‘Tis the season for easy turkey recipes, and this juicy Crock Pot Turkey Breast is perfect for a small holiday feast!
A slow cooker turkey breast just needs some broth and veggies, and if comes out perfectly juicy every time!
Crock Pot Turkey Breast
We love easy Crockpot recipes because they save time in the kitchen in prep, cooking steps, and clean up!
As much as I love an oven roasted turkey this is a smaller choice, great for a family meal.
The slow cooker means this is pretty much effortless, add it to the crock pot and forget about it until it’s done!
Ingredients
TURKEY BREAST I use a 2lb boneless turkey breast with skin on. If your turkey breast is a bit bigger, you’ll need to add some extra cook time (cook times included below).
VEGGIES These are optional but do add extra flavor. In place of veggies, you can use a small rack for the turkey breast.
I use celery, carrots, and onions (use all 3 or what you have on hand). If your turkey is small the vegetables may not be tender once the turkey is cooked. If you’d like they can be removed and simmered on the stove in the broth while the turkey rests.
FRESH HERBS If you have them add some in, I like to buy an inexpensive mix of “poultry herbs” at the local grocery store. This usually includes parsley, thyme, rosemary and sage. If you have any or all of these, add a sprig or two to the broth.
GRAVY Use the broth and drippings to make a flavorful gravy or to make a delicious soup. If using packaged gravy, the drippings can be added in place of water for extra flavor.
Kitchen Tip
A thermometer is an inexpensive way to ensure meat is cooked correctly and comes out juicy every time! They can be purchased online for as little as $10. As meat is expensive, this is a great kitchen investment.
My favorites: I have both an instant read thermometer which is great for a quick temperature check as well as one similar to this that I leave in the meat, perfect for turkeys and roasts.
How to Cook a Turkey Breast in a Crockpot
This has to be one of the easiest ways ever to cook a juicy turkey dinner!
- Prepare the turkey breast by with herbs and butter (or olive oil) per the recipe below.
- Place vegetables in the crockpot and top with the turkey breast.
- Cook ‘low and slow’ according to recipe times below, until the turkey breast reaches an internal temperature of 165° F.
- Remove turkey breast and allow it to rest 5-10 minutes before slicing.
With a smaller turkey breast, the vegetables may not be tender enough in the time it takes to cook the turkey. They do add great flavor to the broth and the turkey breast itself. If you’d like to eat the vegetables, chop them and simmer in the broth on the stove while the turkey rests until they’re tender. They can also be refrigerated and added to soups or stews later.
PRO TIP: Once the turkey breast is cooked, it can be placed under a broiler for about 4 minutes to achieve a crispy outer skin (this is optional).
Turkey Breast Crockpot Cooking Times
This recipe uses a 2 lb skin-on boneless turkey breast, but here are a few other cooking times for turkeys for different weights:
- 2lb turkey breast – 2hrs 45 minutes to 3 hrs 15 minutes
- 3 lb turkey breast – 3 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours 15 minutes.
- 4 lb turkey breast – 4 hours 45 minutes to 5 hours 15 minutes.
Be sure to use a meat thermometer; the internal temperature should always reach 165°F. Check the turkey breast early to ensure it does not overcook.
TURKEY TIP: Once the turkey has finished cooking it should rest about 10 minutes before slicing. Remove it from the slow cooker while it rests so it doesn’t continue cooking in the steam and juices.
Pair this up with your favorite turkey dinner side dishes and some homemade gravy for the perfect meal.
Tips for Juicy Turkey Breast
- The best Crockpot turkey breast is slow-cooked to perfection.
- Check the temperature EARLY so your turkey doesn’t overcook.
- Test the temperature at the thickest part of the meat (away from the bone for bone-in breasts).
- Remove the meat from the slow cooker to rest so it doesn’t continue cooking.
- Rest the turkey for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing.
More Turkey Favorites
- One Pan Turkey Dinner
- Easy Roast Turkey Recipe
- Easy Turkey Brine
- Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Spatchcock Turkey
- Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
Did you make this Crockpot Turkey Breast? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Crock Pot Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 stalks celery halved
- 2 carrots quartered
- 1 large yellow onion sliced into ½" wedges
- 1 boneless turkey breast with skin, about 2 to 2 ½ pounds
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix melted butter, poultry seasoning, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and paprika. Spread the mixture evenly over the turkey breast.
- Pour broth in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place the vegetables in the bottom.
- Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on top of the vegetables.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low (times below) until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Do not overcook.
- For crispy skin, remove the turkey breast and place on a foil lined sheet and broil 3-5 minutes or until browned.
Notes
- 2lbs will need 2hrs 45 minutes to 3 hrs 15 minutes
- 3lbs will need 3hrs 45 minutes to 4 hrs 15 minutes
- 4lbs will need 4 hrs 45 minutes to 5 hrs 15 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Slow Cooker, Turkey
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Holly I used your recipe this year to cook a three lb turkey breast for me and my husband. I ended up cooking it on high instead of low as I cook a lot of pot roasts in my slow cooker. The seasoning was great. The only thing I added to it was some garlic powder. The turkey was very moist and fell apart. This will be my new go to for my Thanksgiving meal!
I am so happy to hear you loved this turkey recipe Janice!
Can I use a bone-in turkey breast for this recipe? If so what adjustments will I have to do?
Hi Patty, I have not tried this Crock Pot recipe with a bone-in turkey breast but it should work just fine. You will need to increase the cook time. A 6 pound bone-in turkey breast will need approximately 6 hours until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
Yum !
Hot day outside nice to use the crockpot!
I couldn’t agree more, Pat! I love using my crockpot or air fryer on hot days to avoid heating up the oven (and house)!
None of these recipes give what temperature of cooking on HIGH or LOW for in crockpots. Why?
Hi Elaine, there isn’t a temperature on slow cookers, they have two settings, low and high options.
Correct, so which setting do we cook this in? High or Low, that’s the question.
This is cooked on low per step 4 of the recipe.
I followed the instructions and felt the poultry seasoning over powered the turkey breast. I scraped it off and I still wouldn’t eat more then 1 bite. I threw it away. Not a good recipe
I’m sorry that you didn’t enjoy this turkey breast as much as we do Paula. Did you use only one teaspoon of poultry seasoning? This amount should not be overpowering. Perhaps your spice is very strong.
Garlic powder isn’t listed in the ingredients but is in the directions. How much garlic powder?
Apologies for the confusion Sherrie, we used 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
what kind of instant read thermometers do you use
I have an inexpensive one I bought on Amazon and I think it works great! I use this one for quick temps (although this one is also highly rated if you’re looking for another option) and this one with a probe to leave in the meat as it roasts.
None of them are overly expensive but I’ve found the two I mentioned I have work great. You can also usually find them fairly inexpensive at the grocery store too.