Welcome to the ultimate guide for preparing a succulent Slow Cooker Turkey Breast, a dish so versatile and easy, it’s perfect for both your festive Thanksgiving spread and a comforting weeknight dinner. This recipe promises a turkey that is not only incredibly juicy and packed with flavor but also features a delightful maple apple glaze that requires just four simple ingredients. Imagine freeing up precious oven space during the holidays or effortlessly preparing a delicious meal any day of the week—this Crock Pot turkey recipe makes it all possible!
Table of Contents
- Why Choose Slow Cooker Turkey?
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
- Expert Turkey Cooking Tips
- Important Recipe Notes
- Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Delicious Side Dishes to Pair With It
- Full Recipe Card
Why Choose Slow Cooker Turkey?
This recipe offers unparalleled convenience, allowing you to prepare a show-stopping turkey breast without monopolizing your oven. In just 5 minutes of hands-on prep, you can set your slow cooker and forget about it, freeing you up to focus on other aspects of your meal or simply relax. The magic of slow cooking ensures that the turkey breast remains incredibly moist and tender, while the sweet and tangy maple apple glaze caramelizes beautifully, adding a burst of flavor to every slice.
Cooking a turkey breast in a slow cooker is especially brilliant for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving celebrations, particularly if you’re hosting a smaller gathering or wish to offer a variety of turkey preparations. Many hosts, including myself, love to experiment with two or three distinct turkey breast recipes each year. Beyond the holidays, this recipe transforms into an effortlessly elegant solution for a regular weeknight dinner. Its simplicity makes it a favorite for busy schedules, offering a healthy and flavorful meal with minimal fuss.
I always recommend stocking up on a few extra turkey breasts around the holiday season. They freeze beautifully and can be pulled out throughout the fall and winter months for quick, delicious dinners. Even if you’re only cooking for 2-4 people, the leftovers are incredibly versatile, perfect for making gourmet turkey sandwiches, hearty salads, or enriching other dishes throughout the week. This slow cooker method guarantees a consistently tender and delicious result every time, making it a reliable addition to your culinary repertoire.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Crafting this flavorful slow cooker turkey breast starts with a selection of high-quality ingredients. Each component plays a crucial role in achieving the desired juicy texture and exquisite taste profile:
- Boneless Turkey Breast: For optimal results, select a boneless turkey breast typically weighing between 3-5 pounds. Often, frozen packaged options come with two turkey breasts held together by netting. Turkey breast roasts of similar size also work wonderfully. The turkey breast featured in this recipe weighs 4.75 pounds. While readily available fresh or frozen in most grocery stores during November, you can usually find frozen options year-round at major supermarkets. Ensure your turkey is fully thawed before beginning this recipe, preferably by defrosting it in the refrigerator for 48 hours.
- Homemade Turkey Seasoning: Elevate your turkey with a robust, aromatic seasoning blend. I highly recommend using my signature homemade turkey seasoning. It’s incredibly easy to prepare in under 5 minutes, combining a thoughtful mix of dried herbs like rosemary and thyme with essential pantry staples such as onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. This blend ensures a deep, rich flavor throughout the turkey. You can find the full recipe via the link provided and prepare it in advance, storing it in your pantry for up to six months for various culinary uses.
- Olive Oil: This acts as the perfect binding agent for the turkey seasoning, creating a “wet rub” that adheres beautifully to the turkey breast. Beyond its practical application, olive oil aids in developing a lovely golden-brown exterior during cooking and infuses the meat with additional moisture and flavor.
- Onion: A halved onion serves a dual purpose in this recipe. Placed at the bottom of the slow cooker, it acts as a natural trivet, lifting the turkey breast above the cooking liquid. This clever trick ensures even cooking and prevents the turkey from stewing. Furthermore, the onion imparts a subtle, savory aroma and flavor to both the turkey and the resulting broth, which is later transformed into our exquisite glaze.
For the Maple Apple Glaze:
The sweet and tangy maple apple glaze is the crowning glory of this slow cooker turkey breast, providing a burst of autumnal flavor.
