This easy Slow Cooker Turkey and Gravy is tender and tasty, excellent served over mashed potatoes or stuffing, and made without any canned soup or gravy packets. It's a great alternative to roasting a whole turkey!
Friends, this dish is perfect for those times when you're just having a small Thanksgiving or other holiday dinner and you want to keep things super simple and stress-free but still very delicious!
But it doesn't have to be a holiday to make it. Crock pot turkey and gravy is also fantastic for a weeknight dinner or a Sunday dinner any time of the year (you could even swap out the turkey for chicken).
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We start by taking a few minutes to make a quick and flavorful homemade gravy on the stove top. This extra step is worth it because it keeps us from using any canned soup or packets of powdered gravy mix.
Then we take turkey breast tenderloins, put them in the slow cooker, smother them in that yummy gravy, and let them simmer away low and slow for a few hours so they stay nice and tender.
In the meantime, you can focus on making your side dishes. Your kitchen will smell sooo good!
When the turkey is done, just shred it, mix it back in with the gravy, and dinner is ready.
I highly recommend serving the turkey and gravy spooned over a bed of mashed potatoes or stuffing (both are awesome). Not only is it a gorgeous presentation, but the combination of flavors is outstanding!
Be sure to check out my Instant Pot Turkey Breasy and Gravy recipe as well!
Ingredients You Need
Note: Ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Turkey breast tenderloins - the kind that is not seasoned (a brine solution is okay, but those with other seasonings, such as rotisserie-style seasonings, can interfere with the flavors in the gravy); these are usually sold in 1½-pound packages containing 2 to 4 tenderloins
- Water
- Roasted chicken base - I use Better Than Bouillon (not sponsored); it is like a paste and has great flavor
- Unsalted butter - don't use salted butter, as it may make the gravy too salty
- All-purpose flour - for thickening the gravy
- Poultry seasoning - I use my Homemade Poultry Seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt and pepper
- Chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Special Equipment Needed
- Slow cooker - I use and recommend a 4-quart slow cooker because of the smaller size of this recipe
- If using a larger slow cooker, just keep in mind that, because it won't be very full, it can cook the smaller quantity of food a bit faster/hotter.
- Meat thermometer - to check the internal temperature of the cooked turkey
How to Make Slow Cooker Turkey and Gravy
Note: This is just a brief overview of the steps. For the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions, please go to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Place the turkey tenderloins in the slow cooker.
In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the water and roasted chicken base until well combined.
Make the Gravy: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; whisk until smooth, then cook for one minute, whisking constantly. Add the chicken broth and seasonings; whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, whisking frequently, until thickened.
Pour the gravy over the turkey tenderloins in the slow cooker; put on the lid. Cook on LOW until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F, about 3 to 4 hours.
Remove the turkey tenderloins from the slow cooker to a plate. Shred the meat using two forks.
Return the shredded turkey to the slow cooker with the gravy; stir to combine.
Serve over mashed potatoes or stuffing, if desired, and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- If the turkey contains a brine solution, which has salt, I don't add any salt prior to cooking (the chicken base used to make the gravy also has salt). If the turkey does not contain a brine solution, I do season it with salt before cooking.
- The cooking time given is just a guideline; it can and will vary depending on your slow cooker and the size of the tenderloins. You need to cook the turkey for as long as it takes to reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F (according to the USDA Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart).
- Although the turkey should still be nice and tender even if the temperature goes a little higher than 165°F (cooking it in the gravy helps with this), be careful to not overcook it too much so that the meat isn't dry or tough.
- If you want the gravy to be more brown, you can add some Gravy Master at the end (a little goes a long way). I did stir ¼ teaspoon into my gravy before adding back the shredded turkey to give it a nicer color.
Substitutions & Variations
- Boneless, skinless turkey breasts can be used instead of tukey tenderloins.
- Powdered chicken base/bouillon or bouillon cubes can be used instead of the paste-style base. If it calls for 1 teaspoon or 1 cube per cup of water, use 4 teaspoons or 4 cubes for this recipe (I add one extra for more flavor). If it calls for more or less per cup of water, adjust the amount accordingly.
- You can also use 3 cups of canned, boxed or homemade chicken or turkey broth/stock in place of the water and chicken base; just make sure it has really good flavor (I find that many brands of broth can be a bit bland).
- Feel free to adjust or change up any of the seasonings in the gravy to suit your own personal tastes.
- Instead of shredding, you can slice the turkey and serve it with the gravy poured on top. Remove the tenderloins from the slow cooker and allow them to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
- Use boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs if you like dark meat) to make slow cooker chicken and gravy; chicken also needs to be cooked to 165°F.
