Easy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast made juicy & flavorful with butter, apple & a delicious mix of traditional seasonings. This crock pot turkey breast recipe is perfect for holidays or any time of the year!
A great way to make a quick dinner without heating up the house is this slow cook turkey recipe, enjoy a tasty meal with very little effort. With under 10 ingredients, this turkey breast in crock pot is a wonderful main course that everyone is sure to enjoy. Read on for how to cook turkey breast in a crockpot!
Why cook a turkey breast in a crock pot?
My family loves turkey anytime of the year and this Slow Cooker Turkey Breast recipe is one of our favorites. Cooking it in the crock pot helps the turkey to be super moist and juicy. It’s also incredibly easy to prepare and I tend to have all the ingredients on hand. The apple lends a slightly sweet flavor that is wonderful.
It’s so incredibly simple to cook a turkey breast in a crock pot. This method of cooking locks in flavor and moisture so dry turkey is a thing of the past! My slow cooker turkey breast recipe uses common ingredients like an apple and butter, as well as herbs like rosemary, thyme and sage to add amazing flavor. I also like to use onion powder so that I get the onion flavor while saving time and not having to chop an onion.
How long does it take to slow cook a turkey breast?
How long it takes to cook depends on whether or not your turkey breast has a bone in it. I usually buy boneless because it takes less time to cook. Cooking my 3 pound boneless turkey breast took just under 4 hours. You can test the temperature using an electric meat thermometer. The reading needs to show the turkey is 165 degrees F in the thickest portion of the breast. If you’re using a bone- in turkey breast, you’ll want to slow cook it for 5-6 hours, testing for doneness at 5 hours.
Why you’ll love this easy turkey dinner recipe
- It’s simple! This recipe is very simple and easy to follow along with, making it a quick and easy meal to whip up any night of the week.
- Minimal ingredients. You do not need much to make this recipe, but you will need a handful of items. Even with just a few basics, this recipe really packs in a lot of flavor.
- Set and forget! Using a crockpot to make dinner is one of the best weeknight dinner hacks ever. To be able to come home to a delicious home cooked meal after a long day sounds pretty perfect to me.
Easy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Ingredients
Turkey: You will need 1 turkey breast, I chose a boneless breast and it weighed about 3 lbs.
Apple: Using 1 small apple will give this dish a wonderful depth of sweet flavor that is heavenly.
Salt: You will want to use 1 ½ tsp of coarse salt to season the turkey nicely.
Rosemary: Adding in 1 tsp of crushed rosemary will give the turkey amazing and strong flavor.
Thyme: Use 1 tsp of thyme to add a delightful earthy taste.
Sage: You need 1 tsp of sage to help balance out all the wonderful flavors in this dish.
Onion powder: To simplify this dish, use 2 tsp of onion powder for even more great taste.
Butter: Add 4 TBSP of butter, cut into small cubes, to give the meat rich taste and help keep it moist.
How to cook Turkey Bread in the Crock Pot
Prep
Start by placing the turkey breast in the slow cooker. Then, slice the apple using an apple slicer to remove the core and slice into 8 even pieces. Set apples aside.
Seasoning
Next, in a small bowl, combine the salt, rosemary, thyme, sage and onion powder. Stir to combine, then proceed to rub the seasoning on the turkey breast, making sure to get some underneath the skin.
After that, cut the butter into half-tablespoon size cubes and place all over the turkey, even placing some under the skin.
Then, add the sliced apples to the top of the turkey and around the crockpot too. There’s no need to add any additional liquid, the butter and apple slices will be sufficient.
Cook
Proceed to cook the turkey on LOW heat for 3-4 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. If your turkey breast is bone-in, then you’ll need to cook it for 5-6 hours on low. After 4 hours, check every hour to make sure you don’t overcook it.
After cooking, let the turkey rest for a few minutes. I like to leave mine in the crockpot on warm for 10 minutes to an hour, until just before we’re ready to eat. I also remove the skin prior to serving- it helps keep the turkey moist, but the texture isn’t the greatest after slow cooking.
Slice, serve with gravy and cranberry sauce if desired. Enjoy!
Easy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 3 lbs turkey breast (mine was boneless, about 3 pounds)
- 1 apple
- 4 TBSP butter cut into small cubes
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 ½ tsp coarse salt
- 1 tsp crushed rosemary
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp sage
Instructions
- Prep: Place the turkey breast in the slow cooker. Then, slice the apple into 8 even pieces. Set apples aside.
- Seasoning: In a small bowl, combine the salt, rosemary, thyme, sage and onion powder. Stir to combine, then rub the seasoning on the turkey breast, get some underneath the skin as well.