- Apple Cider: This forms the delicious base of our glaze, contributing a crisp, fruity sweetness that beautifully complements the savory turkey. If you prefer to skip the glaze, you can substitute the apple cider and maple syrup with 1 ½ cups of chicken broth for a simpler preparation.
- Maple Syrup: Pure maple syrup adds a rich, natural sweetness to the glaze, creating a complex flavor profile that hints at the cozy flavors of fall. Its distinct taste pairs wonderfully with the apple cider.
- Salt and Black Pepper: These fundamental seasonings are essential for balancing the sweetness of the glaze, enhancing all the flavors, and ensuring a well-rounded taste experience.
- Cornstarch (for Glaze Thickening): A cornstarch slurry is added at the end of the cooking process to thicken the flavorful slow cooker liquid into a luxurious, pourable glaze, ensuring it coats the turkey beautifully.
Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
Follow these easy, detailed instructions to create a perfectly cooked, tender, and flavorful slow cooker turkey breast with a delectable maple apple glaze. The step-by-step photos provided in the original content would typically accompany these instructions to make the process even more straightforward at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and precise ingredient quantities, please refer to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare the Slow Cooker Base: First, peel one onion, trim its ends, and cut it in half. Place these two onion halves, cut-side down, in the bottom of your slow cooker. Position them approximately 2-3 inches apart to create a stable base for the turkey.
- Season the Turkey Breast: In a small bowl, thoroughly combine the olive oil with your turkey seasoning blend. Generously rub this aromatic mixture all over the entire surface of the turkey breast, ensuring it’s evenly coated for maximum flavor.
- Assemble in the Crock Pot: Carefully place the seasoned turkey breast on top of the onion halves in the slow cooker. In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the apple cider, maple syrup, salt, and black pepper to create the glaze liquid. Pour this mixture into the slow cooker around the turkey. Secure the lid tightly.
- Slow Cook the Turkey: Set your slow cooker to the ‘Low’ setting and cook for 5-6 hours, or to ‘High’ for 3-4 hours. If cooking on high, it is crucial to start checking the internal temperature of the turkey breast with a meat thermometer after 3 hours. The turkey is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. Remove the cooked turkey from the slow cooker, place it on a cutting board, and cover it loosely with foil to rest while you prepare the glaze.
- Prepare the Maple Apple Glaze: Carefully remove the cooked onion from the slow cooker using tongs and discard. Place a fine mesh strainer over a heat-proof bowl. Ladle all the remaining liquid from the slow cooker through the strainer into the bowl, discarding any solids caught by the strainer. Transfer this strained liquid to a small pot on your stovetop and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue cooking for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the liquid begins to thicken. To achieve a perfect glaze consistency, prepare a cornstarch slurry by whisking 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Stir this slurry into the simmering glaze and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the glaze thickens to your desired consistency. Remove from heat.
- Slice and Serve: Once the turkey has rested and the glaze is prepared, use a sharp knife or an electric carving knife to slice the turkey breast against the grain into desired portions. Serve the succulent turkey slices immediately with the warm maple apple glaze on the side, perfect for drizzling generously over each serving.
Expert Turkey Cooking Tips
Achieve slow cooker turkey breast perfection with these invaluable tips designed to enhance your cooking experience and ensure a fantastic result every time:
Considering a Bone-In Turkey Breast? This recipe is adaptable for a bone-in turkey breast, provided your slow cooker is adequately sized. A Crock Pot with a capacity of 7 quarts or larger typically offers sufficient space. If you opt for a bone-in breast, position it with the bones facing down and the breast side facing up in the slow cooker to promote even cooking and tender results. This orientation helps to shield the breast meat from drying out while allowing the bones to infuse the cooking liquid with additional flavor.
Handling Turkey Netting: If your turkey breast comes encased in netting, I strongly advise removing it *before* you begin seasoning the turkey. This allows the herb rub to directly contact the meat, ensuring every inch is infused with flavor. Attempting to remove the netting after cooking can result in pulling off delicious, seasoned skin or meat. Should the turkey breast separate into two pieces once the netting is removed, you can easily use kitchen twine to tie the pieces back together, maintaining a compact shape for even cooking and presentation.
