Super Juicy Crock Pot Turkey Breast

Free up your oven and join the crock pot turkey army: the juiciest turkey breast you’ll ever make – you won’t believe that it came from a crock pot!

Turkey, love it or hate it, it’s definitely a Thanksgiving staple. I LOVE turkey, especially crock pot turkey. Don’t get me wrong, roasting turkey breast in the oven or making it in the Instant Pot is amazing, but there’s something extra juicy about making a turkey breast in the crock pot, no brining required!

Crock pot turkey?

Yes! When it comes to meals with multiple components, gadgets are lifesavers. The problem with making turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes and mac and cheese and sweet potatoes is that they all inevitably need oven space. So, why not free up that space by using a crock pot? It’s perfect because using a crock pot takes all the guess work out and you end up with super juicy, perfectly moist, well seasoned turkey. Win-win-win.

Since Mike and I won’t be making an entire turkey this year – although maybe we will make a quarter ham?! – crock pot turkey breast is the answer! This turkey has the beloved flavors of Hainanese chicken rice: pure turkey flavor with hints of warming ginger, sweet garlic, and scallions. The resulting turkey is delicately flavored and ends up tasting even more like turkey, if you know what I mean. We devoured it with a simple scallion rice pilaf and lashings of ginger soy gravy. It ended up being so comforting and warming.

Why make crock pot turkey breast?

• It frees up your oven so you can bake pie. Or stuffing. Or whatever else you might want to make in the oven.
• If you don’t have an oven the crock pot is here to the rescue!
• Turkey breast in the crock pot is super forgiving because it’s cooked low and slow. The meat is juicy and tender and not at all dry or overcooked. Plus you’ll have drippings to make gravy.

Can you really cook turkey in a crock pot?

Yes! It’s juicy and tender and your house will smell amazing. Here’s how long you need to cook turkey in the crock pot:

• 2-3 lbs: 3-5 hours on low
• 4-6 lbs: 5-6 hours on low

You’ll want to check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer at 3 hours for smaller breasts and 5 hours for larger ones. Once you hit an internal temperature of 165°F, you’re good to go. The secret to juicy crock pot turkey breast is cooking on LOW.

How to make crock pot turkey breast

1. Compound butter. This is a fancy way of saying a flavored butter. Massage the butter into the skin and dot it all over the turkey breast.

   

2. Aromatics. Make a bed of arromatics (shallots, ginger, garlic) that will add extra flavor to the turkey and gravy.

   

3. Slow cook. Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.

   

4. Finish in the oven. Give the turkey breast a brief blast in the oven to crisp up the skin. This is totally optional.

   

5. Make gravy. Use the drippings in the crock pot to make an insanely flavorful gravy.

   

Ingredients

You’ll need a turkey breast roast and some umami forward ingredients: butter, soy sauce, garlic powder, fresh garlic, ginger powder, fresh ginger, shallots, and chicken stock. A combination of fresh and powered ginger and garlic gives a double whammy – the powder is rubbed with soy sauce directly onto the turkey and the fresh is used to season the stock for the gravy.

Boneless vs bone-in turkey breast

You can use either boneless or bone-in, but definitely get skin on turkey breast. The skin will keep the breast from drying out and will self baste the meat while it slow cooks. Plus, the golden brown turkey skin you get after broiling is gorgeous.

Which crock pot to use?

Since we are a little family of two, we have the casserole crock, which holds 2.5 quarts. It’s so cute and perfectly-sized for a turkey breast roast!

Can I use an instant pot?

Yes! You can just use the slow cooker low mode and follow this recipe exactly the same, but you can even pressure cook and it’ll taste just as good!

To make this turkey in the Instant Pot, place the aromatics in the bottom of the insert and place the turkey on top. The turkey should be raised a little, if it isn’t, add the Instant Pot rack to lift it up. Add 1/2 cup no sodium chicken stock and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes per pound of turkey. Quick release when done and broil in a high oven for crispy skin, if desired.

What to serve with turkey?

We love the classics:

• mashed potatoes
• stuffing
• green bean casserole
• popovers
• mac and cheese

If you’re looking for classics with a twist, try:

• pan roasted honey garlic sprouts
• lemongrass stuffing
• miso mashed potatoes

Crock Pot Turkey

Super Juicy Crock Pot Turkey Breast

Serves 6

4.75 from 4 votes

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp soy sauce divided
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 lb boneless skin-on turkey breast roast or 4lbs bone-in
• 1 head garlic cloves peeled
• 2-3 shallots quartered
• 1 whole ginger root scrubbed and halved lengthwise
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1-2 cups chicken stock no sodium preferred

Special Equipment

• crockpot/slow cooker

Instructions

• In a small bowl, mix together 2 tbsp butter with the 1.5 teaspoons soy sauce, the garlic powder, ginger power, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pat the turkey breast with paper towels until dry. Optionally tie the breast so it keeps it’s roll shape. Dot the butter mix on the breast, concentrating on the top and sides.
  
• Place the garlic, shallots, and ginger into the bottom of the crock pot. Position the turkey breast skin up so it’s sitting on top.
  
• Cover and slow cook on low for 3-5 hours (for a 2 lb breast) or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. When done, remove from the crock pot and place in an oven proof dish and let rest for 10 minutes.
  
• While the turkey is resting, make the gravy: Strain the drippings with a fine mesh strainer into a large liquid measuring cup, pushing down on the solids to squish out any extra flavor. You’ll need 1 3/4 cups of liquid for the gravy so if you need to, add a bit of chicken stock or water to top it up.
  
• Add the the drippings plus stock to a sauce pan over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water. When the stock comes to a simmer, whisk in the cornstarch slurry and let bubble and thicken. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1.5 teaspoons of soy sauce, taste and season with salt and pepper.
  
• If desired, crisp up the turkey skin. Turn your oven on broil high and place the turkey on the top rack and broil for 3-5 minutes or until the skin is crispy and golden, keeping an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Slice and serve with gravy and/or the optional scallion oil.
  

Notes

Optional Scallion Oil

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 1/4 cup neutral oil
• 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)

In a small pot, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat until it reaches 275°F. Remove the pot from the stove and very carefully pour over the green onions – they will sizzle and bubble up. Stir in salt to taste.

Other Notes

Serves 6 generously.

If your turkey breast is bigger than 2 pounds, cook it for 4-6 hours on low. Check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer at 4 hours,  aiming for 165°F in the thickest part.

Estimated nutrition doesn't include optional scallion oil.

Estimated Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Crock Pot Turkey

Amount Per Serving

Calories 497 Calories from Fat 132

% Daily Value*

Fat 14.7g23%

Saturated Fat 5.1g32%

Cholesterol 197mg66%

Sodium 374mg16%

Potassium 109mg3%

Carbohydrates 7.6g3%

Fiber 0.4g2%

Sugar 0.7g1%

Protein 75.8g152%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.