Who needs a 20-pound bird when this slow cooker turkey breast turns out perfectly juicy every single time? It's cozy, citrusy, and ridiculously easy-ideal for small Thanksgivings, weeknight comfort, or anyone tired of fighting with oven racks and roasting pans.
If your oven's already full of chaos and casseroles, let the slow cooker handle the bird. It won't gossip or dry out your turkey."
Table of Contents
- 🗝️ Why this slow cooker turkey breast is pure Thanksgiving genius
- 🧾 Ingredients for slow cooker turkey breast
- 📖 Recipe
- 🔪 How to make slow cooker turkey breast
- 👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
- 🦃 If you liked this turkey, wait till you taste these
- 🍽️ What to serve with chipotle citrus turkey breast
- 💬 Comments
🗝️ Why this slow cooker turkey breast is pure Thanksgiving genius
Juicy turkey without the oven drama? Yes, please. This slow cooker turkey breast stays tender, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned while you sip coffee and pretend you worked hard. It's the best kind of holiday hack-simple ingredients, hands-off cooking, and results fancy enough to make your in-laws suspicious. Ideal for small Thanksgiving dinners, Sunday comfort meals, or anyone who believes good food shouldn't require a nap afterward but leaves you free to have one if you want.
🧾 Ingredients for slow cooker turkey breast
Think of this ingredient list as your Thanksgiving survival kit: turkey, citrus, a little chipotle swagger, and no sobbing into a kitchen towel required. Simple, affordable, and guaranteed to smell like Gordon Ramsay cooking for Hallmark.
- 🦃 Bone-in turkey breast - Because flavor lives in the bone, not in those sad boneless hunks pretending to be turkey.
- 🧅 Onion - The humble hero. It melts into sweet, savory magic while your slow cooker does the heavy lifting.
- 🍈 Lime - Adds a little citrus twang that keeps everything bright and juicy. Leave the peel on-it's where the sass hides.
- 🍬 Brown sugar - Sweet Southern touch that balances all that smoky chipotle heat.
- 🌿 Cilantro - Bright, fresh, and controversial. (If you're one of those "it tastes like soap" people, use parsley and move on with your life.)
- 🌶️ Chipotle - Smoky, bold, and unapologetic. Like your favorite aunt after her second bourbon eggnog.
- 🍯 Molasses - Deep, dark sweetness that makes this turkey taste like it came from a fancy restaurant instead of your Crockpot.
- 🍊 Orange juice - Zesty, juicy, and the secret to that glossy, caramelized finish everyone swears you slaved over.
- 🧂 Salt & pepper - The power couple. Don't skimp; they bring balance, just like bourbon and butter.
Don't trust the Internet-or your cousin Carol-to answer your slow cooker turkey questions. Download the free slow cooker turkey breast kitchen cheat sheet and get all the extra tips, storage hacks, and FAQs in one handy printable. It's like having me in your kitchen, minus the smart-alecky commentary.
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
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- 4 lbs bone in turkey breast
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ¾ cup orange juice
- 1 lime, sliced
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Optional
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Rub turkey breast on all sides with salt and pepper.
- Add to slow cooker.
- Mix orange juice, brown sugar, molasses, and chipotle.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Pour over the turkey.
- Add sliced lime and cilantro to slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, or until turkey is done (165F).
- Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
Optional
- Pour juices into a saucepan.
- Mix the cornstarch and water into a slurry and whisk into the saucepan.
- Heat until simmering and thickened.
- Serve with turkey.
Notes
- I don't recommend cooking a frozen turkey breast, as it can throw off the cooking time. Let the turkey thaw in the fridge for a day or so if it's frozen.
- Leave the peel on the limes. As it cooks, the skin will release some very fragrant, zesty oil that'll make the turkey extra tender and tasty.
- For an accurate temperature using a meat thermometer, stick the probe into the thickest part of the meat. However, don't hit the bone. Turkey is done at 160F with a resting period of about 10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
🔪 How to make slow cooker turkey breast
This slow cooker turkey breast for small families makes the perfect budget-friendly holiday dinner idea. It isn't one of those "dump it all in and pray" slow cooker recipes - it's pure, citrusy, chipotle-kissed magic. Follow these easy steps and you'll end up with turkey so tender and flavorful it'll have your neighbors sniffing around your porch like strays at suppertime.
- Grab your whisk and stir up a smoky-sweet potion of orange juice, brown sugar, molasses, and chipotle until it smells like a Texas sunset.
- Toss those onions and lime slices in the bottom of your slow cooker-this is your flavor bed, not a suggestion.
- Set that seasoned turkey breast right on top like it owns the place, then pour the sauce over and shower it with cilantro.
- Optional (but highly encouraged): when it's done, thicken up those glorious juices with a little cornstarch slurry and brush it all over the turkey like you're glazing temptation itself, because you are.
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
Got questions? Of course you do-this isn't your first rodeo, and slow cookers have moods. Whether you're wondering about cooking times, storage, or how to make that gravy sing, the answers below will keep your turkey tender, your kitchen calm, and your family impressed enough to stay quiet for five blessed minutes. Have other questions? Don't forget to download the free kitchen cheat sheet or ask me in the comments!
It's finished cooking once the thickest part reaches 165 degrees F. To get an accurate read, I recommend an instant thermometer.
Low and slow for turkey! High heat in the slow cooker can overcook and dry out the meat. The only time you start turkey on high heat is when it's in the oven and has the skin on. Even then, after the skin is crisp, you usually lower the heat to finish it.
Color isn't the best way to tell if poultry is done-temperature always ensures it's safe to eat. As long as the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, turkey and chicken are safe to eat!
🦃 If you liked this turkey, wait till you taste these
Once your chipotle citrus turkey has done its holiday duty, don't you dare let those last slices go to waste. Turn them into a steaming pot of Tuscan Turkey Soup, rich with garlic, white beans, and a splash of cream-basically comfort in a bowl that whispers you've still got it.
Feeling a little more decadent (or just over dishes)? Pile that turkey high on soft sandwich bread, drown it in pan gravy, and call it Hot Turkey and Gravy Sandwich night-the kind of meal that makes the world right again. Or, if you're feeling fancy and ready to channel your inner country aristocrat, serve up Oven Roasted Quail for your next dinner. It's delicate, golden, and proof that rustic doesn't mean simple-it means divine.
🍽️ What to serve with chipotle citrus turkey breast
This chipotle citrus turkey doesn't play well with bland sides-it wants bold company. Think bourbon sweet potatoes, zesty cornbread dressing, or something green and proud like roasted Brussels sprouts with cranberries and bacon. Basically, anything that can hold its own next to smoky, tangy perfection without fainting from the flavor.
I love easy Thanksgiving recipes! Now that my kids are grown up and moved out, several of them out of state, I don't need a big 24 pound turkey for the holidays anymore. This simple turkey breast recipe is full of fall flavor and it's a nice change from the classic turkey and stuffing we've eaten for decades.
Plus it feeds a small family or empty nesters perfectly. Less work, less waste... and I'm here for it! If you're looking for something even easier give this 3-ingredient boneless turkey breast a try. It's done in the
If you loved this recipe, leave a comment and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating - it helps more tired, hungry souls find their way to good food without the meltdown.
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