You Should Cook Turkey Breast This Year, Not the Whole Bird. Let Us Explain.
Slow-Cooker Turkey Breast with Orange and Herbs
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Published Nov 4, 2020
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Print Recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
The only thing worse than no turkey on Thanksgiving? Dry turkey. It’s always a potential problem, considering how long that bird spends in the oven and how tricky it can be to nail the doneness. But we’ve discovered an ingenious method that makes dry meat statistically impossible—you know, unless Aunt Marge is bringing the bird. Behold, our recipe for slow-cooker turkey breast.
See, when you make a turkey in the slow cooker, there’s zero fussing. You heard us: No basting, rotating or messing around with tinfoil—just 30 minutes of prep time and the push of a button. Plus, you’re saving precious oven space. Every. Single. Problem. Solved. (You’re on your own with Aunt Marge though.)
Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, plus sprigs for serving
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus sprigs for serving
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage, plus sprigs for serving
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2½ to 3 pounds skin-on turkey breast
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 small onions, peeled and quartered
1 blood orange (or orange), cut into thin rounds, for serving
Directions
1. In a small bowl, mix together the butter, orange zest, thyme, rosemary, sage, garlic powder and paprika.
2. Use your fingers to separate the turkey skin from the meat. Rub half of the butter mixture under the skin and the other half on top of the skin. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the onions in the base of the slow cooker and place the turkey breast on top. Cook on low until the meat is fully cooked but still tender and juicy, 5½ to 6 hours.
4. Preheat the broiler. Remove the turkey breast from the slow cooker and place it on a baking sheet. Discard the onions. (You can reserve the juices in the slow cooker for making gravy, if desired.)
5. Broil the turkey until the skin crisps, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the turkey rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
6. Slice the turkey into thin pieces and serve garnished with blood orange rounds and fresh herbs.
Nutrition Facts
231 calories
7g fat
14g carbs
27g protein
9g sugars
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Note: The information shown is Edamam's estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.