Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is the PERFECT way to free up oven space during the holidays, made with a bone-in turkey breast seasoned with butter, herbs, and spices, then slow cooked until tender and juicy!

A cutting board with sliced turkey breast next to parsley and cranberries.

This is one of my favorite ways to make turkey on my Thanksgiving and Christmas menus, especially when it’s just my own family instead of a huge party. This cooking process makes everything so much easier for home cooks (and fewer dishes)! It’s definitely going to be your new favorite way to celebrate the holiday.

If you loved this recipe, you may also love my Roasted Spatchcock Turkey, or my Slow Cooker Spiral Ham. These both pair perfectly with my Gluten Free Stuffing!

Table of contents

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Insanely Juicy – The slow cooker is one of the best ways to keep moisture in while cooking, making this turkey breast insanely moist and juicy!

More Oven Space – The turkey usually takes up the most room in the oven, and using the crock pot frees up all of that space for side dishes.

Perfect for Small Gatherings – This is the perfect solution for smaller holiday gatherings, because you’ll get enough for about 6-8 people, or for 4 people plus leftovers.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Individual ingredients for slow cooker turkey breast on a table.

Turkey Breast. I used a 7 pound bone-in turkey breast for this recipe. You can use a smaller bird, but I wouldn’t go any larger. You want to make sure your bird fits comfortably in the slow cooker with the lid securely on.

This recipe also works for a boneless turkey breast, or the turkey breast with one side of the breast and a leg piece attached.

Onion. You can use a Vidalia onion, yellow onion, or white onion. The main reason we’re adding it is to raise the turkey up in the dish, and flavor the drippings.

Celery. This helps flavor the drippings, and also adds moisture in the slow cooker.

Butter. I’m using unsalted butter, so I can control the amount of salt in the final dish. We’re going to make a compound butter, which is butter mixed with herbs and spices.

Lemon. I like to mix some lemon in with the compound butter, to give it a fresh light flavor.

Garlic. Adding some fresh garlic to the compound butter helps add a ton of flavor.

The next best option is to use garlic powder (about 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder per garlic clove).

Herbs. The more fresh herbs you use, the better the flavor. I like to use fresh thyme and fresh parsley.

If you have dried herbs, you can use those instead. Use about 1/3 of the amount of fresh herbs.

Spices. I like to add some regular pantry spices that add a lot of flavor, like onion powder, paprika, dried sage, kosher salt, and black pepper. You can also make this even easier and just use Italian seasoning instead.

Kitchen Tools

For this recipe you’ll need a 6-7 quart slow cooker.

If you want to broil the turkey afterwards, you’ll also need either a casserole dish, dutch oven, or a baking sheet (to transfer the turkey to).

How to Make Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

A slow cooker with chopped celery, carrot, and onion in the bottom before being cooked.

Add the vegetables to the bottom of the slow cooker. Pat the turkey breast dry with a paper towel, and place the turkey breast-side-up into the slow cooker on top of the vegetables.

A food processor with whipped butter and fresh herbs.

In a food processor, add the butter, thyme, parsley, sage, and lemon juice. Pulse until everything is combined.

A slow cooker with a raw seasoned bone-in turkey breast resting on top of vegetables before being cooked.

Carefully use your hands to separate the skin from the breast meat, going slowly so you don’t tear the skin open. Separate the compound butter into two balls.

Take one ball and place it under the skin on one side of the turkey breast. Use your hand to press down, gently spreading the butter along the breast. Repeat on the other side.

Whisk together the olive oil and spices, and pour over the turkey breast. Use your hands to rub the seasoning over the entire turkey breast.

A slow cooker with a fully cooked turkey breast on top of vegetables and turkey drippings.

Close the lid of the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

A baking dish with a cooked bone-in turkey breast surrounded by carrot, celery, onion, and parsley.

Optionally, transfer the turkey breast to a baking dish and broil for 3-5 minutes, until golden brown on top. Rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Recipe Variations

  • Make this spicy with some red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or hot sauce in the seasoning mixture.
  • Try adding some chipotle seasoning, cajun seasoning, paprika, or chili powder to the compound butter for a smokey flavor.
  • Make a ranch turkey by mixing ranch seasoning in the butter and in the olive oil mix.
  • For an even easier dinner, add some baby potatoes to the bottom of the slow cooker with a few extra carrots.

Recipe Tip! If you want a golden brown turkey breast with crispy skin, after it’s fully cooked, transfer to a baking dish and broil for a few minutes. The broiling time isn’t enough to dry out the turkey breast, it just gives it some of that roasted flavor and caramelization!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to add liquid to the slow cooker when making turkey breast?

Unlike the Instant Pot, you don’t need to add any liquid to the slow cooker when making a whole turkey breast. We’re lifting the turkey up with vegetables to keep it from laying directly on the slow cooker, and it will release its own juices naturally while cooking. Save the liquid it releases to make gravy!

