Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Homemade Gravy
Tender, juicy turkey without the stress of brining or spending hours watching the oven—that’s what makes this slow cooker turkey breast such a useful holiday recipe. The turkey cooks gently over garlic, onion, and thyme, creating flavorful juices for homemade gravy. Finish it under the broiler for a crisp, beautifully browned skin, and you get an impressive centerpiece with surprisingly little hands-on work.
Print
Pin
Servings: 10
Ingredients
Turkey
- 2 Kg (4 lb) turkey breast, skin on, bone in or boneless (if using frozen, thaw it)
- 1 head of garlic, cut in half horizontally
- 1 onion (brown, yellow or white), unpeeled, cut in half
- 5 sprigs of thyme (or 2 tsp dried thyme leaves)
Rub
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 5 grinds of black pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Gravy
- Chicken stock/broth (or water), for topping up liquid (see Gravy step 1)
- 4 tbsp (50 g) butter
- 1/4 cup (35g) flour
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Prepare and Slow Cook the Turkey
- Combine the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, black pepper, and olive oil in a bowl. Stir until you have a wet paste.
- Use paper towels to thoroughly pat the turkey breast dry. Coat it with the prepared rub, concentrating most of the mixture over the top and sides.
- Put the halved garlic, onion, and thyme into the slow cooker with the cut sides facing down. Set the turkey breast on top so that it is raised above the bottom of the cooker.
- Cook on LOW for 6 hours. Do not cook it on HIGH. The turkey is ready when a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165°F / 75°C. If possible, begin checking the internal temperature after 5 hours.
- Take the turkey out of the slow cooker rather than leaving it on the Warm setting. Allow it to rest for 20 minutes before crisping the skin.
Crisp the Skin
- Preheat the grill/broiler to high.
- Position an oven rack approximately 30 cm / 1 foot from the heat source.
- Transfer the turkey breast to a heatproof serving dish.
- Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, watching carefully, until the skin becomes crisp and browned. The skin can darken quickly at this stage.
- Serve immediately with the gravy alongside.
Make the Gravy
- Strain the liquid remaining in the slow cooker into a measuring jug. Press the garlic and other solids while straining to extract their liquid and flavor. You need 2 cups of liquid in total. If there is less than that, add chicken broth to reach 2 cups. A 2 kg / 4 lb turkey breast will typically produce around this amount.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour until combined.
- Add approximately 1/2 cup of the strained liquid and stir until a paste forms. Gradually stir in the remaining liquid. If necessary, whisk the mixture until smooth.
- Simmer until the gravy thickens. Remove it from the heat just before it reaches your preferred consistency because it will continue thickening afterward.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with the turkey.