This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
- Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
- Crock Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Crockpot Cranberry Sauce
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.
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.
- Turkey and Cheese Crescent Roll Ups
- Hawaiian Turkey and Cheese Sliders
- See Over 50 Delicious Leftover Turkey Recipes
Print this Slow Cooker boneless Turkey Breast recipe:
Crockpot turkey breast
Ingredients
- For the Turkey:
- 6 lbs Boneless Skinless Turkey Breasts
- 1 large onion Sliced
- 4 Tbsp Butter melted
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme Leaves
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- For the Gravy:
- 1 cup juices from the crock pot
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp Cornstarch
- 1/4 cup Cold Water
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
Nutrition Facts
More Easy Turkey Recipes
- How to cook a Turkey in a Bag
- Air Fryer Turkey Breasts
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast Recipe
- How to Roast a Turkey
- See all our 50 Easy Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes
Are these 2-3 lb fresh breasts? Are these from jenni-o or honeysuckle?
Yes, 2-3 pounds fresh breasts and any brand will work great!
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!
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!
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.
This looks amazing and easy. Can’t wait to try it!