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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.
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!
How to make Turkey Breast in the Crock Pot
- Use either a bone in or a boneless 3 pound turkey breast (just cook time is affected)
- The size of your slow cooker will affect the cook time. Try to use a 6-8 quart crockpot.
- I don’t usually rinse my turkey but I do pat it down with paper towels.
- 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).
- I use a slow cooker bag. You don’t have to do this, but I always do. It’s easy cleanup!
- 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.
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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).
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Recipe Video
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.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Nutrition
What to Serve With Turkey
- Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
- Cornbread stuffing
- My friend Karen’s Slow Cooker Carrots.
- Melissa’s Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole
How to slow cooker turkey breast:
- 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!
- 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.
- I rotate my turkey breast halfway through cooking so that the entire thing gets coated with the baste.
FAQs
It’s perfectly safe to cook a turkey breast in the crockpot, whether it’s bone in or boneless.
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.
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.
I make this recipe using turkey tenderloin! It is by far the best turkey we have ever had! Highly recommend! I cook it for 2 hours on low in the slow cooker. My slow cooker does seem to run hot, so I always check with a meat thermometer before I take it out. Yummy! Seriously so delicious!
For gravy, I use my grandmothers tried and true method. 1/4c flour+1 c water (mixed well together) & all pan drippings. Whisk together flour and water. Add to pan drippings over medium heat until bubbling. Perfect every time.
For leftovers, we put slices of Turkey and cheddar and gravy inside crescent roll dough and brush with butter and Italian seasoning. Bake until dough is done (10-12 minutes).
Thanks for such a wonderful turkey recipe! We seriously love it!
I made this recipe for our small Thanksgiving gathering and it was fabulous! Great flavor! This one is a keeper for sure!!!
The best recipe. So easy and the gravy is soooooo delicious.I used the white wine option. My son says he could drink it. My family requested this for Thanksgiving today instead of traditional turkey!
This was hands down the best turkey we’ve ever had!!! Genius recipe!
Can I use a frozen boneless turkey breast in the crockpot?
You can cook from frozen in the crockpot, but it may take longer. Just make sure it’s cooked through to 165 before eating.
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