Crockpot Turkey Breast delivers moist, flavorful, fall-off-the-bone meat with minimal effort and cleanup!
Pair this Turkey Breast with other Thanksgiving favorites like Creamed Corn, Sweet Potato Salad, or Mashed Potatoes.
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Recipe
This recipe is ideal for Thanksgiving and versatile enough for year-round use in sandwiches, salads, or meal prep.
While it’s not suited for very large turkey breasts, it’s perfect for smaller gatherings or as part of a multi-meat spread (ham on Thanksgiving? Yes please).
Forget dry baked turkey, and grab out the slow cooker! Plus, you’re saving room in your oven for this Sausage Stuffing Recipe, Twice-Baked Potato Casserole, and Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe.
Crockpot Turkey Breast Ingredients
- Turkey Breast: Choose bone-in, skin-on for best flavor. Make sure it’s thawed.
- Celery: Adds a base flavor; fresh, crisp stalks work best.
- Yellow Onions: Give a sweet, rich flavor.
- Carrots: Large ones are sweeter; baby carrots are easier.
- Garlic: Adds depth; just cut in half, no peeling needed.
- Butter: Keeps the turkey moist and adds flavor.
- Dried Minced Garlic, Salt, & Pepper: These give the main flavor.
- Paprika: Smoked paprika adds a hint of smokiness.
- Italian Seasoning, Dried Parsley, Thyme, Sage: These herbs go great with poultry.
- Olive Oil: Helps seasonings stick and spread evenly.
How To Thaw Turkey
- Refrigerator Thawing: Give 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds of turkey to thaw. Don’t thaw it at room temperature. Don’t thaw turkey in the CrockPot.
- Cold Water Thawing: Leave the turkey in its wrapping, put it in a large plastic bag, and place it breast-side down in cold water. Weigh it down with cans and change the water every 30 minutes.
- Immediate Cooking: Cook the Crockpot Turkey Breast as soon as it’s thawed.
How To Make Crockpot Turkey Breast
- Thaw Turkey: Make sure the bone-in turkey breast is completely thawed.
- Layer Veggies: Put celery, halved onion, garlic, and carrots at the bottom.
- Season Turkey: Loosen skin and rub the seasoning all over, even under the skin.
- Stuff Turkey: Put the onion and butter inside the turkey.
- Cook: Place the turkey on top of veggies, cook on low until it reaches 160°F.
- Optional Crisping: Broil with oil for 4-8 minutes to make the skin crispy.
- Carve: Remove the bones, slice the meat, and make gravy if you want.
Tips For Success
- Fit Check: Make sure the turkey breast fits in the crockpot before starting.
- Bone-In: Choose bone-in, skin-on turkey breast for the best flavor.
- Resting: Let the turkey sit after cooking to keep it juicy.
- Cook on Low: Cooking slowly on low heat keeps the turkey breast juicy. Cook until the internal temperature hits 160°F, then let it rest to reach 165°F.
- Use the Juices: Save the flavorful cooking juices at the bottom of the crockpot! Use them to make gravy or drizzle over the turkey for extra moisture.
- Let It Rest: After cooking, let the turkey rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. This keeps the meat juicy.
Quick Tip
How Much Turkey Do You Need? Get about 1 1/2 pounds of turkey for each person. If you want extra leftovers, go with 2 pounds per person.
Storage
Leftover Crockpot Turkey Breast
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an air-tight container or bag in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Use Leftover Turkey In
- Turkey and Cranberry Salad recipe from a bakery
- Chicken Noodle Casserole use turkey instead of chicken
- Turkey Cranberry Wrap ready in minutes
- The best Turkey Sandwich
- Turkey Cranberry Sliders perfect for thanksgiving leftovers
Crockpot Turkey Breast
This easy Crockpot Turkey Breast Recipe is slow-cooked to perfection, yielding meat that is exceptionally moist, flavorful, and so tender it falls off the bone. This low-maintenance recipe requires minimal cleanup and virtually no risk of drying out!
Equipment
- Crock-Pot 6-quart
- Casserole dish or baking pan
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 (5 to 6 pounds) bone-in, skin-on turkey breast completely thawed, see note 1
- 3 to 5 stalks celery
- 2 small yellow onions cut in half, do not peel
- 4 large carrots or 12 baby carrots
- 1 head garlic cut in half, do not peel
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Fresh thyme optional, for garnish
Seasonings
- 1 tablespoon dried minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- 2 teaspoons paprika smoked if desired
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Optional Gravy
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- Chicken broth if needed
Instructions
- Ensure the turkey breast is completely thawed (can take 1–3 days in the fridge). Do not thaw in the Crock-Pot for food safety reasons. Remove packaging, discard gizzards, and throughly pat dry all over with paper towels.
- Generously spray a 6-quart Crock-Pot with cooking spray.
- Place cut celery, halved unpeeled onions, unpeeled garlic halves, and carrots in an even layer on the bottom of the Crock-Pot. If it all doesn’t fit in one layer, omit excess.
- Mix all seasonings with olive oil in a bowl. Loosen the skin of the turkey with a large spoon and rub the mixture all over, especially under the skin.
