 9# turkey breast, slow-cooked for 6.5 hours. It was moist and delicious! Will definitely do this again- so easy. The gravy was good, too. I did not brown the skin as we don’t eat it.
Turkey breast was moist and delicious.. easiest way to get thanksgiving meat on table. Pushing the garlic through the sieve to create gravy proved to make a gravy that was too garlic heavy for 3/4 of the guests – even garlic lovers. I will add celery to the onion and half the garlic for the gravy portion- everyone tastes differ. What does not change is this very easy method to cook a turkey breast and actually get moist, tasty meat. Thanks so much
Nagi never disappoints! This turned out perfectly for our small Thanksgiving. Delicious, moist turkey with even more amazing gravy! Best part is I didn’t need an oven (I skipped the last step of crisping the skin) and everyone loved it!
Great recipe. I added a sprig of rosemary too and it came out so moist, juicy and delicious as you stated it would. Saving the recipe to make again!
I made this today and I’m disappointed. I used a 4.5 lb bone-in breast and it basically shredded as I cut it. I think it will make good shredded Turkey sandwiches (if I can figure out how to make them). It’s not what I was expecting or wanted though. The flavor is good, but you can barely tell it’s even Turkey breast. Is this normal or did it go wrong?? Could it be because of the bones? The gravy tastes amazing, but is thinner than I like. I tend to have bad results with crockpot recipes 😞
I have two possible reasons for this: 1. the turkey was over cooked; 2. the turkey was carved against the grain. Set the turkey with the breast up and slice down from the top. There are probably turkey carving videos on YouTube if you’ve never done it before. I practically shredded my turkey the first time I tried!
Cooked this with some rosemary from my patio and the turkey came out moist and flavorful. I cooked from frozen so it took awhile, but it’s much more moist than it’d be in the oven. Remove herbs before broiling so you don’t start a fire. Will probably use this again for xmas. 🙂
OMG! This is the most AMAZING turkey breast ever!!! Nagi…you are the BOMB!! This frees up my oven for my stuffing and roasted carrots. Could not believe the amount of juice from this 6lb turkey breast!! I rested it on garlic, onion & celery stalks. Was done in 5hrs on low! Used a boneSo simple & so moist!! This recipe is a keeper for me & hubby! Thx so much for sharing! Make this…you can’t go wrong!
I used a lemon herb butter as a rub that I found at our local Grocery Outlet and it worked great. The turkey breast came out supper moist and the gravy is really good.