In my family, Thanksgiving side dishes are the real star of this food-heavy holiday. Big buttery rolls, sweet potato casserole, stuffing and my favorite, green bean casserole. Which means space in the oven on Thanksgiving is a hot commodity. To make things a bit easier on ourselves and the oven, my mom, the resident Thanksgiving-turkey-roaster for the family, turned to an unlikely kitchen ally: a slow cooker.
Rather than roast a 20-pound bird in the oven for the better part of the day, my mom utilized Taste of Home reader Maria Juco’s fabulous slow cooker turkey breast and wrangled a few slow cookers and turkey breasts for a moist and flavorful main dish that was entirely hands-off.
Keep reading to get Maria Juco’s recipe, plus some helpful tips along the way.
Plus: Here’s how to cook almost any Thanksgiving dish in the slow cooker.
How to Cook a Turkey Breast in a Slow Cooker
Ingredients:
- 1 bone-in turkey breast (6 to 7 pounds), skin removed
- 1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup water
Equipment:
- 6-quart Slow cooker
- Meat thermometer
Directions
Step 1: Prep
If not purchased skinless, remove the skin from the breast by gently pulling it up and back. Discard.
Next, in a small bowl, mix the garlic, seasoned salt, paprika, Italian seasonings and pepper until they’re combined. Brush the turkey all over with the oil then rub the seasonings on the breast.
Also, here are the most common turkey mistakes—and how to avoid them.
Step 2: Cook
Transfer your prepped turkey into a slow cooker and pour the water into the bottom of the device. Cover and cook the breast until it’s nice and tender, about 5-6 hours.
Make sure you’re not taking any unnecessary risks by following these slow cooker safety tips.
Step 3: Carve
Before taking the turkey out of the slow cooker, check its temperature with a meat thermometer (our Test Kitchen uses this model) to test its doneness. The thickest part of the turkey should be at least 165 °F for food safety. By the way, these are the food-safe temperatures for each type of meat.
Once it’s up to temp, pull your bird from the slow cooker and let it rest for about 10 minutes. This allows the juices (and flavor!) to be locked into the meat before cutting. After a quick rest, slice your turkey breast and serve it alongside lots of fresh-from-the-oven side dishes!
Need some inspo? Here are some of our favorite side dish recipes and low calorie slow cooker recipes.
Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Fresh sweet potatoes Mom grew disappeared fast at our family table when she served them with this easy, flavorful glaze. She still makes them this way, and now her sweet potato recipe has become a favorite with the grandchildren as well! —Rosemary Pryor, Pasadena, Maryland
Cornbread Dressing with Oysters
My father's dressing bakes separately from the turkey and is simply delicious. The secret is to prepare the corn bread first, let it cool and then crumble it to form the base for the rest of the ingredients. My father always added oysters to give the dressing a special flavor. —Nell Bass, Macon, Georgia
Brussels Sprouts in Rosemary Cream Sauce
Brussels sprouts in a rosemary-infused cream sauce have the power to bring friends together – but watch out for fights over who gets the last of the sauce. —Liz Koschoreck, Berea, Kentucky
Cran-Raspberry Gelatin Salad
Just like Grandma’s, this pretty gelatin salad has full berry flavor without being too tart. It’s perfect for any holiday dinner. —Rosemary Burch, Phoenix, Arizona
Cheese-Stuffed Sweet Onions
These onions are cooked in vegetable broth and stuffed with a delicious blend of cheeses. Experiment to find the blend you like. Instead of goat cheese, try cream cheese or mascarpone. You could substitute Gorgonzola cheese for the blue cheese, and in place of Romano, you could use Parmesan. Any blend is delicious! —Sonya Labbe, West Hollywood, California
Cauliflower Dill Kugel
I enjoy cauliflower and kugel, so it made sense to combine the two into one special dish. The ricotta cheese adds a distinctive creaminess and lightness. —Arlene Erlbach, Morton Grove, Illinois
Rosemary Beets
We’re a family of beet eaters. For a simple side dish, I use a slow cooker and let the beets mellow with rosemary and thyme. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada
Herbed Accordion Dinner Rolls
To dress up everyday dinner rolls, brush herbed butter over the dough, then form accordion rolls. The aroma from the oven is incredible! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Maple-Glazed Acorn Squash
With a maple syrup and brown sugar glaze, this squash becomes pleasantly sweet. This is comfort food—easy to prepare and a tasty pairing with a pork entree. —Nancy Mueller, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
Scalloped Apples Casserole
When preparing my first Thanksgiving dinner years ago, I wanted to add something special to the table and came up with this recipe. It's been a part of our traditional dinner ever since. —Kellie Erwin, Westerville, Ohio
Seasoned Brown Rice Pilaf
For those of us who are white rice lovers at heart, this recipe makes brown rice taste great! Everyone takes seconds; it is that good. It is so easy to prepare. To convert for vegetarians, just substitute veggie broth for the beef broth. Any leftovers are delicious the next day. —Amy Berry, Poland, Maine
