Crockpot Turkey Breast is one of the easiest ways to make a Thanksgiving turkey! This slow cooker turkey recipe guarantees succulent and juicy turkey every-time, as well as freeing up space in your oven. This year, cook your turkey in a crockpot with vegetables, chicken broth, and plenty of herbs for great flavor and a stress-free holiday!
Table of Contents
Crockpot Turkey Breast Recipe
This crockpot turkey breast recipe is an easy way to make tasty, juicy turkey for your Thanksgiving meal. Making turkey in a slow cooker is just genius!
If you’re planning your Thanksgiving menu and wondering if your oven is big enough for a whole turkey, then I have the perfect solution for you! Grab your Crockpot and get ready for the best turkey breast you’ll ever make!
This turkey breast is one of the EASIEST ways to make Thanksgiving turkey. It’s a mostly hands-off, set it and forget it kind of recipe, which leaves plenty of time to focus on making those Thanksgiving side dishes.
Why You’ll Love this Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Recipe:
- EASY: Using a crock pot is one of the EASIEST ways to make a turkey for Thanksgiving.
- FLAVORFUL: Between the brine, the seasonings, the veggies, and broth, there is SO much flavor going into this delicious turkey breast.
- HOLIDAY READY: This is the perfect thing to serve at the center of any holiday feast. Make it on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter!
Everyone will love this slow cooker turkey breast with vegetables. It will fit right in on your holiday table!
Do I need to brine before cooking turkey breast in a slow cooker?
It’s really important not to skip the brining process in this recipe! By brining the turkey tenderloin, it absorbs extra moisture, which results in juicy and succulent meat. It also helps to season the turkey all the way through, so it’s super flavorful.
Brining the turkey breast is so key to juicy and flavorful meat, so this is a very important step of the crockpot turkey recipe. This brine recipe is full of aromatics that will help to flavor your turkey and add moisture so it doesn’t dry out while slow cooking.
When using a brine, the turkey gets seasoned from the inside, so every bite is truly delicious. The extra step is worth it, especially when cooking on a big day like Thanksgiving!
Crockpot Turkey Brine Ingredients
- Apple juice or apple cider
- Cold water
- Rosemary
- Garlic
- Salt
- Brown sugar
- Peppercorns
- Bay leaves
- Orange peel
Can you cook a frozen turkey breast in a crockpot?
You should not put frozen meat directly into a crockpot to cook. This puts it at risk of bacterial contamination before it reaches a safe temperature. So you should not cook it directly from frozen.
However, you can absolutely use a frozen turkey breast for this recipe. Just be sure to fully thaw it before brining and cooking it.
How do you make turkey moist and juicy?
Turkey breast is a very lean cut of meat, which means it tends to dry out, leaving you with a bland Thanksgiving meal. But we can fight that!
The brining process locks in moisture and it cooks in its own juices without the need to constantly baste it. This easy slow cooker turkey breast recipe is a great hands off way of cooking your turkey while you get on with the rest of the feast. And you won’t be left with dry turkey!
How to Cook a Turkey Breast in a Crock Pot
I can’t get over how simple this slow cooker turkey recipe is! Set it, spend your time focused on cooking the sides or spending time with your family, and then it’s ready to serve!
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- If you’re using frozen turkey breast, start by thawing it.
- Combine ingredients to make the brine, then submerge the turkey, cover, and refrigerate AT LEAST 8 hours.
- When ready to cook, set your slow cooker to HIGH and spray the interior with nonstick spray.
- Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it thoroughly with cold water, then pat it dry with paper towels.
- Place the celery, onions, and carrots in the bottom of the crockpot, and pour the chicken broth over the vegetables.
- Set the turkey breast on top of the vegetables and pour melted butter over the turkey.
- Sprinkle turkey with salt, black pepper, sage, rosemary and orange zest.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH 2 hours, then reduce the temperature to LOW and cook an additional 1-2 hours or until the internal temperature of the middle of the turkey breast registers 165°F.
- Remove the turkey breast from the crockpot, cover with foil and let it rest 15 minutes.
