This slow cooker turkey breast with a garlic herb rub is so easy to make. A Crock-Pot garlic herb turkey is moist, flavorful, and delicious!
Slow Cooker Turkey
This slow cooker turkey breast is rubbed with a blend of herbs, seasoning, and garlic. The turkey comes out tender, flavorful, and so much juicier than baking it in the oven. Making a turkey breast, instead of a whole big turkey, is perfect for a smaller family dinner on Thanksgiving and during the holiday season. It’s also great for an easy weeknight dinner any time of the year and the leftovers are perfect for turkey sandwiches!
Using a slow cooker to make a turkey breast is super easy! Plus, using the slow cooker frees up the oven for you to make your side dishes, which makes dinner planning and preparation much easier as well. The slow cooker also keeps the turkey warm until you are ready to serve it.
As an alternative to serving the turkey with gravy, you might want to try serving it with some Amazing Basil Pesto Sauce or topping it with Sautéed Bourbon Mushrooms. Both pair so well with the turkey and are a bit fancier than traditional gravy.
I hope that you enjoy the slow-cooked turkey! If you would prefer to make your turkey in the oven, here is a recipe for a Roasted Turkey Breast.
Note: The printable recipe is located at the end of this post. Please visit The Scoop for my latest posts or you can search or browse my Recipe Index.
Slow-Cooked Turkey Breast Ingredients
This slow-cooked turkey breast uses ingredients that are pantry staples and I usually have all of these things on hand.
- Fresh Boneless Turkey Breast – If you are using a frozen turkey breast, you must thaw it for 24 – 48 hours in the refrigerator.
- turkey or chicken broth
Garlic Herb Rub
- garlic – minced or chopped.
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- onion powder
- ground sage
- dried thyme
- dried rosemary
- unsalted butter
- olive oil
How to Make a Turkey Breast in a Slow Cooker
To make this slow cooker turkey breast recipe, I used a fresh boneless turkey breast that weighed 3.5 lbs. If you are using a frozen boneless turkey breast, make sure to thaw it for 24 – 48 hours in the refrigerator. Remove the skin from the thawed or fresh turkey breast.
First, spray the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix the herbs, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic, butter, and olive oil in a small bowl. Stir to combine the ingredients. Rub the turkey breast with the herb mixture all over.
Place the herb-rubbed turkey breast into the prepared crockpot. Pour the chicken or turkey broth into the crockpot around the turkey breast, not over.
Cover with a lid and turn the crockpot to low and cook for 4 – 6 hours, depending on the size of the turkey. The internal temperature must be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Check the turkey with a meat thermometer after it has cooked for about 3 hours. This should help you gauge how much longer it needs to cook. My turkey was completely cooked after a total of 4 hours.
Allow the turkey to rest for 5 – 10 minutes before you carve it. Spoon the juices over the carved turkey breast. The juice has so much flavor! Serve and enjoy!
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 1 3 - 4 lb. Fresh Boneless Turkey Breast
- 2 cups chicken broth or turkey broth.
Garlic Herb Rub
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp ground sage
- 1 tsp dried Thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Spray the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix the herbs, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic, butter and olive oil in a small bowl. Stir to combine the ingredients. Rub the turkey breast with the herb mixture all over.
- Place the herb-rubbed turkey breast into the prepared crockpot. Pour the chicken or turkey broth into the crockpot around the turkey breast, not over.
- Cover with lid and turn the crockpot to low and cook for 4 - 6 hours, depending on the size of the turkey. The internal temperature must be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Check the turkey with a meat thermometer after it has cooked for about 3 hours. This should help you gauge how much longer it needs to cook. My turkey was completely cooked after a total of 4 hours.
- Allow the turkey to rest for 5 - 10 minutes before you carve it. Spoon the juices over the turkey. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- To make this recipe, I used a fresh boneless turkey breast that weighed 3.5 lbs. If you are using a frozen turkey breast, make sure to thaw it at least 24 - 48 hours in the refrigerator.
- The internal temperature must be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Check the turkey with a meat thermometer after it has cooked for about. This should help you gauge how much longer it needs to cook.
(This recipe was originally posted on November 19th, 2017, and has been updated with a new recipe card.)
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What to Serve with Turkey
Here are some ideas for what to serve with your turkey. You also use the turkey meat to add to other recipes like pasta!
- Easy Cheddar Biscuits
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Pear Salad
- Basil Spinach Pesto
- Creamy Cauliflower Risotto
- Parmesan Garlic Bread
- Fresh Cranberry Sauce
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
- Roasted Green Beans
- Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole
- Roasted Cauliflower
- Roasted Potatoes
- Spinach Mashed Cauliflower
- Stovetop Mac and Cheese
- Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
- Roasted Corn on the Cob
I would love to make this this looks delicious but I don’t have boneless turkey here.?
Hi Rebecca,
You can use a bone-in turkey breast as long as it fits into your crockpot. You might also need to cook it a little bit longer. Just use a meat thermometer to make sure it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, if you are using a frozen turkey, make sure you thaw it in advance. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.
Have a Happy Turkey Day!
Christi