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Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Herb Butter

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A perfectly moist, deeply flavored slow cooker turkey breast rubbed all over — under the skin and on top — with a luscious herb butter of rosemary, thyme, sage, garlic, and lemon zest. Cooked low and slow for 6 to 8 hours until the meat is tender and juicy, then finished under the broiler for 5 to 8 minutes until the skin is golden and caramelized. The herb-infused drippings become a spectacular gravy. The best turkey breast you will ever make, with the most forgiving method imaginable.

  • Total Time: 7 hours 42 minutes
  • Yield: 6 – 8 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

The Turkey

  • 1 bone-in, skin-on turkey breast, 4–7 lbs (1.8–3.2 kg)

The Herb Butter

  • 6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, completely softened
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp smoked paprika (optional)

The Vegetable Trivet

  • 1 large onion, roughly quartered
  • 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf

The Liquid Base

  • ½ cup (120ml) low-sodium turkey or chicken broth

For the Broiler Finish

  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the Herb Gravy

 

  • All strained drippings from the slow cooker
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (240ml) additional turkey or chicken broth
  • Salt, pepper, and fresh lemon juice to taste

Instructions

  • Make the herb butter. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika (if using). Mix with a fork until fully combined and smooth. Taste — it should be well-seasoned, fragrant, and slightly salty.
  • Prepare the turkey. If dry-brining the night before, rub 1 teaspoon of salt per pound over the turkey breast surface and refrigerate uncovered overnight. If not dry-brining, pat the turkey completely dry with paper towels.
  • Apply the herb butter. Gently slide your fingers under the turkey skin, separating it from the breast meat without tearing. Use half the herb butter and push it into the pocket, pressing from the outside to spread it evenly over as much of the breast meat as possible. Spread the remaining herb butter all over the outside of the skin, coating it completely.
  • Build the trivet. Arrange the quartered onion, celery, carrot, smashed garlic, thyme sprigs, rosemary sprigs, and bay leaf on the bottom of the slow cooker insert. Pour the broth over the vegetables.
  • Place the turkey. Nestle the turkey breast, skin side up, on top of the vegetable trivet. The turkey should be elevated above the liquid rather than sitting in it.
  • Cook. Set the slow cooker to LOW and cook for 6 to 8 hours, until the turkey registers 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the breast, not touching the bone. Begin checking with a meat thermometer at the 5-hour mark for smaller breasts (4–5 lbs) and at the 6-hour mark for larger ones.
  • Rest the turkey. Carefully remove the turkey from the slow cooker and place on a foil-lined baking sheet, skin side up. Allow to rest for 10 minutes while you preheat the broiler and strain the drippings.
  • Strain the drippings. Pour all the liquid from the slow cooker insert through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof measuring jug. Press the vegetables to extract maximum flavor. Allow to settle for 5 minutes and skim off the majority of the surface fat, reserving it separately.
  • Broil the turkey. Pat the turkey skin completely dry with paper towels. Brush with the melted butter. Place under a preheated broiler set to HIGH, 6 inches from the heat. Broil for 5 to 8 minutes, watching continuously, until the skin is deeply golden, caramelized, and fragrant. Do not walk away.
  • Rest and carve. Transfer the broiled turkey to a carving board and rest loosely tented with foil for 15 minutes. Carve by slicing perpendicular to the breastbone — thin, even slices cut against the grain.
  • Make the gravy. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute until pale golden. Gradually whisk in the strained drippings and additional broth until smooth. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened to your preferred consistency. Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
  • Serve. Arrange the carved turkey slices on a platter or individual plates. Pour the herb gravy generously over the turkey and serve the remainder in a warm jug alongside.

Notes

  • Dry brining overnight is the most impactful preparation step. Salting the turkey breast and refrigerating it uncovered overnight does two critical things: the salt penetrates the meat deeply (far more so than same-day seasoning) and the surface of the skin dries out, making it dramatically easier to crisp under the broiler. If you plan even one day ahead, do this.
  • Softened butter, not melted. This is not a detail to overlook. Melted butter runs off the meat and collects at the bottom of the slow cooker. Softened butter stays in place under and on the skin, basting the meat from the inside throughout the entire cook. Room temperature butter that holds its shape when pressed but is not cold or hard is exactly right.
  • Temperature, not time. Turkey breast sizes vary significantly. A 4-pound breast may be done in 5 hours; a 7-pound breast may need 8. The meat thermometer is the only reliable indicator of doneness — 165°F at the thickest part, not touching the bone.
  • The broiler step is non-negotiable. Pale, slow-cooked skin is soft and unappetizing. Five to eight minutes under a hot broiler transforms it into the golden, caramelized, crackling skin that makes roast turkey worth making. It is the step that takes this from good to exceptional.
  • Do not discard the drippings. The herb-butter-infused cooking juices are the best part of the whole recipe from a cook’s perspective. Strained and made into gravy, they are extraordinary. If you do not have time to make gravy, at minimum spoon the strained drippings over the carved turkey before serving.
  • Rest before carving. Fifteen minutes of resting under foil allows the juices to redistribute through the meat. Carving immediately produces noticeably drier turkey and a pool of juice on the carving board. The rest is part of the recipe.
  • Leftovers are exceptional. Slice only what you need. Store unsliced portions of the breast covered with their dripping juices in the fridge. Cold turkey breast from this recipe, on good bread with grainy mustard and a few crisp greens, is one of the great simple lunches.
  • Author: Elle
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus optional overnight dry brine)
  • Cook Time: 7 hours (on LOW)
  • Category: Dinner, Holiday, Main Dish
  • Method: Slow Cooking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten-Free

Find it online: https://slowcookerrecipes.us/slow-cooker-turkey-breast-with-herb-butter/