Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Best Ever Gravy
, Updated Nov 30, 2025
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Slow Cooker Turkey Breast (turkey crown) that stays super moist and tender with almost zero effort – plus the best crockpot turkey gravy for holidays. This recipe is Low Carb, Gluten Free and suitable for the Keto Diet. Prefer dark meat? Try my Easy Roasted Turkey Legs!
My Slow Cooker Turkey Breast (turkey crown) recipe is perfect for a stress-free holiday meal. The turkey breast turns out perfectly moist, juicy and tender, and the slow cooker drippings make the best ever gravy. This crockpot turkey breast is ideal for serving a smaller group at Thanksgiving or Christmas while freeing up your oven for all the side dishes.
If you don’t need a whole bird this year, a turkey breast / turkey crown is the way to go. It’s cheaper, less intimidating for new cooks and fits easily in the slow cooker, so you don’t have to worry about dry turkey or constant basting.
Using a slow cooker for your turkey results in perfectly tender turkey breast meat – such an easy way to keep your turkey from drying out! You also free up your oven for any side dishes you want to make and you don’t have to baste…
What is a Turkey Breast (Turkey Crown)?
A turkey crown is basically the turkey breast with the legs and wings removed. In the UK it’s usually sold bone-in with the skin on; in the US you’ll see the same cut labelled as bone-in turkey breast or turkey breast roast, and you can also use boneless turkey breast in this recipe.
Cooking just the breast is perfect if you’re serving a smaller group or don’t want to wrestle with a whole turkey. It takes up less space in the fridge and slow cooker, cooks faster and is much easier to carve – but you still get that classic holiday turkey experience and amazing gravy.
Here’s What You’ll Need
Check the turkey fits into your crockpot before attempting this recipe – a 5.6L slow cooker is roomy enough for a 4.4 lb/ 2kg turkey breast, but it might be a squeeze if it is larger. I always recommend using a meat thermometer for best results.
- Turkey breast: bone in and skin on or two or more turkey breast halves, fully defrosted if frozen (see below).
- Flavored rub: Unsalted butter, onion and garlic powder, lemon zest, paprika, mixed Italian herbs, salt and pepper
- Vegetables (onion, carrot, celery, garlic): The vegetables provide a bed for your turkey, adding flavor to the juices which in turn make an excellent turkey gravy.
- Dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or dry Vermouth. A small bottle of wine, such as those served in-flight, is perfect if you don’t want to open a full bottle. Replace the wine with chicken broth (stock) if you prefer.
How to Defrost Turkey Breast
Allowing enough time for your turkey to thaw is the only slightly tricky part! Place the crown/ breasts, in their packaging, in a pyrex dish (in case of leaks) and put in the fridge. A 4 pound (2kg) turkey breast will take at least 24 hours to defrost in the fridge, possibly longer, I allowed 36 hours for mine.
If you are in a hurry you can defrost the turkey at room temperature, aiming for 2 hours per 2 pounds (900g). Check the underside of the turkey – if it is covered in ice crystals, you will need to leave it to thaw for a bit longer.
Remove all the packaging and discard any collected liquid before cooking. Make sure you wash your hands and any utensils, cutting boards etc. whenever handling raw poultry.
How to Make Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- Gently loosen the skin from your turkey breast using your fingers. Push some butter under the skin and rub the rest over the breast.
- Combine the onion and garlic granules, lemon zest, mixed herbs, paprika, salt and pepper and rub over the turkey, on both sides. Add the vegetables, herbs and bay leaves in a 6L slow cooker.
- Place the turkey over them, skin side up. Add the wine and crumbled stock cube. Cover and cook for 3 hours on HIGH, or cook until the turkey registers an internal temperature of 75C (165F) on a meat thermometer tested at the thickest part of the breast. The meat juices should run clear.
- Transfer the turkey onto a platter and tent with foil, resting for up to 30 minutes. Your turkey crown will look a little pale due to the moist slow cooking. You can place it under the grill /broiler for a few minutes to brown the skin, basting with butter, if you like.
Make the gravy
- Prepare the gravy while your slow cooker turkey breast is having a rest. Strain the liquid collected in the crock pot into a saucepan and discard the vegetables.
- Add hot chicken stock (or beef stock you prefer a darker gravy), Worcestershire sauce, mustard, butter and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the Xanthan gum or cornstarch slurry and continue cooking, using a balloon whisk to stir, for a further 10 minutes, or until the gravy starts to thicken slightly (it will thicken even more as it cools).
Serving Suggestions
Slice your turkey and arrange on a platter on a bed of citrus slices and herbs for a festive presentation. Drizzle with some of the gravy and serve immediately. Pair with with wild rice dressing, cranberry sauce, sweet potato soufflé, green beans, roasted carrots, crisp roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, soft dinner rolls or cornbread.
Use up any leftovers to make my Leftover Turkey Pasta, Leftover Turkey Casserole, mild Turkey Korma Curry or in place of chicken in soup recipes and pasta dishes.
