About once a week, I put either some chicken or a turkey breast in the crock pot to use for various meals throughout the week. I usually use this method that I posted a few years ago – it’s SO easy, SO good and SO convenient to have on hand. After the meat has cooked, I will usually shred it up and just keep it in a ziploc in the fridge.
This week, I used my shredded turkey breast to make these crock pot turkey bacon avocado sliders for dinner – shredded turkey breast, turkey bacon, mashed avocado, lettuce & cranberry sauce on a dinner roll. Simple & easy – and totally hit the spot!
I love cooking meat in the crock pot because not only is it so easy to cook (and doesn’t heat up your entire house while doing so either!), but it really does make the most tender meat ever! The only problem is that it just doesn’t look super appetizing right out of the crock pot. If you are finely shredding it, or adding it to a sauce – this isn’t really a big deal, but for things like sandwiches (or sliders!) that nice dark crust on the meat just tastes and looks soooo much better.
See the turkey breast on the left? That’s straight out of the crock-pot after cooking on low for about 5 hours. Not so appealing.
So, ready for the secret to a perfectly browned, perfectly moist turkey breast? Cook it in the crock pot, then broil in the oven for about 15 minutes (I broiled mine at 500-degrees). That’s it! The meat will be so tender from the crock pot that you don’t need to worry about it over-drying in the oven. You’ll have it in there for just a few minutes to crisp up the skin. I just broil mine on one side, but if you want, you could flip it over and broil on the bottom as well!
Crock Pot Turkey Bacon Avocado Sliders
Ingredients:
1 turkey breast
1 packet of dry Italian salad dressing MIX (this is what I use, they should have it at any grocery store)
– or sub for 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder & 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning + s&p to taste
2 tablespoons butter
dinner rolls – I love these with sweet Hawaiian rolls
butter – for toasting rolls, optional
turkey bacon, cooked (I slice mine into 1/4 inch strips and cook on the stove-top – I don’t like having big pieces of bacon on my sandwich that I have to bite through)
cranberry sauce
lettuce (I use a baby spring mix)
avocado – lightly mashed and seasoned with salt
Directions:
1. Cook turkey breast in crock pot by sprinkling with dry Italian salad dressing mix (or suggested substitute) and topping with a few pats of butter. Cook on low for about 6 hours, or high for 4.
2. When the turkey breast has cooked through (and your house smells amazing), remove from crock pot and place in shallow pan. Broil at 500-degrees (or your oven’s highest setting) for 10-15 minutes, or until the turkey breast is golden brown.
3. Cover the browned turkey breast with foil, and allow to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before shredding.
4. Cut dinner rolls in half and gently toast in a saute pan over medium heat with a small amount of butter.
5. Fill each toasted roll with cranberry sauce, lettuce, shredded turkey, turkey bacon and mashed avocado.