Slow Cooker Turkey Breast and Gravy

If you’re anything like me, cooking the huge Thanksgiving turkey can be really nerve-wracking. It’s a big deal, and when it’s the star of the dinner, you really need it to be amazing.

So I actually prefer to cook a turkey breast instead! Not only are they smaller and easier to cook, they’re also a lot more economical, and easier to fit in your freezer and/or refrigerator.

This recipe takes the ease of cooking a turkey breast to a whole new level by cooking it in the slow cooker. The slow, gentle heat makes this a pretty forgiving recipe, and makes for a moist, not dry, turkey.

Leaving your oven free for all the other holiday side dishes, and knocking the main course out of the park with flavor and tenderness? Sounds like a great holiday meal to me!

How to make slow cooker turkey breast?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Combine rub. Stir in oil until a paste forms.
2. Spread onto turkey. Pat the turkey dry first, then massage it in.
3. Add aromatics. To the slow cooker, add onion, garlic, lemon and herbs.
4. Add turkey. Adding the turkey on top of those aromatics means the turkey (and eventually the gravy) will absorb those flavors, but it also keeps the turkey out of the cooking liquid.
5. Cook. Cover and cook on LOW for about 6 hours.

1. Broil turkey. If you want crispy skin, add it to your oven set to broil.
2. Strain cooking liquid. You’ll want about 2 cups, so if you don’t have enough, add chicken broth until you have 2 cups of liquid.
3. Melt butter, make roux. Once the butter is melted, add flour and whisk until smooth.
4. Whisk in cooking liquid. Whisk as you slowly pour.
5. Simmer. Season and simmer until thickened to your liking.
6. Whisk in cold butter.

Variations of this recipe

• Double breast/turkey crown – I used a half breast, meaning instead of having both breasts, there’s only one. However, you can absolutely use a full/double breast (or it’s also sometimes called a turkey crown). As long as it will fit in your slow cooker!
• More intense rub – if you’d like even more of the rub flavor, add half of the rub/paste underneath the turkey skin, then top the skin with the remaining rub/paste.
• No drippings – I highly recommend using the drippings to make the gravy in this recipe. But if you’d rather not use them, I do have a gravy recipe that can be made with no drippings.
• No fresh herbs – while the rub uses dried herbs, this recipe calls for fresh herbs in the slow cooker to lend their fresh flavor to both the turkey and gravy. If you don’t have any fresh herbs, just omit them from that step.
• Other cooking methods – if you’d prefer to roast your turkey breast in the oven, I’ve included oven directions down in the “Chef Tips” section right below the full recipe.

Making a turkey breast in the slow cooker ahead of time

Turkey tastes best when made fresh, so I don’t recommend making this recipe entirely ahead of time.

However, parts of the recipe can be prepped ahead.

• Seasoning rub – the seasoning rub plus the oil can be combined and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
• Aromatics – the onion, garlic and lemon can be sliced and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
• Gravy – the flour can be measured ahead of time, as well as the salt and pepper, then kept at room temperature until ready to cook.

Storage

Leftover turkey should be refrigerated in an airtight container and eaten within 3-4 days.

Freezing

Cooked leftover turkey can also be frozen for longer storage! Let the turkey cool completely, then wrap slices in plastic wrap and place in an freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw in the refrigerator, then heat up as desired.