This Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is a show stopper that’s bursting with buttery garlic-herb flavours, an outrageous super crispy skin and a Garlic Butter Gravy that’s absolutely to-die for!
Slow cooking is without question the safest and easiest way to cook turkey breast without brining or marinating. The flesh is juicy, it’s completely hands off, and it’s a forgiving recipe. And it’s ideal to prep ahead!
Slow Cooker turkey breast
This is the slow cooker version of last years’ Roasted Garlic Herb Butter Turkey Breast. The slow cooker option was in such high demand, I ended up creating it and cramming the recipe in the notes, putting it in the running for the world’s longest recipe directions.
And as Christmas and Thanksgiving approaches for another year, I finally got my butt into gear and filmed the slow cooker version properly so I could share it with you.
So it’s here. Garlic Herb SLOW COOKER Turkey Breast. Just 12 months after it was originally requested!!😂
This is what you get with this recipe
✅ Easy, forgiving recipe made in the slow cooker, freeing up your oven for other things;
✅ Juicy flesh – no dry turkey breast around here! Proof -> see reader feedback on the classic Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast, there’s plenty! This Garlic Herb Turkey Breast uses the same cooking technique;
✅ Garlic-Herb-Butter flavour – all that flavour slathered under the skin so it drips down and bastes the turkey while it’s cooking…..
✅ Crispy skin – you are going to be BLOWN AWAY how crispy the skin is! It’s way crispier than traditional roasted turkey – and it stays crispy. It takes mere minutes under the grill/broiler just before serving!
✅ Garlic Butter Gravy – As if all that’s not enough, we’re topping all that off with the most incredible gravy… The favour in that gravy is outrageous. OUTRAGEOUS! It’s buttery, garlicky, a bit herby, but mostly it’s the turkey juices. You will be amazed how much juice comes out of the turkey!
Garlic Herb Butter for Slow Cooker turkey breast
The garlic-butter slather is the key flavour base for this recipe. Lots of butter, lots of garlic, plus herbs of choice – fresh or dried.
Fresh herbs are extra great so try to get at least one if not two fresh herbs if you can. I’ve used thyme, sage, parsley and rosemary – the dried version of all of these are great too.
Slather everywhere!
Get that butter all over the turkey, in all the crevices and folds, but most of all, get it under the skin. This is where you get the most mileage out of the butter because it’s trapped between the skin and the flesh so while some drips down the turkey while it cooks, some of it also stays under the skin.
Just imagine all the good things happening during all those hours while it slow cooks!!
You’re going to cop a great eyeful of my unmistakable hands in the recipe video doing all the slathering action. No cheeky comments! 😂
Tip to loosen skin
Use an upside down tablespoon. Perfect shape to hug the curves and avoids piercing skin.
Cooking turkey breast in slow cooker (crockpot)
I like to place the turkey breast on top of a halved onion and head of garlic. This serves two purposes:
1. Elevates the turkey breast so it doesn’t braise in its own juices (cooks faster, can dry it out); and
2. Infuses the liquid from the turkey with extra flavour which is used to make the amazing garlic butter gravy.
Slow cook for 6 hours on LOW, but to be on the safe side, check the internal temperature at 5 hours. Variables such as how chilled the centre of your turkey is, the strength of your slow cooker, thickness of the breast can all affect how long it takes.
Internal temperature of cooked turkey
75C / 165F using a meat thermometer inserted into the centre of the turkey breast.
A MEAT THERMOMETER IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Even a cheap one from Ebay or Kmart. It’s a very worthwhile investment – and will take the guesswork out of cooking.
It’s especially important for things like turkey breast which are lean and prone to drying out when overcooked.
Crisp the skin – don’t skip this!
This is an essential step and it’s the crowning glory of this Slow Cooker Turkey Breast. Just pop the turkey under the grill/broiler for a mere 5 minutes, and watch with amazement how the pale, unappetising looking skin transforms into a deeply bronzed, ultra crispy skin…
DOESN’T THIS LOOK AMAZING??!! And don’t forget there’s GARLIC-HERB-BUTTER UNDER THE SKIN!!
