The holiday season is a crazy time of year. All of the parties and events and all the shopping and planning can leave you energetically depleted. But what happens when you still have to provide a family dinner, but don’t have the energy to cook a big meal? Maybe you don’t have the energy to cook a big turkey dinner.

If the thought of wrestling a giant turkey, timing five side dishes, and juggling oven space makes your brain want to shut down, you are not alone. As someone with AuDHD, and as a human who simply doesn’t have endless spoons to spend on complicated holiday cooking, I’m always looking for ways to simplify traditions without losing the cozy magic of the season.

The best holiday meal hack

And that’s exactly why this Slow-Cooker Turkey Breast has become one of my absolute favorite holiday hacks. It’s tender, juicy, full of flavor, and requires almost no effort. No brining. No basting. No checking the oven every 20 minutes. You literally set it, forget it, and then bask in the deliciousness later.

Whether you’re cooking for a small gathering, celebrating solo, or just want holiday flavors without all the overwhelm, this recipe brings the comfort of a classic turkey dinner with almost zero executive function required. It’s holiday peace in meal form…and honestly, who doesn’t need more of that?

Let’s make your holidays a little easier, one low-spoon dish at a time.

The added bonus is that this recipe is gluten and grain-free.

How much turkey breast should I buy?

When planning your holiday menu, it’s important to make sure you’ve gotten enough turkey. There is a simple way to figure out how much you’ll need.

Select about a pound of turkey breast per person to be safe.

This amount may also give you some leftovers, unless you’ve got a lot of big eaters in your family!

If you are planning on a larger crowd, you can always purchase more than one turkey breast if you have a couple of slow-cookers!