Slow Cooker Bone-In Turkey Breast

Perfect for Thanksgiving and beyond, this Slow Cooker Bone-In Turkey Breast recipe will become your new favorite way to roast your holiday dinner entrée. It’s an easy and hands-off way to cook a smaller turkey to juiciness that’s infused with outrageous flavor.

Roasting a traditional turkey requires time and effort and, well, let’s face it, lots of babysitting! Plus, it takes over your oven space on one of the most important holidays of the year – Thanksgiving! If you’re roasting a large turkey for family and friends, that might be the way to go, but if you’re looking to roast a smaller turkey, consider using your slow cooker.

This slow cooker method of cooking a bone-in turkey is perfect for smaller gatherings or even when you just want to meal prep with turkey for use in sandwiches or in other amazing recipes, like my Turkey Pot Pie or cozy Turkey Noodle Vegetable Soup.

My favorite part about cooking a turkey in the slow cooker is that it’s mostly hands-off. Other than slicing a few veggies and adding some seasonings, the slow cooker does all the work of roasting a turkey breast to succulent tenderness. All I have to do is slice it and serve!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s super easy and requires no special cooking skills.
• Very minimal prep work is needed.
• It’s basically a dump-and-go recipe.
• The turkey is practically guaranteed to be juicy and flavorful.
• Your oven will remain free for other holiday items that you need to bake.

Ingredients Needed

Bone-In Turkey Breast – about 9 pounds, fully thawed.

Vegetables – onion (chopped), carrots (peeled and cut into large chunks) celery (cut into large chunks).

Fresh Sage – infuses the turkey with that classic holiday herbal flavoring.

Butter – melted and mixed with the seasonings to keep the turkey moist and flavorful.

Dried Seasonings – steakhouse seasoning, poultry seasoning, garlic salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper are mixed with melted butter to flavor the turkey.

How To Roast Bone-In Turkey In A Slow Cooker

Note: This is a summary of the recipe steps. For detailed instructions, see the recipe card down below.

1. Prep the vegetables and place them In the bottom of your slow cooker.
2. Place the turkey breast on top of the vegetables.
3. Melt butter and add all the seasonings to it; whisk to combine.
4. Pour the butter mixture over the turkey breast.
5. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4-5 hours or until a thermometer reads 165º F.
6. Remove the turkey from the slow cooker and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Why Bone-In Turkey Breast?

The amazing thing about slow cooking a bone-in turkey breast is that it will be juicier and tastier, thanks to the bone! The bone helps the meat retain moisture which means the turkey meat will be succulent, tender, and outrageously delicious. Add that to the fact that you’re cooking it low and slow and you can’t go wrong in the flavor department with a bone-in turkey breast!

How Do I Know When Turkey Is Done?

The most accurate way is to use a meat thermometer. When the internal temperature reads 165º F, it’s done! Remove it from the slow cooker and let it rest before slicing.

Tips

Size: Before you purchase your bone-in turkey, make sure it will fit in your slow cooker. It doesn’t hurt to take out a measuring tape to make sure you have enough clearance with width and depth for the turkey, plus its elevation from the veggies on the bottom, to be able to fit the top on securely.

Thaw: Fully thaw the turkey before cooking. Plan ahead and thaw the turkey in the fridge. It can take up to 2-3 days in the fridge to thaw a 9-pound turkey, so factor that in.

Rest: Once cooked, let the turkey rest for 10-20 minutes before slicing it. This allows the juices to redistribute and give you that tender and moist texture that makes this recipe a winner!

What To Serve With Slow Cooker Bone-In Turkey Breast

If you’re making this for the holidays, you can’t go wrong with sweet potato pie or my whipped sweet potatoes recipe. If you have an extra slow cooker, try my slow cooker mashed potatoes. Equally delicious are my easy cheese-scalloped potatoes.

For green veggies, try my holiday green bean and cheddar casserole. If you have an air fryer, these roasted Brussels sprouts will cook in just minutes

And of course, you’ll need to end the meal with a pumpkin dessert! Try my delicious Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting or this scrumptious Copycat Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake.

Storage

Store leftover turkey meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Or you can freeze the leftover meat in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.

More Turkey Recipes

Brined Turkey Feast

The Best Turkey Pot Pie

Holiday Soy Sauce Brined Turkey

Turkey Noodle Vegetable Soup