*Sorry for shouting, just overly excited*
I know I said the crispy skin is the crowning glory, but I forgot – there’s another one:
The turkey garlic butter gravy
All those flavours from the Garlic-Herb-Butter we slathered on the turkey, mingling with the juices from the turkey with the added flavour from the onion and garlic on the base of the slow cooker….
It’s a gravy unlike any other!!
What to serve with turkey
Turkey breast is more often than not a centrepiece for holiday feasting such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here are some traditional and some of my personal favourite side dish suggestions!
Thanksgiving sides for turkey
Christmas sides for turkey
DON’T STRESS. This is a forgiving recipe!
Turkey breast has a reputation for being notoriously difficult to cook because it’s so lean, so it can go from perfectly juicy to dry in a flash in the oven. You don’t need to stress about precise timing in this recipe because slow cookers are far more forgiving than ovens because they cook at such a low temp – PLUS we’re adding (plenty!) of fat into this recipe with the butter.
One or two hours over, and the turkey breast will still be juicy.
But if you do accidentally overcook it slightly, don’t fret. Slice the turkey thinly and pass around plenty of that fabulous Garlic Butter Gravy, and I bet no one even notices!!! ~ Nagi x
PS For neatly categorised Thanksgiving recipes, head here!
More turkey recipes
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
It is quite ridiculous how small my hands look compared to that GIANT turkey breast! 😂
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Garlic Herb Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 2.5 - 3 kg / 5-6 lb single turkey breast , skin on, bone in (Note 1), NOT BRINED
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- 1 brown onion , halved
- 1 head of garlic , halved horizontally
- 3 sprigs rosemary, 8 sprigs thyme (optional)
- Oil , for drizzling (for skin)
Garlic Herb Butter (Note 2):
- 150 g / 10 tbsp unsalted butter , softened
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 large garlic cloves , minced
- 1 tbsp EACH finely chopped fresh sage, rosemary leaves, thyme leaves and parsley , fresh
Garlic Butter Gravy:
- Chicken broth/stock, for topping up (if required)
- 1/3 cup / 50g flour
- 1/2 tsp + dark soy sauce (or gravy colouring) (Note 3)
Instructions
- Garlic Herb Butter: Mix ingredients together.
- Loosen skin (video helpful): Pat breast dry. Use small knife to cut slit on one side to separate skin from flesh. Slide upside tablespoon between flesh and skin, all over turkey.
- Slather: Slather about 2/3 of the butter under the skin, then the remaining all over the surface including underside.
- Season skin: Sprinkle surface with 1/2 tsp salt + pepper. (Can leave overnight - 2 days at this stage)
- Put in Slow Cooker: Place garlic and onion in slow cooker (mine is 5L / 5 qt). Place turkey on top, skin side up. Top with thyme and rosemary sprigs.
- Slow Cook: Cook 6 hours on low, first checking at 4 hours to be safe, until internal temperature reads 75C/165F when inserted into the middle.
- Rest: Transfer turkey to baking tray (reserve juices). Cover loosely with foil, rest for 20 minutes.
- Crisp: Remove herb sprigs, drizzle turkey with oil (not butter, it burns / not as crispy). Place under a broiler/grill on high (~30cm/12" from heat source) for 5 to 10 minutes until skin is crispy and bronzed - keep an eye on it, it's quick.
- Serve turkey with gravy on the side (below), or Cranberry Sauce.
Gravy:
- Strain slow cooker juices into a bowl. Press juices out of onion and garlic. If you've got less than 2.5-3 cups (675-750ml) of liquid, top up with store bought broth/stock.
- When liquid settles, spoon off about 1/4 cup fat/butter from surface.
- Place in saucepan set over medium heat. When it bubbles, add flour and mix for 1 minute.
- Add all slow cooker juices into saucepan. Stir until lump free (use whisk if necessary). Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until it thickens.
- Add dark soy (if using), pepper and salt to taste. Pour into jug and 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
5 kg / 10 lb: 7 -8 hours on low * Check internal temp at the earliest time, until internal temperature reads 165F/75C when inserted into the middle.* Cook time can be variable - affected by things like turkey thickness, strength of slow cooker, how chilled the centre is etc. Slow cookers are very forgiving so don't stress too much about cooking time, an hour or 2 over and it will still be moist. Other cook methods: Recipe not suitable for slow cooking on HIGH, or pressure cooker. Instant Pot - use slow cooker function on low and follow recipe, do not use pressure cooker function. See here for roasting. 5. GENERAL NOTES:
* Butter Sauce alternative to gravy: Pour strained slow cooker juices into a saucepan and reduce by about half. Also nice with a spritz of fresh lemon juice! Add more butter for richness.