- Cut into ½-inch slices and serve!
Tips!
- Use boneless turkey breast for this recipe. Fresh or frozen is fine.
- If using a frozen turkey, be sure to fully thaw it first!
- Brine the turkey for at least 8 hours before adding it to the crockpot.
- Spray your slow cooker with non-stick spray before adding the turkey breast.
- Use a meat thermometer to check when your turkey is done (it should read 165°F).
- Let the turkey rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing it.
Serving Suggestions
Now that you’re cooking the turkey in a slow cooker, you’ll have time to focus on making these delicious side dishes!
- These Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon are a favorite!
- You can’t go wrong with some Oven Roasted Vegetables.
- This is the easiest Mashed Potatoes Recipe!
- Try this classic Sweet Potato Casserole (with crunchy pecan topping).
- I love these sweet butter glazed carrots.
- Try this delicious Butternut Squash Stuffing with this turkey.
Try ALL the Sides
60+ Holiday Side Dishes
This Thanksgiving we hope you enjoy as many sides as possible with this Roast Turkey Breast!
Absolutely! If you don’t want to mess with the oven, cooking turkey in a crock pot is a great solution.
You can use either one! If you use frozen, just be sure to thaw it before cooking.
Getting a boneless turkey breast is so convenient. These are the perfect size for small gatherings, and they’re so much easier to prepare, cook, and slice than bone-in or whole turkeys.
With a 5 pound turkey and veggies to fill up the pot, I’d recommend a slow cooker that is at least 6 quarts.
If you’re using a 5 pound turkey breast, this recipe will serve up to 8 people.
Yes, it is just as safe to cook turkey in a crock pot as any typical cooking method. Just be sure to thaw the turkey breast before brining and cooking. Also, make sure the internal temperature reaches 165F.
The brine, broth, and veggies add a lot of the flavor to this turkey. But my preferred seasonings to add directly into the slow cooker are rosemary, dried sage, salt & pepper, and some orange zest. You can substitute your favorite seasonings or spices if you prefer.
With a boneless 5 pound turkey breast, this recipe takes 3-4 hours to fully cook. When planning, keep in mind the brining time (8 hours or more). If using frozen turkey, you’ll need plenty of time for thawing as well.
It’s not Thanksgiving without Pie!
88+ Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas
Every Thanksgiving table needs an equally amazing dessert table.
I hope you try this delicious slow cooker turkey breast this Thanksgiving (or try it for Christmas or Easter!). It’s so simple, and sure to please all your guests.
Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes
Crock pot turkey is one of the easiest turkey recipes ever. But if you don’t have a slow cooker, don’t worry! I’ve got plenty of other recipes for you to try.
- This Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe is another hands-off, easy option.
- Looking for something different? This Bacon Wrapped Turkey is everything you’ve dreamed of!
- This Garlic Butter Roast Turkey is super juicy and flavorful.
- Our Juicy Smoked Turkey Breast proves you can have smoked turkey that doesn’t dry out!
- This Deep Fried Turkey Breast is the best of both worlds.
- If you have an Air Fryer, try this Air Fryer Turkey Breast recipe or Garlic Rosemary Turkey.
- Make this garlic herb turkey breast in an Instant Pot.
- This Huli Huli grilled turkey breast is so unique and incredibly delicious!
More Thanksgiving Recipes
If you need more turkey recipes, or help with your Thanksgiving menu, check out these guides.
If you end up loving this Crockpot Turkey Breast Recipe, please let us know by leaving a rating or uploading a photo in the comments. Happy Thanksgiving!
