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Whether you’re planning a small holiday gathering, a casual weeknight dinner, this slow cooker boneless turkey breast is the perfect solution for a stress-free, flavorful meal.

Intimidated to make a full-size turkey this year or have a smaller gathering coming to your nest for Thanksgiving? (I get it! We’re a party of three this year!)

No worries! I’ve got the perfect solution! This slow cooker boneless turkey breast recipe proves that you don’t need hours in the kitchen to achieve a flavorful, home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner. With its tender texture and savory seasoning, it’s a perfect substitution for good ol’Tom!

By letting the slow cooker do all the work, you can focus on other tasks while your kitchen fills with the comforting aroma of herbs and spices. It’s so easy to make, you will wonder why you haven’t tried this recipe sooner.

This versatile dish pairs beautifully with classic sides like my Instant Pot herbed mashed potatoes, fresh green bean casserole, or even my favorite Cranberry Orange layered jell-o salad!

I’m sharing a few tips and tricks to make this Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Roast turn out perfectly… Every. Single. Time! Let’s get cooking!

Gather your ingredients

• 1–3 to 4 lb boneless turkey breast – I prefer butterball, but you can use any brand you prefer.
• 1 packet of gravy mix – found with turkey breast
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme, and poultry seasoning (optional).
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Fresh Ground pepper to taste
• ¼ teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut in half
• 1 cup chicken stock
• ¼ cup white cooking wine (optional). You can substitute apple juice or water for the cooking wine.
• 2-3 orange slices
• One sprig of fresh rosemary and sage
• 2–3 sprigs of fresh thyme

Preparing Turkey Breast for Slow Cooker

Begin by removing turkey breast from plastic packaging. The turkey breast should have cotton netting surrounding it.

TIP: You want to leave the netting on the turkey roast. It is what holds the shape of the turkey roast. Remember this is a turkey breast that has had the bone removed and has been rolled into a small roast. That netting is the only thing holding it together! (I may need some netting to hold me together through this holiday season! Lol)

Line your slow cooker with a 3-8 quart slow cooker liner. This will not only help to keep your slow cooker clean…but it serves a bigger purpose for this recipe. It becomes a cooking bag that allows the turkey breast to retain its moisture. So be sure to use a cooking liner!

Place the sliced onion halves on the bottom of the slow cooker liner bag, inside the slow cooker, to act as a “roasting rack”. This helps prevent the bottom of the turkey roast from burning and adds incredible flavor to the turkey and the drippings to the gravy!

Open the enclosed turkey gravy packet, if there is one, and add it to the slow cooker liner with your turkey roast. Do not dilute it. Just add as is. Place the turkey roast fat side up!

TIP: Always place the fat cap of any roast on top so that the juices run down into the meat, causing it to “self-baste” during cooking.

Add one cup of chicken broth and ¼ cup of white cooking wine.

TIP: You can substitute apple juice, or water, for white wine or omit it all together if you prefer.

Season the top of the turkey roast with freshly ground black pepper.

Seasoning Mixture

In a small bowl, add the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme, poultry seasoning, rubbed sage, and salt.

Mix with a small wire whisk until well combined.

Season the top of the turkey roast with the seasoning mixture. Lightly rub the mixture onto the top of the turkey breast.

Top with 2 orange slices and fresh sprigs of herbs.

Now for my secret tip for making the most moist and juicy slow cooker turkey roast! Gather the edges of the slow cooker liner and bring them together and clip them with a metal paper clip to hold it together, and seal the bag shut during baking. DO NOT USE A PLASTIC CLIP AS IT MAY MELT DURING BAKING!

The slow cooker bag acts as a cooking bag, creating a “steam bath” for that turkey breast! I am in LOVE with this method of making roasts in a slow cooker! You’re going to love it too.

Slow Cooking Turkey Breast

Place the lid on the slow cooker. Set it on “low” and bake for 4 hours! That’s it! Easy Peasy right? Now you can trot off for a few hours and put your feet up and watch a Hallmark movie! (A girl can dream!) Okay fine! Go peel the potatoes and make the stuffing!

After 4 hours, remove the lid and carefully open the bag, making sure not to burn yourself when the steam releases during opening! Peel the bag back and drape it over the sides of the slow cooker.

Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey breast. It should be at least 165°.

Using large tongs or a set of meat forks, remove the turkey breast from the cooking liner and place it on a cutting board. Remove the orange slices and herbs. Throw them away…we’re done with them! They have served their purpose for this dish!

TIP: DO NOT dispose of the drippings at the bottom of the pan! That’s your gravy for good gravy’s sake!

Back to the bird…

Using kitchen shears, carefully cut the netting off the roast along the side to preserve the appearance of the top of the turkey roast.

Remove the netting. Using a sharp carving knife, slice the turkey roast into your personalized serving-size slices.

Garnish with orange slices, fresh cranberries, and a few more sprigs of herbs if desired. It makes for a beautiful presentation. There is no reason a small turkey roast doesn’t deserve the same amount of fan fare that his bigger brother “Tom Turkey” receives on the BIG day!

I like to drizzle my sliced Turkey roast with homemade gravy made from the drippings at the bottom of that slow cooker bag! You can certainly serve it as is after slicing and allow everyone to drench their slices in their preferred amount of gravy! It’s stretchy pants day…anyone can do whatever they want to do with the gravy!

How to make Turkey Roast Gravy

This is a bonus portion to this recipe and, therefore, there are no step-by-step photos.

Place a strainer over a large sauce pan. Carefully gather the slow cooker liner and pour the contents into the strainer to strain out any herbs or fat pieces that may be in the broth. Remove the strainer and it’s contents.

Place the sauce pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a low boil.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, add 1½ cups of water and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Mix until well combined. Gradually, add the cornstarch mixture to the boiling turkey stock. Mix with a wire whisk continually until the mixture thickens and becomes semi-translucent. Don’t you dare walk away from that gravy Sister or Mister! You stand there and stir like your life and reputation depend on it…because it does! No ONE likes lumpy gravy!!! Add more salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat and serve with turkey breast.

You’ve just made gravy! Hooray for you!!!

Additional Turkey Recipes

• Herb Crusted Boneless Turkey Roast
• Easy Turkey and Stuffing Roll Ups
• Brine Turkey Breast
• Best Oven Roast Thanksgiving Turkey
• Hot Cranberry Turkey Sandwich Recipe
• Juicy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe from Allrecipes.com

This slow cooker boneless turkey breast is the perfect solution for a stress-free, flavorful meal. And do we all want, and need, a “stress-free” Thanksgiving?!! I know I do!

Thanks for stopping by my Nest today! I truly hope you enjoy the ease and convenience of this delicious recipe for your holiday meals this year!

Happy Holidays from our Nest to Yours!

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