Recipe Tip! Remember to soften the butter before making the compound butter, which basically means bring it to room temperature about 20-30 minutes before cooking.

More Thanksgiving Recipes

Storage

Refrigerate leftover Thanksgiving turkey for 3-4 days in an airtight container.

Carve the turkey into pieces first, because a whole turkey may take too long to cool down in the refrigerator. You can read more about Thanksgiving food safety here.

Freeze turkey pieces for 2-3 months in a freezer-safe container.

Cooking Tips

  • Save the drippings on the bottom of the slow cooker to make turkey gravy. The vegetables and compound butter mix with the drippings to give you that traditional Thanksgiving flavor! Strain and combine it with some chicken broth in a saucepan on the stove, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of liquid, and extra herbs and seasonings.
  • Let the turkey rest for about 15 minutes before carving it, to help the juices redistribute into the meat.
  • If your turkey breast is on the smaller side, you can check the temperature with a meat thermometer after about 5 hours to see if it’s done.
  • Don’t open the slow cooker lid until the time is up. Every time you lift the lid, heat escapes and the cooking time increases.
  • The vegetables serve two purposes: To lift the turkey up, preventing the bottom from overcooking, and to season the broth from the juices the turkey releases while cooking.
  • A lot of turkey breasts come with gravy packets. I usually discard them and make my own from scratch. If you do use it, make sure it’s gluten free first.
A cutting board with sliced turkey breast next to parsley and cranberries, with a fork picking a piece up.

Tried this recipe? ⭐ Leave a review and share what worked best for you—your tips help other home cooks get the same delicious results!

A cutting board with sliced turkey breast next to parsley and cranberries.

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is the PERFECT way to free up oven space during the holidays, made with a bone-in turkey breast seasoned with butter, herbs, and spices, then slow cooked until tender and juicy!
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Author: Jacqui
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients
 
 

  • 6 pound bone-in turkey breast
  • 1 large Vidalia onion, quartered
  • 3 medium celery ribs, chopped
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled, chopped

Compound Butter

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground sage

Seasoning Rub

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Equipment

  • 1 6-7 quart slow cooker
  • 1 baking dish (if you want to broil it at the end)

Instructions
 

  • Add the vegetables to the bottom of the slow cooker. Pat the turkey breast dry with a paper towel, and place the turkey breast-side-up into the slow cooker on top of the vegetables.
  • In a food processor, add the butter, thyme, parsley, sage, and lemon juice. Pulse until everything is combined.
  • Carefully use your hands to separate the skin from the breast meat, going slowly so you don’t tear the skin open. Separate the compound butter into two balls.
  • Take one ball and place it under the skin on one side of the turkey breast. Use your hand to press down, gently spreading the butter along the breast. Repeat on the other side.
  • Whisk together the olive oil and spices, and pour over the turkey breast. Use your hands to rub the seasoning over the entire turkey breast.
  • Close the lid of the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
  • Optionally, transfer the turkey breast to a baking dish and broil for 3-5 minutes, until golden brown on top. Rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Notes

Click on the time in the instructions to start a timer! 
*The turkey will serve 6-8 people, depending on what else you serve. If you have a lot of sides, people will take less turkey, so it’ll feed more. 
*The nutrition information is a rough estimate, because the butter drips down into the drippings on the bottom of the slow cooker. 
Storage
Refrigerate for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
Carve the turkey into pieces first, because a whole turkey may take too long to cool down in the refrigerator. You can read more about Thanksgiving food safety here.
Freeze for 2-3 months in a freezer-safe container.
Cooking Tips
  • If you want a golden brown turkey breast with crispy skin, after it’s fully cooked, transfer to a baking dish and broil for a few minutes. The broiling time isn’t enough to dry out the turkey breast, it just gives it some of that roasted flavor and look!
  • Save the drippings on the bottom of the slow cooker to make turkey gravy. The vegetables and compound butter mix with the drippings to give you that traditional Thanksgiving flavor! 
  • Let the turkey rest for about 15 minutes before carving it, to help the juices redistribute into the meat.
  • If your turkey breast is on the smaller side, you can check the temperature with a meat thermometer after about 5 hours to see if it’s done.
  • Don’t open the slow cooker lid until the time is up. Every time you lift the lid, heat escapes and the cooking time increases.
  • A lot of turkey breasts come with gravy packets. I usually discard them and make my own from scratch. If you do use it, make sure it’s gluten free first.

Nutrition

Calories: 579kcal (29%)Carbohydrates: 9g (3%)Protein: 68g (136%)Fat: 32g (49%)Saturated Fat: 13g (81%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 212mg (71%)Sodium: 783mg (34%)Potassium: 151mg (4%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 3g (3%)Vitamin A: 4359IU (87%)Vitamin C: 5mg (6%)Calcium: 28mg (3%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
Did you make this recipe?Share it on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish and tag #dishingdelish!

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