- Now, cut the butter into half-tablespoon size cubes and place all over the turkey, placing some under the skin. Add the sliced apples to the top of the turkey and around the crockpot too. No need to add any additional liquid, the butter and apple slices will be sufficient.
- Cook: Cook the turkey on LOW heat for 3-4 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. If your turkey breast is bone-in, then you'll need to cook it for 5-6 hours on low. After 4 hours, check every hour to make sure you don't overcook it.
- After cooking, let the turkey rest for a few minutes. I like to leave mine in the crockpot on warm for 10 minutes to an hour, until just before we're ready to eat. Also remove the skin prior to serving- it helps keep the turkey moist, but the texture isn't the greatest after slow cooking. Slice, serve with gravy and cranberry sauce if desired. Enjoy!
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How long is slow cooker turkey good for?
You can keep the leftovers from the recipe in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 or 5 days. I recommend reheating in the microwave for 30 second increments until the desired temperature is reached.
How much turkey breast per person?
Our 3-lb turkey breast generally serves 8-10 people. However you may want to adjust this serving if you’re feeding big eaters or if you don’t plan to have many side dishes.
What type of turkey breast is best to buy?
I prefer to buy boneless turkey breasts so that they cook faster. If you use a bone-in turkey breast, you’ll need to add about 2-3 hours additional cooking time, depending on how big the turkey breast is. You can find boneless turkey breasts year-round in the freezer section of your grocery store.
WHAT IS THE BEST COOKING THERMOMETER TO USE?
It’s important to have a reliable, durable cooking thermometer on hand! My all-time favorite thermometer is the Thermapen. It’s super fast and incredibly durable. Another great cooking thermometer is the ThermoPop which is a more basic version that works just as well! I use a cooking thermometer to test a variety of foods for doneness- meats, breads, and even oil for frying. They’re a staple in my kitchen!
Like this easy crockpot dish? Try these other crock pot recipes:
- Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken recipe
- Crock Pot Beef Stew recipe
- Crock Pot Pork Roast
- Crock Pot Turkey Breast
- Crock Pot Sweet Pork
- How to make Shredded Chicken in a crockpot
- Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
- Crockpot Madras Lentils
- Slow Cooker Roast Beef with Dr.Pepper
- Crock pot Chili
- Crock pot Chicken Alfredo Lasagna
Easy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is quick to make, using butter, apple slices and a wonderful mix of seasonings. This crock pot turkey breast recipe is great for those busy weeknights when you need a fast and delicious dinner for your family.
Charlotte says
Excellent recipe. I seasoned and browned my boneless, skinless turkey breast of both sides (about 5 minutes per side) before putting it in the slow cooker. This results in a boneless breast with nice, aesthetically pleasing brown exterior.
Robin says
I forgot to buy apples😩 now what?
Jessica says
apple juice? Pears? canned pineapple? Applesauce?
Jessica says
I followed this recipe with the exception of using table salt instead of coarse salt, as I didn’t have the latter. It was amazing!! Hubby wasn’t sure about the recipe, but I said let me try it. Hubby said “Oh my God!!” as he ate it. He said it was as good as you’d get in a restaurant. Tastes just as amazing reheated too. Thanks so much! He’s already asking me to save this recipe to make again….and not wait until Thanksgiving to do it.
Jessica says
We make it year round as well! So glad you enjoyed it!
Judy Guzman says
Is the turkey supposed to be defrosted or frozen when you put it in the slow cooker? Also, can I slow cook 2 turkey breasts at the same time, or will it mess up the cooking time?
Nellie says
They should be defrosted when you put them in the slow cooker. If you can fit 2 turkey breasts in at one time, that should work, but I would probably plan for a longer cook time just to be safe.
Renata says
Made for a Thanksgiving dinner a day late… found 2x 1kg turkey breasts and cooked them at the same time – deliciously tender, moist and even fall apart turkey breats – THANK YOU!
Jessica says
So glad you enjoyed it!!
Vivian says
Would you know how long to cook if it’s just a 1.5 lb Turkey tenderloin?
Jessica says
I’d say more around 3 hours on low!
Toni says
I have a 5lb. bone in turkey breast. How long would that need to cook?
I made this recipe on Thanksgiving with a boneless turkey breast and it was amazing!!!
Jessica says
I’d let it cook for 6-7 hours and check the internal temp. So glad you liked it!
Niki says
I used this recipe to make club sandwiches. It turned out great. The meat was very flavorful and juicy. This was very quick, easy and even the kids liked it. This one made it to my recipe book.
Dee says
Is that a 3 lb boneless turkey breast from Aldi? What size crock pot do I need for this recipe?. It sounds so easy and delicious. Thank you
Nicole says
This should be able to fit in a standard 6 quart crockpot