To Keep or Remove the Skin? The choice of leaving the skin on or removing it is a matter of personal preference. However, it’s important to note that turkey skin cooked in a slow cooker will not become crisp, unlike oven-roasted turkey. Instead, it tends to remain soft and somewhat rubbery, which many find less desirable in terms of texture. For this reason, I generally recommend removing the skin before cooking. To do so, first remove any netting, then use a sharp knife to carefully separate and discard the skin from the turkey breast. This allows the seasoning to better penetrate the meat directly, enhancing its juiciness and flavor.
Important Recipe Notes
Keep these valuable tips in mind to ensure your slow cooker turkey breast turns out perfectly every time:
- Glaze Alternatives: While the maple apple glaze adds a unique touch, it’s optional. If you prefer a simpler preparation or a different flavor profile, you can easily replace the maple syrup, apple cider, salt, pepper, and cornstarch with 1 ½ cups of chicken broth. Simply pour the broth into the bottom of the slow cooker after seasoning the turkey breast. For serving, consider pairing the turkey with a classic cranberry sauce or a rich mushroom gravy if you’re not using the maple apple glaze.
- Monitor Cooking Temperature: A common misconception is that food cannot overcook in a slow cooker. This is false, especially when cooking on a high setting. Overcooking turkey breast on high can lead to dry, tough meat. Therefore, always use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, particularly when cooking on the high setting. Begin checking at the 3-hour mark. If you have the luxury of time, cooking the turkey breast on low for 5-6 hours is generally more forgiving and less likely to result in overcooked meat. Once the turkey reaches 165°F (74°C), you can switch your slow cooker to the ‘Warm’ setting if you’re not ready to serve immediately, ensuring it stays at a safe temperature without continuing to cook.
- Cooking Vegetables with Turkey: For a convenient one-pot meal, you absolutely can cook vegetables alongside the turkey breast in your Crock Pot. Since they will absorb the flavors of the maple apple glaze, choose vegetables that complement these sweet and savory notes. Excellent choices include carrots, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, or parsnips. Add them around the turkey at the start of cooking, ensuring they are submerged in or coated by the glaze liquid for maximum flavor.
- Serving Size Guidelines: When planning your meal, a good rule of thumb is to allow for approximately half a pound of turkey breast per guest. So, if you’re serving 8 people, a 4-pound turkey breast will be sufficient. This ensures generous portions and often leaves some delicious leftovers.
- Defrosting Frozen Turkey Breast: While some sources suggest cooking a frozen turkey breast directly in a slow cooker, this practice is generally not recommended by food safety experts due to the extended time it takes for the turkey to reach a safe temperature, which can put it in the “danger zone” where bacteria can multiply. (You can learn more about this in articles like this TODAY article on chicken, where similar rules apply.) To ensure safety and optimal results, always defrost your turkey breast thoroughly in the refrigerator for at least 48 hours before preparing this recipe.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Making a slow cooker turkey breast often results in wonderful leftovers, which are just as delicious and versatile. Proper storage and reheating methods are key to maintaining its flavor and texture:
Storage: Any leftover slow-cooked turkey should be transferred to an airtight container and stored promptly in the refrigerator. When properly stored, it will remain fresh and delicious for up to 7 days, making it perfect for meal prep throughout the week.
Reheating: My preferred method for reheating leftover turkey is in the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), wrap the turkey slices loosely in aluminum foil, and bake for approximately 15 minutes. This gentle method heats the turkey through without drying it out, keeping it wonderfully juicy and tender. Alternatively, you can gently warm slices in a skillet over low heat with a splash of chicken broth, or even in the microwave, though the oven method yields the best results.
Creative Leftover Ideas: Don’t limit yourself to just reheating! Leftover turkey is fantastic cold in sandwiches or salads. It also forms the base for a variety of delicious new meals. Consider transforming your turkey into a comforting Turkey Quiche, a hearty Turkey Pot Pie with a flaky crust, or a spicy Buffalo Turkey Grilled Cheese for a flavorful twist.
