This juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy is one of my favorite ways to make Thanksgiving dinner when I’m not cooking for a crowd.
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Recipe
This juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy is one of my favorite ways to make Thanksgiving dinner when I’m not cooking for a crowd. The turkey cooks low and slow until tender, and the flavorful cooking liquid makes the most delicious homemade gravy, all without brining or turning on the oven!
I love making turkey breast in the slow cooker because it frees up my oven for all the Thanksgiving side dishes. This recipe is perfect for a smaller holiday gathering, Sunday dinner, or anytime you’re craving turkey and gravy. And the leftovers make the best turkey sandwiches! If you’re looking for other ways to prepare turkey, try my Air Fryer Turkey Breast or Dry Brine Turkey.
This slow cooker turkey breast recipe is modified from the Slow Cooker Revolution Cookbook. It’s such a great base if you want to play around with the ingredients in this recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
I love making turkey breast in the slow cooker, especially for smaller Thanksgiving gatherings. It’s easy, comes out juicy and tender, and makes the most delicious homemade gravy!
- Easy to Make: Just 10 minutes of prep, then let the slow cooker do the work.
- Juicy and Tender: Cooking the turkey low and slow keeps the meat moist and flavorful.
- Homemade Gravy: The turkey drippings, vegetables, and herbs create a rich, flavorful gravy without using a packet.
- Frees Up Oven Space: Perfect for Thanksgiving when you need the oven for all your favorite side dishes.
- Great for Smaller Gatherings: Enjoy a delicious turkey dinner without roasting a whole bird.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this slow cooker turkey breast with gravy. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Turkey Breast: I use a 5-pound bone-in, skin-on turkey breast. The skin helps protect the meat while it cooks, and I remove it before serving.
- Butter or Olive Oil: For sautéing the vegetables.
- Vegetables: Onion, carrot, celery, and garlic add flavor to the turkey and gravy.
- Flour: Thickens the cooking liquid into a homemade gravy.
- Chicken Broth: Use low-sodium broth so you can control the salt.
- Water: Adds liquid for cooking the turkey.
- Dry White Wine: Adds depth to the gravy. I like Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay.
- Fresh Sage and Bay Leaves: Give the turkey and gravy that classic Thanksgiving flavor.
- Salt and Pepper: To season the turkey and gravy.
How to Cook Turkey Breast in a Slow Cooker
Making turkey breast in the Crock Pot is easy, and the best part is that the gravy cooks right along with it!
- Sauté the vegetables: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and cook until the onion softens, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Start the gravy: Stir in the flour and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Gradually stir in 1 cup of chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out the lumps. Transfer everything to the slow cooker.
- Add the flavorings: Stir in the remaining broth, water, white wine, fresh sage, and bay leaves.
- Add the turkey: Season the turkey breast with salt and pepper and place it skin side up in the slow cooker.
- Cook on LOW: Cover and cook for 5 to 7 hours, or until the thickest part of the turkey breast reaches 165°F.
- Rest the turkey: Transfer it to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving.
- Finish the gravy: Let the cooking liquid settle for 5 minutes, then skim off the fat. Strain it into a saucepan, discard the celery and bay leaves, and simmer for about 15 minutes until thickened. Season to taste.
- Serve: Remove the turkey skin, carve the breast, and serve with the homemade gravy.
How Long to Cook Turkey Breast in a Slow Cooker
A 5-pound bone-in turkey breast takes approximately 5 to 7 hours on LOW in the slow cooker. Mine was done in about 5 hours, but cooking times vary depending on your slow cooker and the size of the turkey breast. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. The thickest part should reach 165°F. Let it rest for 20 minutes before carving.
Tips for Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Turkey breast is lean, so the key to keeping it juicy is not overcooking it. Here are my best tips:
- Use a thawed turkey breast: Don’t put frozen turkey breast directly into the slow cooker. Thaw it completely in the refrigerator first.
- Cook on LOW: This is the setting I use for this recipe, and it gives the turkey time to cook gently.
- Keep the lid closed: Avoid lifting the lid unnecessarily, which lets heat escape and can extend the cooking time.
- Use a meat thermometer: Start checking toward the end of the cooking window so you don’t overcook the turkey.
- Let it rest before carving: Resting for 20 minutes helps keep the meat juicy.
- Remove the skin before serving: The skin won’t get crispy in the slow cooker, so I discard it before slicing.
Variations and Substitutions
- Boneless Turkey Breast: You can use a boneless breast, but the cooking time will be different. Check the internal temperature early to avoid overcooking.
- Crispy Skin: Slow cookers don’t produce crispy skin. If you’d like to brown it, transfer the cooked turkey to a broiler-safe pan and briefly broil it, watching carefully.
- No Wine: Replace the white wine with an equal amount of additional chicken broth.
- Different Herbs: Swap the sage for fresh thyme, rosemary, or poultry seasoning.
- Extra Vegetables: Add more carrots if you like.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of regular flour to thicken the gravy.
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
This turkey breast with gravy is delicious with all your favorite Thanksgiving sides. I love serving it with Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes to soak up the gravy, along with my Cranberry Pear Sauce and Mom’s Stuffing.
For vegetables, try my Roasted Green Beans, Spinach Gratin, or Roasted Baby Potatoes.
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Turkey Breast
Leftover turkey breast is great for sandwiches, salads, and easy meals throughout the week.
- Refrigerate: Store the cooked turkey and gravy in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.
- Freeze: Freeze sliced turkey with a little gravy or broth to help keep it moist for up to 3 months for best quality.
- Reheat: Warm the sliced turkey gently with a splash of broth or gravy, covered, until heated through to 165°F. Avoid overheating, which can dry out the meat.
More Turkey Recipes You’ll Love
If you love this easy slow cooker turkey breast, try some of my other favorite turkey recipes!
- Turkey Roulade
- Turkey Cutlets with Parmesan Crust
- Stuffed Turkey with Cranberries and Pecans
- Thanksgiving Turkey Meatballs
- Stuffed Turkey Breasts with Butternut Squash and Figs
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy
Equipment
- 6 quart Slow Cooker or larger
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium celery rib, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1/3 cup flour, or gluten-free flour
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 2 tbsp fresh sage
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 pound turkey breast, bone in, skin on (removed later), trimmed of fat
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Melt butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook until onion is soft, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in flour and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of broth and scrape up any browned bits and smooth out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker.
- Stir in remaining broth, water, wine, sage, and bay leaves into the slow cooker.
- Season turkey with salt and pepper, place skin side up in the slow cooker, cover and cook 5 to 7 hours on low, or until the turkey reaches 165 degrees with an instant-read thermometer
- Transfer turkey to a cutting board tent loosely with foil and let it rest 20 minutes.
- Let braising liquid settle for 5 minutes, then remove the fat from the surface using a large spoon or a gravy fat separator.
- Strain braising liquid into saucepan, discard celery, bay leaves and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Discard the skin and carve the turkey and serve with gravy.