- Place the other halved, unpeeled onion and 4 tablespoons of butter inside the turkey’s cavity.
- Place the turkey breast on top of the veggies, breast/skin side up. Cover and cook on low for 5–7 hours until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. (No liquid needed; turkey will produce plenty!) Avoid cooking on high; dries out turkey.
- Optional Crisp: After cooking, transfer the turkey to a pan or casserole dish, drizzle with 1 tbsp oil, spray all over with cooking spray, and broil 1 foot from heat source for 4–8 minutes (watching very closely) until the skin crisps.
- Cut the large breasts off center bone and slice the meat thinly against grain.
Optional Gravy
- Strain the contents of the crockpot into a bowl, pressing veggies to extract flavor/liquid. Measure out 2 cups of this liquid (add chicken broth to reach this amount if necessary). In a pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter, then whisk in 4 tablespoons flour for 1 minute. Gradually add the strained liquid while whisking constantly, until nicely thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and any additional seasonings. Serve warm with the turkey.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Make sure the turkey will fit in your crockpot! Bone-in and skin-on will deliver the most moist and flavorful turkey. If it’s brined, you’ll want to reduce the salt. If it’s pre-seasoned, wipe off the rub or reduce seasonings. See blog post for how to safely thaw turkey.
Try to find a 5–6 lb bone-in, skin-on turkey breast (this size works best!), but if you can’t here is general timing:
- 2–3 lbs: 4–5 hours low
- 4–6 lbs: 5–6 hours low
- 7–8 lbs: 6–7 hours low
- 8–10 lbs: 7–9 hours low (make sure it fits in crockpot first!)
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 729kcal | Carbohydrates: 17.2g | Protein: 101.2g | Fat: 27g | Cholesterol: 277.6mg | Sodium: 1300.5mg | Fiber: 2.9g | Sugar: 3.9g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh, good grief! I was able to view all the photographs, watch the video, read through the recipe and comments, and write a review without any interruptions (read: ads. If you do not have anything nice to say, do not say anything at all. And, no, I have not tried the recipe, but I am going too; it looks and sounds so incredibly delicious. Thanks for the inspiration, Chelsea!
Thank you LaWanda; I appreciate your kind comment! I hope you love this turkey 🙂
Will never use this website/blog due to ads!!!!
Sorry to see you go Kathy! The ads on the website is how I make an income to provide for my family and to provide all of these free recipes for you. Best of luck!
I need clarification. The directions say to put the breast in the slow cooker & then rub the spices on but if you are leaving the skin on to rub them on under it. Do you rub the spices on the breast & then turn it upside down in the cooker? probably obvious but just checking. Thanks!
Yes rub the spices on the breast first and then place in the slow cooker and rub it over the rest of the turkey 🙂 Enjoy!
Thank you for sharing the recipe. This could be the first Thanksgiving where the turkey never dries out!
I hope you love the turkey!! It’s amazing how moist it is made in the crockpot!
Deliciously moist-my husband said so ! He can be picky-but he pronounced it very good ! Good thing – turkey breasts were on a good sale this weekend and I have 3 more in the freezer. 🙂
So happy this is pronounced a winner! 🙂 Thank you for the comment Barbara 🙂
Loved it – an FYI. I love the crispy skin. You can take the skin when removed prior to putting breast in crock pot & lay it out on a cookie sheet. Brush with oil or rub with butter, lightly season & put under broiler til as crispy as you like.
That was the most amazing, moist turkey breast I have ever eaten. The crockpot makes all the difference it was sooooo good. Just added some salt while it was cooking and all I can say is outstanding will definitely make it again for sure. Thanks for sharing.
So happy you enjoyed it!! Thank you so much for the comment Trish 🙂
Just took it out of the crockpot snuck a piece and so far amazing. Making gravy now I will update once we have our dinner.
Inevitably – when one skims through recipe reviews/comments – very few reviewers have actually made the recipe – but just want to say how delicious it sounds… So if you’re looking for an actual “I made it and it was awesome” review – this is it.
I’ve always made Turkey breast in the crockpot — spares the oven for the other things that have to be baked, and you don’t have to tend to the turkey (no basting, no messing with it). But I needed a reminder on how much broth to add (couldn’t find my usual recipe). I decided just to follow this recipe since it was so simple.
Just remember spices can be tweaked so easily. Plus – I had no carrots, and it still came out perfectly. Tip – leave about 1/2″ broth in the bottom of the crockpot after removing the turkey to carve, and to round up the broth for gravy. After slicing – return to crockpot – and drizzle a little broth on top so that it doesn’t dry out while you prepare the rest of the meal. Be sure crockpot is off, though.
I leave the skin ON so that I can put butter/spices/garlic cloves in there – but remove it before carving (it’s not edible in my book – there’s no crispy brown skin on crockpot turkey).
Cooked for 8 hrs on high… 9th hour on “warm” – and was perfectly cooked.
Turkey breast is so easily dried out in the oven – this is truly no-fail. Moist, tasty – and the house smells amazing!
Used this recipe for Christmas dinner. My crock pot was a tad too small for a 5# breast. Made it work. It was incredible! Thanks!