Cornbread Pudding
I love serving this satisfying corn bread pudding recipe with shrimp or other seafood. I actually adapted the dish from my mom’s recipe, and it always reminds me of her. —Bob Gebhardt, Wausau, Wisconsin
Creamed Spinach & Pearl Onions
When I was a culinary student, this creamy dish wowed me, and I don't even like spinach. This side is a keeper! —Chelsea Puchel, Pickens, South Carolina
Sweet & Tart Lemon Jell-O
With its sunny lemon color, this gelatin mold brightens up any table. I usually make two molds for parties because it disappears so quickly. —Patricia Ryzow, Thousand Oaks, California
Olive-Stuffed Celery
My grandmother taught both me and my mom this appetizer recipe for stuffed celery. We always serve it at Christmas and Thanksgiving. The stuffing is so yummy that even if you don't normally care for the ingredients on their own, you'll love the end result. —Stacy Powell, Santa Fe, Texas
Bacon-Stuffed Mushrooms
I first tried these bubbly treats at my sister-in-law's house. The tender mushroom caps and creamy filling were so fabulous that I had to get the recipe. It's hard to believe how simple, fast and easy they are. —Angela Coffman, Kansas City, Missouri
Cranberry Waldorf Salad
Cranberries grow in the coastal area about 50 miles from our home. When they become available, I always make this creamy salad. —Faye Huff, Longview, Washington
Oyster Cheese Appetizer Log
When you say "holiday tradition" around our house, this appetizer comes to mind immediately. Every winter, I make lots of cheese logs and freeze them for when I'm expecting company or need to take food to someone's home. The blend of smoked oysters, chili powder, nuts and cream cheese tastes good-even people who don't like oysters may enjoy this interesting appetizer. —William Tracy, Jerseyville, Illinois
Baker's Dozen Yeast Rolls
A yummy honey-garlic topping turns these easy dinner rolls into something extra special. Try ’em with soups and chili. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Grandma's Cranberry Stuff
What could taste better than turkey and cranberry on Thanksgiving Day? My grandmother's classic recipe makes the best cranberry stuff to share with your family and friends this holiday. —Catherine Cassidy, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Marmalade Candied Carrots
My favorite way to make baby carrots is to steam them, then drizzle with an orangey glaze that makes them candy-sweet. —Heather Clemmons, Supply, North Carolina
Ambrosia Salad
Because it’s so simple to make, this tropical fruit medley is great as a last-minute menu addition. Plus, this ambrosia salad requires just five ingredients. —Judi Bringegar, Liberty, North Carolina
Chestnut Stuffing
It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without a serving of my family's favorite stuffing. If you can't find jarred chestnuts at your grocery store, check gourmet cooking shops or order them online. —Lee Bremson, Kansas City, Missouri
Cranberry-Apple Red Cabbage
When I was looking for something new, I started playing with flavors and came up with this very tasty dish. My German grandmother would be impressed, I think! The colorful side dish is just right with pork. —Ann Sheehy, Lawrence, Massachusetts
Horseradish Deviled Eggs
People say, "Wow!" when they taste these flavorful, tangy horseradish deviled eggs. The bold combination of ground mustard, dill and horseradish is so appealing. The plate is always emptied whenever I serve these eggs. —Ruth Roth, Linville, North Carolina
Mincemeat-Filled Braid
Mincemeat has gotten such a bad rap over the years. Raisins, currants and other dried fruit, richly spiced and soaked in brandy…what's wrong with that? My family and I love it tucked inside this gorgeous-looking bread. It's perfect for breakfast or with dinner. —Loraine Steinfort, Shelbyville, Indiana
Spicy Shrimp & Crab Cocktail
This seafood starter is so good that it makes me love a food I usually don't—radishes! This recipe also calls for spicy V8, but Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix works just as well. Serve the cocktail straight up, with tortilla chips or on a bed of butter lettuce. —Heidi Knaak, Liberty, Missouri
Flaky Butterhorn Rolls
These dinner rolls, slightly sweet and so very flaky, were my mother’s recipe. They are simple to prepare because kneading skills are not required and the dough is easy to handle. My grandchildren have renamed them Grandma’s Croissants! —Bernice Smith, Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota
Sweet Potato Stuffing
Mom likes to make sure there will be enough stuffing to satisfy our large family. For our holiday gatherings, she slow-cooks this tasty sweet potato dressing in addition to the traditional stuffing cooked inside the turkey. —Kelly Pollock, London, Ontario
Grandma's Collard Greens
My grandmother made the best collard greens recipe in the world. Eating them with a slice of buttermilk cornbread is pure bliss. —Sherri Williams, Crestview, FloridaThe post How to Cook a Turkey Breast in a Slow Cooker appeared first on Taste of Home.
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