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Why we love this recipe
Here is the recipe I turn to again and again when there is a smallish crowd for Thanksgiving, and/or any time I feel in a Thanksgiving-ish mood.
First of all, it is the most low-stress way I know to cook up turkey, and any recipe that lowers the holiday stress level is extra delicious in my book.
This fix it and forget slow cooker turkey pot roast, which involves loading up your trusty Crock Pot with a boneless turkey breast, a pile of carrots and potatoes and a bunch of seasonings, and letting it cook long and slow all day long while you bake pies and watch football.
And at the end, you can either carve it into slices or shred it into tender pieces. And when I say tender I mean TENDER….cooking turkey in a slow cooker all day long gives you the juicy fall apart tender scrumptiousness that you dream about. When it comes to Thanksgiving turkey, anyway.
AND, if you are having a crowd for the holiday and you want to make extra sure you have enough bird to go around, this is a ridiculously easy way to have some back-up turkey.
Ingredients needed for this recipe
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Turkey: We use a boneless turkey breast for this recipe, somewhere around three pounds, and if it is frozen you should thaw it out in the fridge a day or two before. If you want to use a bone-in breast you can (if it will fit in your slow cooker) – you will need to use a five or six pounder to get the same amount of meat.
- Carrots: You can swap in regular peeled carrots (cut them into about 2 inch pieces) for the baby carrots.
- Chicken Broth: We always go for the kind in the box instead of the can – we just like the taste better.
- Potatoes: You can use any variety of baby potatoes – white, red, fingerlings…you be you!
- Gravy: Yep, the kind in the jar. It’s perfect for this recipe!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Here’s how to make this recipe
STEP 1: Combine 1/4 cup flour, poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.
STEP 2: Rub some melted butter all over the turkey, then rub the flour mixture all over the turkey. Pop it in your slow cooker.
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STEP 3: Combine flour with chicken broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and parsley in another bowl.
STEP 4: Arrange the onion, carrots and potatoes over and around the turkey.
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STEP 5: Pour the chicken broth mixture over and around the turkey, cover up your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Take a nap.
STEP 6: Take the turkey out and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing (you can also pull it apart into bite sized pieces the way we do – if you decide to do it that way, you don’t have to wait). Return the turkey to the slow cooker and gently toss until everything is mixed well.
Now all that’s left to do is to divide your glorious turkey pot roast among plates or soup bowls and serve, passing warmed gravy on the side.
Recipe FAQs
You can if your slow cooker is big enough, although it will be a little harder to carve or shred it. But it will still taste scrumptious! You’ll need to get a five or six pounder for the same amount of meat.
The absolute most reliable way is to stick a meat thermometer into the thickest part. It should read 165 degrees…then you know you are done!
The most popular size (5 to 7 quarts) is perfect, although a bigger one will work well too. You might have trouble squishing all the ingredients into a smaller slow cooker.
Yep! That’s the brand name for one of the popular slow cookers out there.
Leave your question in the Comments section below and I promise to answer pronto!
Want to round out your meal?
This turkey pot roast is a one pot meal, but we love some cream cheese stuffed biscuits on the side.
And some mini apple pies for dessert are just the ticket!
Other turkey recipes we love
Could you leave us a review?
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.
Slow Cooker Turkey Pot Roast
This fix it and forget it recipe for slow cooker turkey pot roast swaps the beef for a turkey breast with carrots and potatoes for the perfect Sunday supper!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 three pound boneless turkey breast, thawed and taken out of the netting
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sweet onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 cups baby carrots
- 3 cups baby potatoes, cut in halves or quarters based on size
- 12 ounces turkey or chicken gravy (yes, you can use the kind in the jar!) for serving
Instructions
- Combine 1/4 cup flour, poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.
- Rub the melted butter all over the turkey, then rub the flour mixture all over the turkey. Pop it in your slow cooker.
- Combine the remaining 1/4 cup flour with the chicken broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, parsley and the bay leaves in another bowl.
- Arrange the onion, carrots and potatoes over and around the turkey.
- Pour the chicken broth mixture over and around the turkey, cover up your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.
- Take the turkey out and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing (you can also pull it apart into bite sized pieces the way we do – if you decide to do it that way, you don’t have to wait). Return the turkey to the slow cooker and gently toss until everything is mixed well.
- Divide among plates or soup bowls and serve, passing warmed gravy on the side.
Notes
-
- Turkey: We use a boneless turkey breast for this recipe, somewhere around three pounds, and if it is frozen you should thaw it out in the fridge a day or two before. If you want to use a bone-in breast you can (if it will fit in your slow cooker) – you will need to use a five or six pounder to get the same amount of meat.
-
- Carrots: You can swap in regular peeled carrots (cut them into about 2 inch pieces) for the baby carrots.
-
- Chicken Broth: We always go for the kind in the box instead of the can – we just like the taste better.
-
- Potatoes: You can use any variety of baby potatoes – white, red, fingerlings…you be you!
-
- Gravy: Yep, the kind in the jar. It’s perfect for this recipe!
Sydney says
Such an easy way to get the Thanksgiving turkey vibe without feeling overwhelmed by the task of cooking a whole turkey. Thanks for the great recipe!
And you can continue that vibe all year long! Hurray for turkey!!
Elizabeth says
Hello & Happy Thanksgiving!! Love your Blog & recipes. I was wondering if this recipe would work using Turkey Tenderloins instead of Turkey Breast? Thanks in advance :)
Hi Elizabeth and thank you so much for your sweet words! I think tenderloins should work just fine – I would pile them together so you get some of the thickness of a regular turkey breast, and check them after 6 hours or so (just because they are less dense – they might cook faster). Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! :)