This foolproof slow cooker turkey breast recipe makes the juiciest, most flavorful boneless turkey breast ever! Perfect for a small Thanksgiving dinner.
In a small bowl, soften the butter in the microwave for a few seconds if it's not already soft (don't completely melt it). Spread a little bit of the butter in the bottom of your slow cooker, then place the sliced onions in the slow cooker.
Remove the turkey breast from the packaging and discard any twine used for trussing, gravy inserts, etc. Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels. I like to place paper towels on a rimmed baking sheet, place the turkey breast on top, and pat the top dry.
To make the rub, add the kosher salt (2 teaspoons- see notes if using butterball or pre-brined turkey!), black pepper (1/2 teaspoon), garlic powder (1 teaspoon), dried oregano (1 teaspoon), dried thyme (1 teaspoon), paprika (1 teaspoon), and turmeric, if using (1/2 teaspoon) to the softened butter and stir together to form a paste.
Spread a little of the rub on the bottom of the turkey, then place it in the slow cooker. If the turkey comes with skin, lift it up gently and spread some of the rub under the skin. Place the skin back on top and spread the majority of the rub all over the top of the turkey breast evenly.
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
Optional: If you want crispy skin, place the turkey skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet and broil for 5-10 minutes, or until the skin is crisped to your liking.
Allow to rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
Notes
If using a butterball turkey breast, or other pre-brined turkey breast, you may want to use only 1 teaspoon of kosher salt instead of 2, since it's already salted.
If using a Turkey Breast Roast: You can leave it trussed if you like, as it may consist of pieces of turkey breast put together that will potentially fall apart if the truss is taken off. But taking the truss netting off is OK too, especially if the roast seems pretty "solid."
To make gravy from the drippings: melt 2 tablespoons butter (or fat from the drippings) over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons flour. Whisk together to form a roux, cook for at least one minute. Pour in the drippings (about 1 cup) and continue to whisk and cook until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Supplement with chicken stock if you need more drippings for a double or triple batch. (Here's more on how to make gravy from turkey drippings).
The turmeric in this recipe gives the turkey a golden color and helps add flavor. If you use the drippings to make gravy, the gravy will definitely be a yellow color- delicious but not a traditional gravy color. If you don't like the yellow color, simply omit it.
Be sure to use a fully THAWED turkey breast. Often, turkey breasts come frozen. You will need to plan ahead to defrost it- keep it in the fridge for about 24 hours per 5 lbs. of meat to defrost before slow cooking. It's not safe to cook frozen meat in a slow cooker, as the inside will not fully cook quickly enough.
When to take the turkey out of the freezer: I recommend moving the boneless turkey breast from the freezer to the refrigerator 3 days before. It may need only 2 days, but I always err on the side of more time, because if it defrosts completely in only 2 days, it will still stay good for the next 24 hours in the fridge until you’re ready to cook!
If you want to cook two boneless turkey breasts at the same time, assuming they are about 3 lbs. each, I recommend cooking on low for 5-6 hours. You can check the internal temp at 5 hours if you want to make sure it's 165 degrees, but it won't hurt to go all the way until 6 hours. Don't forget to double the rub amount!
To use this method with a bone-in turkey breast, assuming it is about 6 lbs, I recommend cooking it on low for about 6 hours, or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. Don't forget to double the rub amount!
Making a different sized turkey? Here are my recommended times for slow cooking both bone-in and boneless turkey breasts. Keep in mind, it's hard to mess this up in a slow cooker. Overcooking by an hour or two may lead to meat that might fall apart and be a little stringy, but will still be juicy. You can err on the side of slightly more time for bone-in, and slightly less time for boneless, depending on the weight of your turkey and the times indicated below. Make sure to check that the internal temp is 165 degrees F when done!
2 lb: 3 hours on low
3 lb: 4 hours on low
4-5 lb: 5-6 hours on low
7-8 lb: 6-7 hours on low
9-10 lb: 8-9 hours on low
Prep ahead of time by arranging everything in the slow cooker crock and then placing the crock, covered, in your fridge overnight. Then, transfer the crock to the slow cooker when you're ready to cook it the next day.