Description
This slow cooker spiced turkey breast with couscous features juicy turkey, warm spices, sweet dried apricots, and tender vegetables. Finished with fluffy couscous soaked in the cooking juices, it’s a comforting one-pot meal perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
- 1 whole bone-in turkey breast (about 5 pounds)
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups butternut squash chunks (1 inch)
- 1/3 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
- 3 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into chunks
- 3 large strips orange peel
- 6 tbsp orange juice, divided
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 medium onion, thickly sliced
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups couscous
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Remove and discard turkey skin and trim excess fat. Cut out backbone to help fit into slow cooker.
- Mix coriander, cumin, paprika, ginger, 1 tsp salt, and black pepper. Rub over turkey breast.
- Place squash, apricots, carrots, orange peel, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and onion in the bottom of an 8-quart slow cooker.
- Pour in chicken broth and 1/4 cup orange juice. Stir in 1 1/4 tsp salt.
- Set turkey breast-side up on top of vegetables. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil.
- Cover and cook on low for about 5 hours, or until turkey reaches 165°F. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for 10 minutes.
- Turn slow cooker to high. Once liquid simmers, stir in couscous. Turn off heat, cover, and let sit for 7 minutes.
- Fluff couscous, stir in cilantro, and remove bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Transfer couscous to serving bowl.
- Whisk remaining 2 tbsp orange juice with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt for a dressing.
- Slice turkey against the grain and drizzle with orange dressing. Serve with couscous and vegetables.
Notes
- Use dried figs or raisins instead of apricots if preferred.
- Swap butternut squash for sweet potatoes for deeper flavor.
- Add chickpeas for a heartier dish.
- Pearl couscous may be used; increase resting time to 10 minutes.
- Fresh parsley may replace cilantro for milder herbal notes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Mediterranean-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