* No water is required for this, you wil be amazed how much liquid is leached by the turkey (see video). 6. SERVING:
Amount per person: Allow 300g / 10 oz UNCOOKED weight per person for bone in turkey.
Slice thinly from the fat end of the breast. If you know the turkey is 100% perfectly cooked to right internal temp, can also slice thickly.
Serve warm: Because breast is so lean, it needs to be warm when served for optimum juiciness. So it's best to slice as required. Otherwise, cut thickly (like pictured) then cover with cling wrap and warm gently just before serving. If the turkey is a bit overdone and not as juicy as desired, slice thinly and pass around plenty of gravy! 7. MAKE AHEAD / REHEATING:
Prep ahead: Can slather with butter then leave in fridge overnight to 2 days (in fact, this brines the turkey a bit which = extra juiciness!).
Cooked early: If the turkey is ready early, turn slow cooker off and leave it in there for a couple of hours (better than leaving on warm setting as if your slow cooker warm setting is too strong, can dry turkey out). Crisp skin just prior to serving.
Reheating: Turkey breast is best cooked fresh because it's a leaner meat. However, if it can't be avoided, slow cooked breast (pre crisping) can be reheated on low in the microwave, then crisp before serving. 8. Got turkey leftovers? Use it up in White Turkey Enchilada Soup, Garlic Bread Leftover Turkey Pot Pie or Muffulettas! 9. Nutrition per serving, assuming 8 servings and that all the gravy is consumed.
Nutrition Information:
Originally published November 2018, writing cleaned up and re-edited video added November 2019. No change to recipe!
LIFE OF DOZER
Oh those tantalising smells…..
Mimi says
I would like to use this recipe for Christmas this year. Need to feed 10 so I am looking at a double turkey breast WITHOUT bone. My butcher estimates the weight will be about 3.2kg. Can you help me with working out cooking time for such a large piece without bone? Would be very much appreciated. Your recipes always work.
Nagi says
Hi Mimi, This is a forgiving recipe so I would think that it would take around 6 hours – but start checking it early and keep an eye on it! N x
Joan Subirats says
Hi Nagi. Congratulations, your recipes are amazing! I’m a big fan. It would be nice a collection with all the recipes for a Slow Cooker or able to be cooked on it. 😉
Nagi says
Hi Joan, I now have a slow cooker category – https://www.recipetineats.com/category/slow-cooker-recipes/ ❤️
Carol Fraser says
HI Nagi, I’m doing this for our family’s early Christmas tomorrow. I’ve just picked up my turkey breast from our local butcher, but there is no bone, just the breast and skin …. will I have to adjust the time in the slow cooker, its about 2kg? Love your recipes, I’m sure this will be no different.
Nagi Maehashi says
This recipe is very forgiving and is perfect for boneless breast as well! I have all the details for the cooking times in the recipe notes ☺️
M says
This worked out so great for me! I got a double breast, bone in, skin on buffe weighing in at 2.3kg, it just fit in my 5.5L slow cooker. It took 5 hours for me, faster than expected although my slow cooker does run on the hotter side. It yielded a little over 2 cups of drippings. I cannot wait to try this again, thank you so much Nagi !
Jenny says
Where/how do I buy the turkey breads with skin on?
Nagi Maehashi says
I usually find them at my local butcher
Michaela kurkov says
Thank you so much for this recipe my husband dislikes Turkey due to it always coming out dry, I did this recipes exactly and it was amazing very moist lovely flavour and amazing gravy, requesting me to cook it again brilliant result thank you
Nagi Maehashi says
That’s great to hear Michaela!
Elsa says
Recipe looks awesome! Any suggestions for those of us who don’t own a slow cooker? I have a pressure cooker 🙂
Nagi says
Hi Elsa! Unfortunately I don’t recommend pressure cooking turkey breast but I have a roasted version of this same recipe! https://www.recipetineats.com/garlic-herb-butter-roasted-turkey-breast/
Judith says
Must tell you, that the turkey turned out excellent! Thank you for the wonderful recipes, ideas!
