Slow Cooker Hot Honey Turkey Breast

This Slow Cooker Hot Honey Turkey Breast is juicy, tender and finished with a sticky, sweet and spicy glaze. The turkey cooks low and slow on a bed of carrots, leeks, onion, garlic and fresh herbs, then gets brushed with hot honey and chili crunch right at the end so the glaze caramelizes instead of burning.

The cooking juices don’t go to waste either. They turn into a quick hot honey pan sauce that I serve right alongside the sliced turkey.

If you’ve made my Hot Honey Roasted Chicken with Chili Crunch or my Slow Cooker Hot Honey Chili Beef, you already know how much I love this flavor combination. This turkey breast brings the two together: the hands-off slow cooker method from the beef, and the glaze-at-the-end trick from the chicken.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Juicy turkey, no oven required. The slow cooker keeps the lean breast meat moist and frees up your oven for all the sides, which is a lifesaver on Thanksgiving.
• Sweet heat that actually sticks. The hot honey chili crunch glaze goes on at the end, so you get a glossy, caramelized finish rather than a watery or burnt one.
• A built-in sauce. The vegetables, herbs and broth turn into flavorful cooking juices that become an easy hot honey pan sauce.
• Just the right size. A boneless turkey breast is the perfect alternative to a whole turkey for smaller holiday dinners, Friendsgiving or a cozy Sunday supper.
• Easy to carve. No bones, no wrestling with a whole bird. Just slice and serve.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Boneless turkey breast roast: I used a 4 pound boneless, skinless turkey breast tied in netting. The netting keeps it in a nice even shape so it cooks evenly. Leave it on during cooking and snip it off before the hot honey chili glaze.
• Butter + olive oil: Melted butter and a little olive oil carry the seasoning and help it cling to the turkey.
• Paprika: Gives the turkey a beautiful warm color, which matters in a slow cooker where you don’t get oven browning.
• Garlic powder + onion powder: Plenty of savory flavor without fresh garlic bits that can turn bitter.
• Dried oregano: Adds an herby note under the sweet and spicy glaze. Italian seasoning works too.
• Salt + black pepper: I used sea salt, but any fine salt works.
• Carrots, leek, onion and garlic: These sit under the turkey like a rack, flavor the cooking juices and keep the bottom of the breast from stewing. I love rainbow carrots for color, but regular carrots are perfect. Cut the whole garlic head in half crosswise.
• Fresh rosemary and thyme: A few sprigs tucked in with the vegetables perfume the whole slow cooker.
• Chicken or turkey broth: Just enough liquid for gentle cooking and a flavorful gravy.
• Hot honey: Use your favorite store-bought hot honey. It brings sweetness and heat in one ingredient.
• Chili crunch oil: The savory, spicy partner to the honey. Stir the jar and scoop up some of those crunchy chili pieces, not just the oil. I like Momofuku, but any brand works.
• Fresh sage (optional): For garnishing the platter. It makes the whole thing look so festive.

How To Make Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

Step 1: Mix the seasoning. Whisk the melted butter, olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt and pepper into a smooth paste.

Step 2: Season the turkey. Pat the turkey breast really dry, then rub the seasoning all over it, working it into the netting on every side.

Step 3: Build the vegetable bed. Add the carrots, leek, onion, halved garlic head, rosemary and thyme to the slow cooker and pour in the broth.

Step 4: Slow cook. Set the turkey on top of the vegetables, cover and cook on Low until the thickest part reaches 160°F. Mine took 5 hours but start checking around 4 hours. Every turkey breast and slow cooker is different.

Step 5: Glaze and broil. Stir the hot honey, chili crunch and melted butter together. Lift the turkey out of the slow cooker, snip the netting and brush the glaze all over it and slide it under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until bubbling and sticky.

Step 6: Make the gravy. While the turkey is under the broiler, drain the slow cooker and set aside the cooked vegetables and herbs. Pour the cooking liquid into a small pot. You can serve it as is, but I like to whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and cook it on low, whisking often, for about 10 minutes until thickened. It makes an irresistible gravy.

Step 7: Rest and slice. Let the turkey rest for 15 minutes. It will climb to 165°F as it rests. Slice against the grain and serve with the gravy.

The Trick to a Hot Honey Glaze That Doesn’t Burn (or Wash Away)

This is the same lesson I learned developing my Hot Honey Roasted Chicken, with a slow cooker twist.

Don’t add the hot honey at the beginning. In the oven, honey left on for the whole cook burns. In a slow cooker, the opposite happens: the steam and juices thin it out, and you end up with a watery, pale glaze that slides right off the turkey.

Instead, the turkey cooks with the savory butter and spice rub first. Once it reaches 160°F, it gets brushed with the hot honey chili crunch glaze and goes under the broiler for just a few minutes. That’s enough time for the honey to turn sticky, glossy and caramelized.

One coat of glaze, brushed on right before broiling, is all it needs. Meanwhile, the savory cooking juices become the gravy, so you get sweet heat on the turkey and rich, herby gravy on the side.

Choosing the Right Turkey Breast

Boneless vs. bone-in. I developed this recipe with a boneless turkey breast roast. It fits easily in a 6-quart slow cooker, cooks evenly and slices beautifully. A bone-in breast will work if it fits with the lid closed, but it will take longer. Go by internal temperature, not time.

Fresh vs. frozen. Always thaw the turkey completely in the refrigerator first. A frozen turkey breast should never go into the slow cooker, because it stays too long at unsafe temperatures while it thaws. Plan on about 24 hours of fridge thawing for every 4 to 5 pounds.

Size. A 4 pound breast fed 6 people with leftovers. Plan on about ½ pound of boneless turkey per person.

What to Serve with Hot Honey Turkey Breast

For Thanksgiving, I’d go all in with my Rustic Apple Sausage Stuffing, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes (perfect for soaking up the pan sauce), Easy Green Bean Casserole and Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping. A spoonful of homemade cranberry sauce on the side is lovely with the sweet heat.

For an easy weeknight or Sunday dinner, keep it simple with Herb Roasted Carrots or Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Onions and Bacon and a pile of mashed potatoes.