Crockpot Turkey Breast Recipe
Ingredients
For the Brine:
- 1 quart 4 cups apple juice or apple cider
- 1 gallon cold water
- 3 stems fresh rosemary
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- ¾ cup kosher salt
- 1½ cups brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons peppercorns
- 4 whole bay leaves
- peel of 2 large oranges
For the Turkey:
- 5 pound boneless fresh turkey breast thawed, if frozen
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary leaves
- Zest of 1 large orange
- 3 celery ribs each cut into thirds
- 2 yellow onions peeled and halved
- 3 carrots washed & halved lengthwise
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Equipment
Instructions
For Brining the Turkey:
- Combine all brine ingredients in a large nonreactive pot. Heat and stir, about 5-10 minutes, or until sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and cool completely. Add the turkey breast, cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours.1 quart 4 cups apple juice or apple cider, 1 gallon cold water, 3 stems fresh rosemary, 3 cloves garlic, ¾ cup kosher salt, 1½ cups brown sugar, 2 tablespoons peppercorns, 4 whole bay leaves, peel of 2 large oranges, 5 pound boneless fresh turkey breast
For Cooking the Turkey:
- Set slow-cooker to HIGH and spray the interior with nonstick spray.
- Remove the turkey from the pot and rinse it thoroughly with cold water, and pat it dry with paper towels.5 pound boneless fresh turkey breast
- Place the celery, onions, and carrots in the bottom of the slow-cooker, and pour the broth over the vegetables.3 celery ribs, 2 yellow onions, 3 carrots, 1 cup chicken broth
- Set the turkey breast on top of the vegetables and pour melted butter over the turkey.6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Sprinkle the breast with salt, black pepper, sage, rosemary and orange zest.1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried sage, 2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary leaves, Zest of 1 large orange
- Cover the slow-cooker and cook on HIGH 2 hours, reduce the temperature to LOW and cook an additional 1-2 hours or until the internal temperature of the middle of the turkey breast registers 165°F-168°F.
- Remove the breast from the slow-cooker, cover with foil and let it rest 15 minutes.
- Cut into ½-inch slices and serve.
- Enjoy!
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Use boneless turkey breast for this recipe. Fresh or frozen is fine.
- If using a frozen turkey, be sure to fully thaw it first!
- Brine the turkey for at least 8 hours before adding it to the crockpot.
- Spray your slow cooker with non-stick spray before adding the turkey breast.
- Use a meat thermometer to check when your turkey is done (it should read 165°F).
- Let the turkey rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing it.
Nutrition Information
This is my Turkey ever! But, I can’t help but to ask….why is it that we need to rinse the bird after bringing. All those flavors….
I made this last year at Thanksgiving. It was my first time cooking turkey and it was absolutely wonderful!!!
Thanks for sharing!!
I’m confused about the instructions for the brine. It calls for 1 quart 4 cups apple juice. Since 1 quart is 4 cups does this mean 2 quarts or is it more of a 1 quart (4 cups) instruction? I’m not sure what I’m missing!
I second this question! Sad to see this was asked last year and hasn’t been answered.
I did only 4 cups of apple cider. I bought a quart bottle of the cider and just poured it all in. I used the Apple cider quart container to measure out my gallon of water too! Just filled it 4 times and poured it in the pot. I hope this helps you ladies. I’ve made this twice now and going on my third this Thanksgiving. It is AMAZING!
Becky, I am going to make this tomorrow for my wife and myself only. I have a 2 and 2/3 lb Turkey breast. I wondered if I need to cut the crock pot cooking time back? Thanks!
I would cut back slightly but keep an eye on it!
Becky, does this recipe produce in fat juices at the bottom of slow cooker to make gravy with?
There should be plenty to make a gravy with!
Can you us a turkey that comes basted in broth, salt, sugar?
Of course! It could alter the taste slightly but could turn out yummy still!
Definitely can’t wait to try this! But curious — where did you find a 5 lb. boneless breast? All my local stores only carry 3 lb. What would be the difference in cook time?
I made it last year and just bought two of the 3lb turkey breasts and cooked them together. Turned out awesome!
Looks and sounds so yummy … but, that is one humongous sodium number! I’ve never seen a per-serving number that high on anything!
Your recipe calls for a 5 lb turkey breast however I can only find 3 lb turkey breasts in the grocery stores. Can you suggest what changes I would need to make in the recipe and steps for 3 lbs vs the 5 lbs?
Personally I made it last year and just bought two of the 3 pound breasts and made them together. I changed nothing and it turned out great!
How will cooking time differ if using a turkey breast with bones? Thanks