There's something really satisfying about walking into your house and smelling Slow Cooker Lemon Herb Turkey Breast cooking away in the crockpot. I remember the first time I made this – it was actually a random Tuesday, not even a holiday! Emily came home from school and asked if we were having a party. That's when I knew this recipe was going to be a regular thing in our kitchen.
The best part? You don't need to stress about dry, overcooked turkey anymore. This method keeps everything tender and juicy without any of the fuss that comes with roasting a whole bird. Just season it up, throw it in the slow cooker, and go about your day.
If you're looking for more ways to use your crockpot for easy dinners, check out my Crockpot Marry Me Chicken – it's another one of those set-it-and-forget-it meals that never disappoints.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Lemon Herb Turkey Breast Recipe
- Ingredients For Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- How To Make Turkey Breast In A Slow Cooker
- Storage And Reheating Tips
- Tips For Making The Best Lemon Herb Turkey
- Recipe Variations You Can Try
- Frequently Asked Questions About Crockpot Turkey Breast
- Recipes You May Like
- Final Thoughts On This Easy Turkey Recipe
- Slow Cooker Lemon Herb Turkey Breast
Why You'll Love This Lemon Herb Turkey Breast Recipe
- Super easy prep – Only 10 minutes of hands-on time before you can walk away and let your slow cooker do all the work
- Always moist and tender – The slow cooking method with broth keeps the turkey from drying out (trust me on this one!)
- Perfect for small gatherings – You don't need to cook a whole turkey when you just want the breast meat
- Fresh herb flavor – The combination of lemon, rosemary, and Italian seasoning makes this taste way fancier than the effort required
- Great for meal prep – Makes enough for dinner plus leftovers for sandwiches and salads throughout the week
- No oven required – This frees up your oven for side dishes, especially helpful during holiday cooking
Ingredients For Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
For the turkey:
- 3 lbs. boneless skinless turkey breast (can use 2-3 lbs. of turkey breast)
- 2 cups turkey broth (or chicken broth)
- ¼ cup salted butter, thinly sliced, divided
- 2 tsp. lemon zest
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, divided
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced, divided (or ½ tsp. garlic powder)
Optional for serving:
- Turkey gravy or chicken gravy
- Fresh lemon slices
How To Make Turkey Breast In A Slow Cooker
Making this slow cooker turkey breast is honestly one of the easiest things you'll do all week. No complicated steps, no watching the oven – just simple prep and patience.
Step 1: Prepare the slow cooker base
Add the turkey broth to your 6-8 quart crockpot. Drop in 4-6 thin slices of butter along with half of the lemon zest, Italian seasoning, and minced garlic right into the broth. This creates a really flavorful cooking liquid that keeps everything moist.
Step 2: Add the turkey breast
Place your turkey breast right on top of those butter slices in the crockpot. Don't worry about positioning it perfectly – it's going to turn out great either way.
Step 3: Season the turkey
Evenly sprinkle the remaining lemon zest, Italian seasoning, garlic, and butter slices over the top of the turkey breast. I like to pat these seasonings gently so they stick to the meat a bit better.
Step 4: Add fresh herbs
Tuck those 2 sprigs of rosemary into the crockpot around the turkey. The smell while this cooks is absolutely amazing!
Step 5: Cook low and slow
Cover your crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. I usually go with the low setting because I'm doing other things anyway, and it's pretty much foolproof.
Step 6: Rest and slice
Once the turkey is cooked through (more on checking this in a minute), carefully remove it from the crockpot and let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. This helps keep all those juices in the meat instead of running all over your cutting board.
Step 7: Serve
Slice the turkey breast and serve with gravy and fresh lemon slices if you want. Sometimes I just drizzle a bit of that cooking liquid over the slices – it's basically a light gravy all on its own!
Storage And Reheating Tips
Leftover crock pot turkey breast actually reheats really well, which is rare for turkey! I usually get about 3-4 days of meals out of one batch.
Storing leftovers:
Keep your cooked turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I like to slice it before storing because it makes grabbing some for lunch way easier.
Freezing for later:
You can freeze cooked turkey breast for up to 4 months in a freezer-safe container. Just make sure it's completely cooled before freezing, and always thaw it in the refrigerator (never on the counter!).
Reheating instructions:
The microwave works fine for reheating sliced turkey – just add a splash of broth or water and cover it to keep moisture in. For larger portions, reheat in a covered dish in the oven at 325°F until warmed through.
