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Crockpot turkey breast is flavorful and so delicious while being super easy. Once you try it, you will be hooked on this amazing but effortless meal.

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sliced turkey with gravy

Easy Crockpot turkey breast recipe

Family dinner is so much easier thanks to this super easy boneless turkey breast in the crock pot.

You can save oven space during the Holidays or special dinners when you have a ton of things to bake. Free up that space and put the turkey in the crock pot. You will love it.

Not only does this save time but the turkey is really tender and delicious.

This crockpot turkey breast boneless recipe is perfect for a small gatherings or a Thanksgiving celebration. It is easy to prepare a smaller turkey.

ingredients for turkey: butter, seasoning, turkey breast

Ingredients:

For the Turkey:

  • Boneless Skinless Turkey Breasts – You can also use a bone-in turkey breast for this recipe.
  • onion
  • Butter
  • minced garlic (or you can use garlic powder)
  • Paprika
  • Dried Thyme Leaves
  • Salt and pepper

For the Gravy:

  • juices from the crock pot
  • Chicken broth – Chicken Stock would work as well.
  • Cornstarch
  • Cold Water

What size turkey breast should I get?

Generally, it’s best to plan approximately ½ a pound per person that you will be serving for boneless turkey breast. For example if you are going to have 6 people at your dinner, you would need a 3 lb turkey breast.

I used a 6 pound turkey breast for this recipe but you can make whatever size you need and just adjust the other ingredients as needed.

How to cook turkey breast in the slow cooker:

First, melt the butter. After the you melt butter, combine it with the garlic, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.

Second, put the sliced onions on the bottom of the slow cooker. I used a 6 quart crock pot for our turkey. You might also want to use crockpot liners to make cleanup a breeze.

Once the onions are in, put the turkey breast on top.

Next, pour the butter mixture over all of the ingredients in the crock pot.

turkey, onions and seasoning in crock pot ready to cook

Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 2.5 to 3 hours. The turkey breast needs to have an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

The cook time will vary based on your slow cooker.

Once the turkey has finished cooking, take it out of the crock pot. Allow the crock pot to rest for 5 minutes at room temperature before you slice it.

How do you know when the turkey breast is done?

It is best to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey breast to ensure that it’s cooked. You will want the internal temperature of the turkey to reach 165 degrees.

You do not want to overcook the turkey or it will be dry. I start checking the turkey breast after 6 hours on low and then continue cooking if needed.

How to Brown the Turkey Breast:

Turkey breast cooked in a slow cooker doesn’t brown as much as a roasted turkey breast.

If you prefer your turkey breast browned, broil the turkey breast for 3-5 minutes after it’s slow cooked to brown slightly. Make sure to watch it closely so that it doesn’t over cook.

How to make Gravy

First, remove 1 cup of the sauce from the crock pot and put in a small saucepan. Add the chicken broth and heat the mixture over medium heat until it boils slightly.

Second, get a small bowl out to combine the cornstarch and water together. Heat the mixture and whisk for about 3 to 4 minutes. Keep stirring until the sauce starts to thicken and it is the consistency you prefer.

The turkey should be ready to slice now. After you slice it, place the turkey on a platter and drizzle gravy over it.

See How to Make Turkey Gravy for more tips.

sliced turkey with gravy on a platter

Substitution and Addition Ideas:

  • You can use either a boneless or bone in turkey breast for this recipe.
  • We used the onion to keep the turkey breast off the bottom of the crock pot to keep it from burning but any vegetables that you love would work great. Carrots or potatoes would be delicious.
  • You can use half the amount of butter and the other half of olive oil to reduce the fat content if you prefer.
  • For the seasonings, you can use any fresh herbs that you love. I love the thyme in this recipe, but rosemary or basil would also be delicious in this easy crock pot recipe.

How do you keep a crock pot turkey moist and juicy?

Traditionally, due to the lean nature of turkey, a brine is needed to keep it moist and flavorful.

However, cooking a turkey breast in the crock pot will keep the meat moist and juicy without any brining necessary. You will love how juicy a turkey breast is after it has been slow cooked.

sliced turkey with gravy

How much turkey breast per person?

Here’s a guide for how much turkey you will need per person:

  • Boneless turkey breast: estimate around ½ lb per person
  • Bone-in turkey breast: estimate about 1 lb per person

how long to thaw a turkey breast

If you want to thaw a frozen turkey breast in the ridge, you will want a minimum thawing time of 6 hours per pound of turkey.

If you need a faster thaw time, you can thaw your frozen turkey in a bowl of cold water with the wrapped breast fully submerged. You will need at least 30 minutes per pound of turkey for the thawing time.

sliced turkey with gravy on a platter

How to carve a turkey breast

Once the turkey breast is cooked through you will want to allow it to rest for 15 minutes to keep the juices in the meat.

Since you do not have to cut the turkey off the bone, carving a boneless turkey breast is actually very easy. Just simply slice the turkey breast across the fibers to get the most tender turkey.

What to serve with slow cooker turkey breast:

I have several crock pots and I love to make the side dishes in them while the turkey is in my large slow cooker. It sure makes for a really easy meal.

How to Store Leftovers:

I love having leftover turkey breast. Refrigerate the leftovers in an air tight container for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze the leftover turkey in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months.

sliced turkey with gravy being drizzled on it

Leftover Crock pot Turkey Breast Recipe Ideas

One thing I do often around here is cook once and eat twice. I am a huge fan of taking leftovers and turning them into something new and fabulous. Try one of these leftover turkey recipes.

Print this Slow Cooker boneless Turkey Breast recipe:

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Crockpot turkey breast

4.91 from 53 votes
Crockpot turkey breast is flavorful and so delicious while being super easy. Once you try it, you will be hooked on this amazing meal.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings 6
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Calories 686
Author Eating on a Dime

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine the butter, garlic, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.
  • Place the sliced onions at the bottom of a 6 quart crock pot. Place the turkey breast on top.
  • Pour the butter mixture over the top of the ingredients in the crock pot.
  • Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2.5-3 hours until the turkey breast reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
  • Remove the turkey breast from the crock pot and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
  • Transfer 1 cup of the sauce from the crock pot to a small saucepan and stir in the chicken broth.
  • Heat over medium high heat until the mixture starts to boil slightly.
  • Combine the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan and heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens to the consistency that you prefer.
  • Slice the turkey and serve with the gravy drizzled over the top and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

You can also use a bone-in turkey breast for this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 686kcal, Carbohydrates 5g, Protein 136g, Fat 13g, Saturated Fat 5g, Trans Fat 1g, Cholesterol 398mg, Sodium 986mg, Potassium 108mg, Fiber 1g, Sugar 1g, Vitamin A 416IU, Vitamin C 8mg, Calcium 124mg, Iron 8mg

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More Easy Turkey Recipes

Learn how to cook a turkey breast in a crock pot! Just 10 minutes to prep, then this bone-in or boneless turkey breast cooks itself in your slow cooker. This easy crockpot turkey breast recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  It’s definitely one of the easiest holiday recipes! #eatingonadime #crockpotrecipes #slowcookerrecipes #turkeyrecipes #holidayrecipes

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Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was a delicious recipe, my husband loved it. Fast and easy to prepare and all of the ingredients are items I always have on hand. I highly recommend it!

  2. 5 stars
    Absolutely divine! I added half a bag of hash browns to the crockpot, and they turned out tasting like mashed potatoes!
    This is a five star recipe for sure!

  3. 5 stars
    Very good! Hubby loved it and said to be sure to keep this recipe! Next time I will double the spice recipe – it’s so good! Also, I’ll make the gravy as directed, and blend the leftover onions with the gravy.