Delicious Side Dishes to Pair With It
Whether you’re serving this exquisite maple apple turkey breast for a grand holiday feast or a cozy weeknight meal, selecting the right side dishes can elevate your dining experience. Here are some popular and perfectly complementary options:
For even more inspiring Thanksgiving meal ideas, be sure to explore my comprehensive list of the Top 15 Thanksgiving Recipes. You’ll discover an array of delectable sides, festive cocktails, and irresistible desserts that will perfectly complete your holiday menu alongside this incredible Maple Apple Turkey Breast!
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Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Maple Apple Glaze
8
servings
10 minutes
3 hours
3 hours
10 minutes
Whitney Bond
Main Course
American
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 3 tablespoons turkey seasoning, click link for the recipe
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 pound boneless turkey breast, *see notes below
For the glaze
- 1 cup apple cider
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
-
Remove the peel from an onion, cut off the ends, then cut it in half. Place the two halves cut side down in a Crock Pot, about 2-3 inches away from each other.
-
Combine the turkey seasoning and olive oil in a small bowl, then rub it all over the turkey breast. Place the turkey in the slow cooker on top of the onion.
-
Combine the apple cider, maple syrup, salt and pepper in a small bowl, then pour it into the slow cooker.
-
Slow cook for 3-4 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low. If cooking the turkey in a Crock Pot set to high, I recommend using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey breast after 3 hours.
-
After the turkey breast is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), remove it from the slow cooker. Place it on a cutting board and cover with foil.
-
Use tongs to remove and discard the onion from the slow cooker.
-
Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Use a ladle to spoon the liquid from inside the Crock Pot through the strainer and into the bowl. Discard anything in the strainer, then transfer the liquid from the bowl to a small pot on the stove over high heat.
-
Bring the liquid to a boil. Simmer the liquid for 10 minutes, stirring throughout the cooking time. After the glaze starts to thicken, stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water). Stir it into the glaze and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes before removing it from the stove.
-
After the liquid has cooked down to a glaze, slice the turkey using a sharp knife or electric knife. Serve the turkey with the glaze on the side for drizzling over the slices of turkey.
Notes
- Turkey Breast Size: This recipe works best with a boneless turkey breast weighing between 3-5 pounds. Frozen, packaged boneless turkey breasts often come with two pieces bound by netting. Turkey breast roasts of similar sizes are also suitable. The turkey breast used in this recipe was 4.75 pounds. These are usually easy to find, especially fresh and frozen in November, and frozen year-round at major grocery stores. Remember to defrost your turkey breast for 48 hours in the refrigerator before starting this recipe.
- Bone-In Option: You can use a bone-in turkey breast if your Crock Pot is large enough (a 7-quart or larger Crock Pot is generally sufficient). If using bone-in, place it with the bones facing down and the breast side up.
- Remove Netting: For best results, remove any netting from the turkey breast before applying the seasoning. This ensures the herb rub adheres directly to the meat. If the breast separates into pieces, use kitchen twine to tie it back together.
- Skin On or Off: I recommend removing the turkey skin before cooking in the slow cooker, as it will not crisp up and can result in an undesirable texture. First, remove any netting, then use a sharp knife to remove and discard the skin.
- Glaze Substitution: If you prefer not to make the maple apple glaze, you can simply use 1 ½ cups of chicken broth instead of the maple syrup, apple cider, salt, pepper, and cornstarch. Pour the broth into the slow cooker after seasoning the turkey breast.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
339
kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
19
g
(6%)
Protein
49
g
(98%)
Fat
7
g
(11%)
Saturated Fat
1
g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
4
g
Cholesterol
122
mg
(41%)
Sodium
762
mg
(32%)
Potassium
658
mg
(19%)
Fiber
1
g
(4%)
Sugar
16
g
(18%)
Vitamin A
87
mg
(2%)
Vitamin C
1
mg
(1%)
Calcium
75
mg
(8%)
Iron
2
mg
(11%)
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