Crock-Pot Turkey Breast

Who says you have to turn on your oven to make delicious turkey? After trying this easy recipe, not us. All you need to do is mix up a simple brown sugar rub, coat the meat, and let your Crock-Pot do the rest! That way, your oven can take on more important tasks like pumpkin pie and sweet potato casserole. 😏

Turkey breast is very lean, so everyone's biggest fear when roasting a whole bird is that the breast meat will dry out. If you don't brine it, even if you use a meat thermometer, you risk biting into some sad meat. Well, good news: with our slow-cooker method is a way to guarantee moist meat every single time.

How big should my turkey breast be?

This recipe will work with any size turkey breast—so long as it fits in your slow cooker! A typical bone-in breast sold at the grocery store—which is actually half of the turkey breast—will serve 2 to 4 people, depending on how hungry you are.

Don't skip the rub.

You want this bird to be flavorful! We rub it with a simple four-ingredient seasoning blend of brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, and garlic powder.

Add some liquid.

More flavor comes in with this step: You make a simple broth of chicken stock, soy sauce (for that umami flavor), and honey and pour that into the bottom of the slow cooker.

Get that crispy skin.

Once the bird has slow-cooked, you're going to want to take the next step to get crispy skin. (Trust us, it's worth it.) When you're ready to serve, heat your broiler and bake the skin until golden and crispy, 3 to 4 minutes.

Use drippings for gravy.

Don't toss the juices leftover in the slow cooker! Put them to good use in a gravy for your turkey. Pour them into a liquid measuring cup and add more chicken broth until you have 2 cups total. Add equal parts butter and flour to a large skillet over medium heat, whisking until it becomes a thick paste. Add 1/2 cup liquid, whisking to combine, then slowly add remaining liquid in batches until the gravy is smooth and no lumps remain. Simmer until it reaches your desired consistency, then pour into a gravy boat or serving vessel.

Using a frozen turkey breast? 

Transfer it to the fridge a full 24 hours (and maybe longer depending on the size) to let thaw. 

Looking for leftover inspirations? Try giving this sinful turkey casserole a try, or our turkey tetrazzini.

Made it? Let us know how it went in the comment section below.