My only suggestion would be, to make the butter mix a day ahead and put it in the freezer spreading it out flat. It worked wonders, made the job easier to put it inner the skin!
Thank you! Judith
Nagi says
That’s so great to hear Judith! Thanks for sharing your feedback – N x
Julie says
I made this today. We devoured it. So easy and delicious. I took 5 hours on low. 5 minutes broiling. Gravy was a breeze. And the sweet onions that were on the bottom were great too.
Nagi says
I love hearing that!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this, thanks for letting me know Julie! N x
Meredith says
It’s a keeper for next year! I LOVE your recipes, writing, and Dozer (great name)! ❤️
D says
Thank you, Nagi! Everyone said this was the best turkey ever! So good!
Nagi says
Whoot! You nailed it!! 🙌🏻 N x
Meredith says
Thank you, Nagi! This was the perfect recipe for a slow-cooker turkey breast. It’s the first time I have tried it this way, and it was superb. No changes. I love the recipes that I receive from you each day.
Nagi says
So great to hear Meredith!! I’m so happy you enjoyed this 🙂 N x
Wil says
Easy! Nailed it.moiste flavorful! Perfect.
Aimee Tamm-Boerger says
LOL, I aborted the mission. I put it in the oven at 325 for about an hour. It was juicy and very flavorful. I think because I put the turkey legs in also it may have slowed things down. I will definitely use the recipe again. My sister also cooked hers like this and had success. Thanks for the reply.
Tiffany says
Made this for Thanksgiving. OMG it was so good! Thank you for the recipe!
Nagi says
HAPPY THANKSGIVING Tiffany! So glad this was enjoyed! N x
Aimee says
OK so I have a turkey breast and two legs in and my crockpot settings are high 4 hrs and 6 hrs and low 8 hrs and 10 hrs. I put low 8 hrs because instructions say not to do on high. It’s been 4 hrs and it barely looks like it’s done anything. What to do what to do?
Nagi says
Have faith Aimee! It does look uncooked for ages, but it’s cooking through slowly and evenly (unlike blasting in a hot oven). N x
Bonnie says
Can you cook this in the oven instead?
Nagi says
PS It’s the same flavours, but roasted instead of slow cooker 🙂
Nagi says
Absolutely! Follow this recipe -> https://www.recipetineats.com/garlic-herb-butter-roasted-turkey-breast/
pam gargan says
would I cook a 2 lb turkey breast for 2 hours? or?
Nagi says
Hi Pam! Please see recipe notes for cook times for different turkey weights! N x
Pam Gargan says
Hi, yes I figured that out after I sent my question. It turned out so good. Will cook it this way again for sure. Thank you!
Paula says
I have a butterball boneless turkey 3lbs is 3 hours long enough
Nagi says
Needs to be longer, more like 4 hours, please see recipe notes for cook times! N x
Lindsay says
Would this work in a (crock pot looking) roaster? I have a 20 pound turkey and it won’t fit in my crockpot.
Nagi says
Hi Lindsay! That should be fine, if it works like an oven then follow the cook times in this recipe https://www.recipetineats.com/genius-easy-juicy-roast-turkey-dry-brined/. Place the turkey on the onions or garlic per that recipe OR using a rack and add 1.5 cups of water in the pan 🙂 N x
Paige Williams says
I’m doing a 9 pound breast. Do you think 7 hours is enough time? Thanks so much!!
Nagi says
Hi Paige! Yes I think that is the right cook time. But to be cautious I always start checking the internal temp early! N x
Brenda says
I’m making boneless, skinless turkey breast for first time in crock pot. My son doesn’t like garlic or onions. What to do with them for seasoning ???? Help. Need easy n good recipe
Nagi says
Hi Brenda! Use a rack in your slow cooker instead OR scrunch up balls of foil and place your turkey on them. If your son doesn’t like onion or garlic then he isn’t going to miss the flavour in the gravy!! Also feel free to skip the garlic in the butter too, it can be a herb butter turkey instead! N x