FAQs and Answers
Yes. This recipe works with a turkey crown, a whole bone-in turkey breast or a boneless turkey breast roast. The main thing that changes is the cooking time – thicker, bone-in pieces will take longer, while smaller boneless breasts will cook a little faster. Always go by the internal temperature rather than the clock.
Turkey breast is safely cooked at 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the meat. Pull it from the slow cooker once it hits that temperature, cover loosely with foil and let it rest for 15–20 minutes before carving. The temperature will rise a little as it rests and the juices will redistribute.
A good rule of thumb is about ½ lb (225g) uncooked turkey breast per person, or a bit more if you want plenty of leftovers. A 4–5 lb (1.8–2.3kg) turkey breast or crown will usually serve 6–8 people depending on appetites and sides.
The slow cooker keeps the turkey breast wonderfully juicy but the skin will be pale. To crisp it up, transfer the cooked turkey crown/breast to a roasting pan and pop it under a hot broiler/grill for a few minutes until the skin is golden and lightly charred in spots. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
It depends on the size of your turkey breast and your slow cooker, but as a guide a 4–5 lb (1.8–2.3kg) turkey crown or bone-in breast will usually take about 4–5 hours on HIGH or 6–7 hours on LOW. Start checking earlier the first time you make it and use a meat thermometer to be sure.
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Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Best Ever Gravy
Video
Ingredients
For the turkey
- 4 ½ lb (2 kg) turkey breast, bone in, skin on or 2 turkey breast halves, skin on
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter , softened
- 1 lemon zest only
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp mixed dried Italian herbs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 onions , skin on, halved
- 4 celery ribs , cut into thirds
- 4 carrots
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 stalks parsley
- Sprig fresh thyme
- 1 chicken stock cube , crumbled
- ½ cup (125ml) dry white wine or vermouth (sub with chicken stock)
For the gravy
- All the liquid from the crock pot strained
- 2 cups (500ml) chicken broth / stock or beef broth / stock
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Dijon or English mustard
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp Xanthan Gum see notes for alternative
To dress (optional)
- Orange and lemon slices
- Fresh herbs such as thyme , rosemary and sage
Instructions
Prepare the turkey
- Gently loosen the skin from your turkey breast using your fingers. Push some butter under the skin and rub the rust over the breast.4 ½ lb (2 kg) turkey breast, bone in, skin on, 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- Combine the onion and garlic granules, mixed herbs, paprika, salt and pepper and rub over the turkey, seasoning on both sides.1 lemon, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp mixed dried Italian herbs, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper
- Add the vegetables, herbs and bay leaves in a 6L slow cooker. Place the turkey over them, skin side up. Add the wine and crumbled stock cube.2 onions, 4 celery ribs, 4 carrots, 2 bay leaves, 2 stalks parsley , Sprig fresh thyme, 1 chicken stock cube, ½ cup (125ml) dry white wine
- Cover and cook for 3 hours on HIGH, or cook until the turkey registers an internal temperature of 75C (165F) on a meat thermometer tested at the thickest part of the breast. The meat juices will run clear.
- Transfer the turkey onto a platter and tent with foil, resting for up to 30 minutes, while you prepare the gravy.
Crisp the skin (optional)
- Your turkey crown will look a little pale due to the most slow cooking. You can place it under a hot grill /broiler for a few minutes to brown the skin, basting with butter, so that it gets a bit of colour. Don't overdo it however – you risk drying out your lovely moist turkey breast!
Make the gravy
- Strain the liquid collected in the crock pot into a saucepan and discard the vegetables.
- Add hot chicken or beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, butter and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.All the liquid from the crock pot, 2 cups (500ml) chicken broth / stock, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp Dijon, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, ½ tsp lemon juice
- Add the Xanthan gum or cornflour slurry and continue cooking, using a balloon whisk to stir, for a further 10 minutes, or until the gravy starts to thicken slightly (it will thicken even more as it cools).½ tsp Xanthan Gum
Serving your turkey
- Slice your turkey and arrange on a platter on a bed of citrus slices and herbs for a festive presentation. Drizzle with some of the gravy and serve immediately.Orange and lemon slices, Fresh herbs such as thyme
Notes
- Dilute one tablespoon of cornstarch (cornflour) in two tablespoons cold water to make a slurry.
- Drain the liquid from the crock pot into a saucepan, add hot stock, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, butter and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the slurry and cook until gravy thickens
- Storage: Keep any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days, storing as soon as they have cooled down. Or transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
Hi I am looking for the spicy yellow pepper sauce recipe. I can’t find it on here
Hi Danielle I honestly didn’t think anyone was visiting that page ever! I can send it to you on email
I’m here for the spicy turkey recipe too! When I clicked it on Yummly it brought me here. I need that recipe! haha can you send it to me via email too?
Hi Lori not sure about Yummly but you can do a search on my turkey recipes
Was looking for the spicy yellow pepper sauce, which I couldn’t find.
Hi Lori, it is an old recipe that I have temporarily unpublished in order to update
Such a great away to cook the turkey 🙂