If you are cooking Thanksgiving for a smaller crowd this year, free up your oven by cooking your turkey in your slow cooker.
Sometimes you want to make turkey for Thanksgiving, but not a giant turkey. Have you ever cooked a small turkey or even a turkey breast (with the bone in) in a slow cooker (aka crock pot)?! Oh my goodness! It’s so dang good! If you ever have an off year when you are NOT cooking for a big crowd, but you still want all the delicious flavors you crave of the classic Thanksgiving Dinner, this is the way to do it!
With Thanksgiving coming up, I’m thinking we might opt for a smaller turkey this year, and I love how this one turns out. The turkey is so juicy, moist and tender…and I don’t even like the word moist (ha!). You can even crisp up the skin under the broiler after it’s been cooking for hours in the slow cooker, if you’d like.
If you are cooking a regular size turkey, don’t miss this post for the perfect roasted Thanksgiving Turkey with the best dry brine.
Ingredients for a small whole turkey in a slow cooker:
- 8-9 lb. turkey or turkey breast with bone in and skin on
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
Optional Aromatics: - 1/2 medium onion, chopped into large chunks
- 2 carrots, peeled, chopped into large chunks
- 2 celery stalks, cut in thirds
- 1 whole lemon, cut into quartered
How to cook a whole turkey in a slow cooker:
- Mix together the butter, herbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Loosen the skin on the turkey breast and rub the herbed butter between the skin and the meat.
- Add the chicken broth to a 6 quart slow cooker.
- Add the large chunks of aromatic vegetables to the bottom of your slow cooker. (This step is optional…make sure you have room for the turkey to put the lid on completely.)
- Place the turkey (or turkey breast) in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until it reaches 165 F in temperature.
- Finish it off by crisping up the skin by placing it under your oven broiler. Place cooked turkey on a roasting pan or on an oven safe baking dish. Place under the broiler for 10 minutes or until the skin of the turkey turns golden brown.
How to get crispy skin on a slow cooker turkey:
If you like to serve your turkey with the skin on, you will want to crisp up the skin before serving. We’ve found the best way to do this is on a sheet pan under your oven’s broiler.
Turn your oven broiler onto high and give it a few minutes to warm up to heat. Line a sheet pan with foil. Gently place the cooked turkey onto the sheet pan and place it under the broiler. The heat of the broiler will crisp up the skin of the turkey. This process will take anywhere from 5-10 minutes depending on how crispy you want it. If you don’t plan to eat the skin, you can skip this step completely.
Make the Gravy:
Gravy is a must with a classic turkey dinner, and when you cook the turkey in your slow cooker, you will get those delicious turkey drippings. Here’s our to make the simple gravy:
- In a medium sized pot melt the butter over low-medium heat. Whisk in the flour until combined. Allow the flour and butter to cook for about a minute, while whisking constantly.
- Pour in 1/2 cup of the turkey drippings and whisk until it forms a paste. Add the remaining liquid in 1/2 cup additions. Continue whisking between each addition, until the gravy is smooth.
- Allow to simmer over medium heat until thickened. Take the gravy off the heat and add the Worcestershire sauce. The gravy will continue to thicken as it cools. Add salt and pepper to taste as desired.
Here’s a quick snap of my plate filled with all my Thanksgiving favorites. I’d love to know…do you ever or have you ever cooked a smaller turkey for a few? If so you’ll have to give your slow cooker a try! It’s so good!
Favorite Turkey Dinner Side Dishes:
- Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Savory Rosemary Sweet Potatoes (my favorite)
- Baked Mac and Cheese
- The BEST dinner rolls
- stuffing
- green bean casserole
Slow Cooker Turkey
Cook a smaller turkey in your slow cooker for a tender juicy turkey for a smaller crowd.
Ingredients
- 8-9 lb. turkey or 3lb. turkey breast with bone in and skin on
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
Optional Aromatics:
- 1/2 white or yellow onion cut into chunks
- 2 carrots peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 celery stalks cut into chunks
- 1 lemon cut into quarters
For the Gravy:
- 2 cups Turkey broth from the drippings
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1-2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
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Mix together the butter, herbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Loosen the skin on the turkey breast and rub the herbed butter between the skin and the meat.
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Add the chicken broth to a 6 quart slow cooker
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Place the turkey (or turkey breast) in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until it reaches 165 F in temperature.
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Finish it off by crisping up the skin by placing it under your oven broiler. Place cooked turkey on a roasting pan or on an oven safe baking dish. Place under the broiler for 10 minutes or until the skin of the turkey turns golden brown.
Make Some Gravy:
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In a medium sized pot melt the butter over low-medium heat. Whisk in the flour until combined. Allow the flour and butter to cook for about a minute, while whisking constantly.
-
Pour in 1/2 cup of the turkey drippings and whisk until it forms a paste. Add the remaining liquid in 1/2 cup additions. Continue whisking between each addition, until the gravy is smooth.
-
Allow to simmer over medium heat until thickened. Take the gravy off the heat and add the Worcestershire sauce. The gravy will continue to thicken as it cools. Add salt and pepper to taste as desired.
Making This Recipe? Tag us on Instagram: @NoBiggie using the hashtag #NoBiggieRecipes, so we can see what you are making in the kitchen!
My friend LeighAnne from Your HomeBased Mom wrote the cookbook: Holiday Slow Cooker. It’s packed with slow cooker recipes for every holiday throughout the year. This recipe is featured in her book. If you or someone you know is obsessed with using your slow cooker (raising hand high), this would make a nice gift.
Recipes to use up Leftover Turkey:
