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Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is an easy way to make a turkey dinner for a smaller crowd! It’s much easier to make than a whole turkey and you can use a boneless or bone in turkey breast. This one cooks in the crockpot with an easy baste and makes the perfectly moist turkey every time.

turkey cut into slices on a white plate surrounded by greens

Sometimes you want to make a smaller amount of turkey or you don’t have the space or time to make a full bird. Whatever your reasoning, having this easy slow cooker turkey breast recipe in your back pocket is a must. The baste and gravy are absolutely delicious and based off of my Mom’s Thanksgiving Turkey.

Making this will make your house smell like Thanksgiving no matter what time of year it is. My Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is the perfect recipe for a small gathering or when you don’t have the oven space for a large turkey. All you have to do to make this easy turkey breast is mix up some baste ingredients and then set it and forget it.

The most important thing to remember when slow cooking a turkey in the slow cooker is to not overcook it. If you do these that you’ll get a juicy turkey breast every time!

ingredients in the turkey breast laid out on a marble counter with words saying the recipe

How to make Turkey Breast in the Crock Pot

  1. Use either a bone in or a boneless 3 pound turkey breast (just cook time is affected)
  2. The size of your slow cooker will affect the cook time. Try to use a 6-8 quart crockpot.
  3. I don’t usually rinse my turkey but I do pat it down with paper towels.
  4. For the baste, I use low sodium soy sauce, sherry or chicken stock or white wine, brown sugar, ground black pepper and Italian seasoning. I don’t salt my turkey (the soy does that for you).
  5. I use a slow cooker bag. You don’t have to do this, but I always do. It’s easy cleanup!
  6. If your turkey doesn’t come with a gravy packet, use my 5-minute gravy recipe. Be sure to use the turkey drippings from the slow cooker in the gravy; it gives great flavor. Simply strain it to remove any chunks and then use it in the homemade gravy recipe or with the gravy packet, instead of using turkey or chicken stock.
turkey cut into slices on a white plate surrounded by greens and gravy being poured on the turkey

How Long to Cook Boneless Turkey Breast in a Slow Cooker

For a long time when I used my crockpot, I’d set the time for one of the preset amounts (4 hours or 6, etc) and let it cook until the time was up, but that’s the WRONG way to slow cook if you’re making poultry.

In a crockpot, a 3-pound boneless turkey breast will take between 3-4 hours on low. Check the temperature after 3 to see where it’s at.

If you’re using a bone-in turkey breast, it’s going to take 4-6 hours on high or up to 7 hours on low, depending on how big it is.

Chicken and turkey, especially when boneless, tend to dry out in the slow cooker if you’re not careful. To avoid a dry bird, you have to check it during cooking.

Once it gets to 165°F internal temperature, it’s done. It might take a full 4 hours, but it might only take 3 1/2.  So be sure to watch it!

turkey cut into slices on a white plate surrounded by greens

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Storing Crockpot Turkey Breast

  • Store leftover turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • You can freeze turkey too! I like to freeze leftovers in 1-2 cup portions for easy weeknight dinners (I love using my Souper Cubes for this).

Dorothy’s Expert Turkey Making Tips 

  • If you’re making this recipe for the first time, read through it first. Remember that straight from the grocery store, these breasts are often frozen.
  • The cook time is the most important to avoid dry turkey – cook times will vary depending on your crockpot and if it’s boneless or bone-in. Check the temp in the thickest part of the breast for doneness.
  • Always let the turkey rest before slicing so it can reabsorb all the juices.
slow cooker turkey breast on platter

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

5 from 39 votes
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is an easy way to make a turkey dinner for a smaller crowd! Use a boneless or bone in turkey breast and let it cook in the crockpot with this easy baste for the perfectly moist turkey every time.

Recipe Video

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Resting Time 5 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Yield 6 servings
Serving Size 1 serving
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Ingredients
 

  • 3 pound boneless turkey breast
  • ½ cup soy sauce low sodium is okay
  • ¼ cup sherry or white wine
  • ½ tablespoon brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Easy 5-minute Gravy for serving

Instructions

  • If desired, line a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker with a crockpot liner or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Place turkey breast in slow cooker.
  • Whisk remaining ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup. Pour over turkey.
  • Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours, or until turkey reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer. After one hour, turn the turkey breast so that both sides get coated with the baste.
  • Remove from crockpot and let sit 5 minutes before slicing.
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Recipe Notes

Cooking a bone-in turkey breast? It will take about 4-6 hours on high or 7 hours on low.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 253kcal
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Author Dorothy Kern

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What to Serve With Turkey

soy sauce in a measuring cup being stirred with a whisk
turkey in a crockpot covered in plastic wrap

How to slow cooker turkey breast:

  1. First, do what I do and use a slow cooker bag. You don’t have to do this, but I always do. It’s easy cleanup!
  2. My baste recipe is simple and super flavorful, made with soy sauce, brown sugar, pepper, and sherry or white wine. You can omit the alcohol and use chicken broth, but I love using sherry. It’s the way my mom always does it! Also feel free to add 1 teaspoon garlic powder or a teaspoon of onion powder.
  3. I rotate my turkey breast halfway through cooking so that the entire thing gets coated with the baste.

FAQs

Is it safe to slow cook a turkey?

It’s perfectly safe to cook a turkey breast in the crockpot, whether it’s bone in or boneless.

What Kind of Turkey To Use In a Slow Cooker?

I prefer using a boneless turkey breast in my slow cooker, but you can use whatever you have. Bone-in turkey breasts are often cheaper, so if that’s what you buy, go ahead.

Is it better to cook a turkey breast low or high?

You can do crockpot turkey on low or high, but it changes the cook time. On low, it takes 3-4 hours. Cooking on high power will take about 2-3 hours. Just be sure to check it throughout cooking so it doesn’t get dry.

What to Serve with Turkey

Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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5 from 39 votes (34 ratings without comment)

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19 Comments

  2. Could you use your mixture to brine the turkey breast overnight and then add it to the crockpot the next day with the mix???

    Reply

  5. My turkey breast turned out great and I made the 5-minute gravy using the sauce it cooked in. What a great way to enjoy a turkey breast any time of the year!

    Reply