Using the cooking liquid:
Don't throw out that liquid in the crockpot! It makes an excellent base for soup or can be used to moisten the turkey when reheating. I sometimes save it in ice cube trays so I can pop out just what I need.
Tips For Making The Best Lemon Herb Turkey
After making this recipe probably 20 times over the past few years, I've picked up a few tricks that really make a difference.
Use a meat thermometer. Seriously, this is the only way to know for sure when your turkey is done. You want it to hit 165°F in the thickest part. I learned this the hard way when I ended up with slightly undercooked turkey once (we just put it back in for another 30 minutes and it was fine).
Don't skip the lemon zest. Fresh lemon zest adds so much more flavor than just lemon juice. It's worth the extra minute to zest that lemon!
Let it rest before slicing. I know you're hungry and it smells amazing, but give it 5-10 minutes to rest. The difference in juiciness is noticeable.
Size matters for cooking time. A 2-pound breast will cook faster than a 3-pound one. Check it around the 3-hour mark on high or 5 hours on low if you're using a smaller piece.
Try the oven-finish method. Want crispy edges? After slow cooking, transfer the turkey to a baking dish and pop it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes. Just watch it carefully so it doesn't burn!
Save those drippings. The liquid left in your crockpot is basically a light turkey stock. Use it for gravy, soup, or even cooking rice. Way too good to waste!
Recipe Variations You Can Try
One of my favorite things about this boneless turkey breast slow cooker recipe is how easy it is to change up the flavors. Here are some variations I've tried:
Mediterranean style: Replace the Italian seasoning with oregano and add some sliced olives and sun-dried tomatoes to the broth.
Garlic herb butter: Double the garlic and add fresh thyme instead of rosemary for a more traditional herb flavor.
Asian-inspired: Skip the Italian seasoning and add fresh ginger, soy sauce, and a touch of sesame oil to the broth. It's really different but super good!
Spicy version: Add some red pepper flakes or a diced jalapeño to the broth if you like a little kick.
Orange herb turkey: Swap the lemon zest for orange zest – it gives a slightly sweeter, different citrus flavor that Emily actually prefers sometimes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Crockpot Turkey Breast
No, always use a fully thawed turkey breast for food safety and even cooking.
Yes, a 4-quart slow cooker works fine, but ensure the turkey breast fits comfortably with the lid closing properly.
No, searing is not necessary—just place the raw turkey breast directly in the slow cooker with the seasonings.
Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the breast.
Recipes You May Like
Looking for more easy dinner ideas? These recipes pair really well with this turkey or use similar cooking methods:
- Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Dumplings – Another comforting crockpot meal that's perfect for busy weeknights
- Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo – If you love set-it-and-forget-it dinners, this creamy pasta is a must-try
- Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan – A quick side dish that goes perfectly with this lemon herb turkey
Final Thoughts On This Easy Turkey Recipe
I keep coming back to this Slow Cooker Lemon Herb Turkey Breast recipe because it just works. No drama, no dry turkey, no standing over a hot oven. Just really good food that makes your house smell amazing while you're doing literally anything else.
Whether you're making this for a regular Tuesday dinner (like I often do) or for Thanksgiving when you need to free up oven space, this recipe won't let you down. The lemon and herbs keep things interesting without being weird, and the slow cooker does all the hard work.
Give it a try next time you're at the grocery store and see turkey breast on sale. You won't regret it! And seriously, save this to your Pinterest board so you can find it again when you need an easy dinner solution.
Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe – I'd love to hear what you think!
Slow Cooker Lemon Herb Turkey Breast
Equipment
- Slow Cooker – 4 quart or larger (I own and use this one from Crock-Pot)
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. boneless skinless turkey breast can use 2-3 lbs. of turkey breast
- 2 cups turkey broth or chicken broth
- ¼ cup salted butter thinly sliced, divided
- 2 tsp. lemon zest
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning divided
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1 Tbsp. garlic minced, divided (or ½ tsp. garlic powder)
Serving ideas
- turkey gravy or chicken gravy for serving optional
Instructions
- Add turkey broth to a 6-8 quart crockpot and add 4-6 thin slices of butter to the broth along with half of the lemon zest, Italian seasoning and garlic.
- Place turkey breast on top of the butter slices in the crockpot.
- Evenly sprinkle the remaining lemon zest, Italian seasoning, garlic, and butter slices over the turkey breast.
- Add 2 sprigs of rosemary to the crockpot, cover, and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.
- Once cooked, remove the turkey breast from the crockpot and slice.
- Serve with gravy and lemon slices.