Leftover Storage & Reheating
Store any leftover turkey and gravy, once cooled, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
Reheat leftover turkey and gravy in a pot on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. If the gravy has become too thick (judge it after heating and not before), add some more chicken broth to thin it out. Be careful not to overcook, as this can make the turkey dry and tough.
I don't recommend reheating this in the microwave, as the turkey can easily overcook.
Serving Suggestions
Although you can certainly eat the turkey and gravy as is, my favorite way to serve it is either over a bed of mashed potatoes or stuffing. I think serving it this way really makes the dish, and I highly recommend it!
You could also try it over noodles, rice, toast, bread, puff pastry shells, or maybe even a baked potato...lots of possibilities!
Add a veggie on the side like steamed brussels sprouts or oven-roasted broccoli, and you're good to go. Or you can pair it with any your favorite holiday sides (some of mine are green bean casserole, cheesy creamed corn, roasted candied sweet potatoes or sweet potato casserole, yellow squash casserole, and cranberry sauce).
I hope you try this Slow Cooker Turkey and Gravy recipe and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
If you make this recipe, I'd love to know how it went. Please leave a star rating and comment below. Thanks!
📋Recipe
Slow Cooker Turkey and Gravy
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds turkey breast tenderloins, unseasoned (or you can use boneless, skinless turkey breasts)
- 3 cups warm water
- 4 teaspoons roasted chicken base, I use Better Than Bouillon, which is like a paste
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 to 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning, or to taste (I use 2 teaspoons of my homemade poultry seasoning)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Special Equipment
- Slow cooker (I use a 4-quart); see Notes below
- meat thermometer
Instructions
- Place the turkey tenderloins in the slow cooker; set aside.If the turkey contains a brine solution, which has salt, I don't add any salt prior to cooking (the chicken base use to make the gravy also has salt). If the turkey does not contain a brine solution, I do season it with salt.
- Make the Chicken Broth:In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the water and roasted chicken base until well-combined; set aside.
- Make the Gravy:Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat.Add the flour and whisk until well-combined and the mixture is smooth. Cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly (this cooks out the raw flour taste).While whisking constantly, slowly add the chicken broth and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth.Add the poultry seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder; stir to combine.Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking occasionally, then immediately reduce the heat and simmer, whisking frequently, until the gravy has thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.The gravy, at this point, should be thicker than you want the end result to be. This is because the turkey will release some liquid as it cooks, which will thin out the gravy.Be careful adding salt to the gravy if your turkey contained a brine solution. You can always add more salt later if needed.
- Pour the gravy over the turkey tenderloins in the slow cooker.
- Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW until the internal temperature of the turkey is at least 165°F, about 3 to 4 hours (start checking the temperature at 3 hours; test at the thickest part of each one).
- Remove the turkey tenderloins from the slow cooker to a plate. Using two forks, shred the chicken into smaller pieces.
- Return the shredded turkey to the slow cooker; stir to combine with the gravy. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding salt and pepper, if needed.
- Serve over mashed potatoes or stuffing, if desired, and sprinkle each serving with chopped fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
- Because this is a relatively small recipe, I recommend using a smaller slow cooker (I use a 4-quart). If using a larger slow cooker, just keep in mind that it can cook the smaller quantity of food a bit faster/hotter since the crock won't be very full.
- The cooking time given is just a guideline; it can and will vary depending on your slow cooker and the size of the tenderloins. You need to cook the tenderloins for as long as it takes for them to reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
- Although the turkey should still be nice and tender even if the temperature goes a little higher than 165°F (cooking it in the gravy helps with this), be careful to not overcook it too much so that the meat isn't dry or tough.
- After the turkey is cooked, if you would like your gravy to be a more brown color, you can stir in some Gravy Master (a little goes a long way); I added ¼ teaspoon to my gravy to darken it up just a bit).
- Please refer to the post for additional information and tips, step-by-step photos, substitutions and variations, information on storing leftovers, and reheating and serving suggestions.
- Estimated calories shown are based on 4 very generous servings and are for the turkey and gravy only. For 6 smaller servings, estimated calories per serving would be 320.
Susan says
Excellent!! Didn't change anything in the recipe and it turned out great. We didn't cook a big meal this year for Thanksgiving, just went to a family member's home and each brought a side -- so no leftovers. I made this today and it is enough for another meal or two! Husband loved it. Will definitely make again!
Michelle says
Thank you, Susan...so happy to hear that you and your husband enjoyed it, and I appreciate you taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!