This easy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast recipe is so juicy and flavorful, and since it’s boneless, you don’t need to worry about carving anything! You only need 10 minutes of prep– just make a rub, slather it on the turkey, and let your crockpot do the work for you. It’s perfect for a small Thanksgiving dinner and easy enough for a weeknight main course.
See that gorgeous color? It’s all in the rub – a mixture of all kinds of spices, including bright red paprika and golden yellow turmeric.
A quick few minutes under the broiler crisps up the skin for a beautiful golden brown color that’s perfect for your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving table!
To be honest, I don’t know if I’m ever going to cook a whole turkey again now that I’ve discovered this slow cooker version. I really hate the hassle of a whole turkey, and having to wrangle a giant piece of raw poultry. This slow cooker turkey breast recipe is almost too good to be true – it’s so ridiculously easy and flavorful!
And you can even whip up a quick gravy from the drippings.
What’s in the turkey breast rub?
The rub is a mixture of softened butter with kosher salt, black pepper, dried oregano and thyme, paprika, turmeric, and garlic powder. Just mix everything together in a small bowl and you’re good to go!
It’s important to use softened butter for this, not melted. Softened butter will help it form into a paste that you can easily spread over the turkey breast evenly.
I should also note: the turmeric is optional. It gives the turkey a golden yellow color that I think is gorgeous, especially because it’s hard to get nice color on a slow cooked breast (roasting in the oven makes golden, crispy skin all over). But if you don’t have it, or if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of the yellow spice (which does stain), just leave it out!
You can also use any other combination of spices you want. Really, as long as you have salt and pepper, you can make a turkey breast in your slow cooker.
How to cook a boneless turkey breast in your slow cooker
Just slather the rub on the turkey, place it on some onions in your slow cooker, and cook on low for 4 hours! THAT’S IT! Here are some tips and tricks for success.
- Grease the bottom of the crockpot. When you make the rub, grab a little of the softened butter and use it to coat the bottom of your slow cooker. This will help make sure nothing sticks to the bottom as it cooks. You can also use cooking spray or brush it with olive oil.
- Remove any “extras” from the turkey. Sometimes, turkey breasts will come with a gravy packet, and/or come trussed with twine. You can just discard all of that. Snip the twine off with scissors.
- Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels. You don’t have to rinse it (and you actually shouldn’t ever rinse poultry), but patting it dry will help the rub to stick and penetrate the flavors more. I like to place the whole thing on a paper towel lined rimmed baking sheet and then pat the top dry with the edges.
- Rub the bottom, under the skin, and over the skin with the spice mixture. I saved most of it for on top, but you can actually pull the skin up (if your turkey breast comes with a skin) and spread the rub underneath, then place the skin back and rub the top. This will help add lots of flavor to the meat.
- You probably won’t need any more than 4 hours. In fact, you may only need 3 hours. White breast meat can get dry if it’s overcooked, so if you have a smaller turkey breast, or if you just want to check the temp after 3 hours, give it a shot! It should be 165 degrees F.
How to get crispy skin
The one disadvantage to cooking skin-on turkey (or chicken) in a slow cooker is that the skin doesn’t get crispy, or a golden color, like when it roasts in the oven.
To get crispy skin on this boneless turkey breast, just place the whole thing after it’s done cooking on a rimmed baking sheet, and set it under the broiler for 5-10 minutes. It makes such a difference in how beautiful it looks! I do this when I make slow cooker chicken thighs, too.
You can also skip this step if you want, especially if you start with a skinless turkey breast. Totally optional. But highly recommended.
Let the turkey breast REST before slicing it!
One mistake that people make when slicing into a turkey (or chicken, or steak, or really any meat) is they slice into it too quickly. This causes many of the juices in the meat to escape prematurely. If you let it rest, the juices have a chance to redistribute.
Letting the turkey breast rest for 20 minutes before slicing will result in super juicy, moist meat. If you’re worried about it cooling off, you can tent it with foil.
And that gives you plenty of time to whip up a gravy from the drippings!
How to make gravy from the drippings
I love turkey gravy so much that I wrote a whole post on how to make classic turkey gravy from the drippings. But you can also do a quick and easy version with the drippings from this slow cooker turkey breast!
- You’ll end up with about a cup of drippings. Strain them into a glass measuring cup or fat separator and discard the onion slices and other solids.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter OR 2 tablespoons of the fat from the drippings (you can just skim it off the top) in a medium pot or skillet.
- Add 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk together, cooking for about a minute (longer, for darker color).
- Then, slowly pour in the drippings while whisking, cooking until thickened and stirring/whisking frequently.
The gravy probably won’t need much seasoning since the drippings have all the flavor from the rub. Keep in mind, if you use turmeric in the rub, the gravy will also have a yellow hue.
Can you use a bone-in turkey breast?
Definitely! Follow the exact same instructions, just cook it for longer and make a little more rub. Whole turkey breasts with the bone in are usually 6-7 pounds, so it will need more time.
I recommend cooking a bone-in turkey breast in the slow cooker for on low for 6 hours. Be sure to check the temperature to make sure it’s 165 degrees F.
More of an instant pot lover? Try this Instant Pot Turkey Breast for a whole, bone-in version flavored with lemon and thyme. You may also like this Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken recipe.
Sides to go with turkey breast
- Spiced Orange Cranberry Sauce
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Almond Streusel Topping
- Greek Green Beans
- Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Be sure to check out all my other Thanksgiving Recipes, and these Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Recipes.
And if you have leftover turkey, try this leftover turkey salad with cranberries and walnuts or this leftover turkey soup with black beans and corn!
Juicy Slow Cooker Boneless Turkey Breast
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 lb. boneless turkey breast
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 large yellow onion cut into roughly 1/2 inch slices
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (see notes)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric optional
- fresh herbs for garnish optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, soften the butter in the microwave for a few seconds if it's not already soft (don't completely melt it). Spread a little bit of the butter in the bottom of your slow cooker, then place the sliced onions in the slow cooker.
- Remove the turkey breast from the packaging and discard any twine used for trussing, gravy inserts, etc. Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels. I like to place paper towels on a rimmed baking sheet, place the turkey breast on top, and pat the top dry.
- To make the rub, add the kosher salt (2 teaspoons- see notes if using butterball or pre-brined turkey!), black pepper (1/2 teaspoon), garlic powder (1 teaspoon), dried oregano (1 teaspoon), dried thyme (1 teaspoon), paprika (1 teaspoon), and turmeric, if using (1/2 teaspoon) to the softened butter and stir together to form a paste.
- Spread a little of the rub on the bottom of the turkey, then place it in the slow cooker. If the turkey comes with skin, lift it up gently and spread some of the rub under the skin. Place the skin back on top and spread the majority of the rub all over the top of the turkey breast evenly.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
- Optional: If you want crispy skin, place the turkey skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet and broil for 5-10 minutes, or until the skin is crisped to your liking.
- Allow to rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- If using a butterball turkey breast, or other pre-brined turkey breast, you may want to use only 1 teaspoon of kosher salt instead of 2, since it's already salted.
- If using a Turkey Breast Roast: You can leave it trussed if you like, as it may consist of pieces of turkey breast put together that will potentially fall apart if the truss is taken off. But taking the truss netting off is OK too, especially if the roast seems pretty "solid."
- To make gravy from the drippings: melt 2 tablespoons butter (or fat from the drippings) over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons flour. Whisk together to form a roux, cook for at least one minute. Pour in the drippings (about 1 cup) and continue to whisk and cook until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Supplement with chicken stock if you need more drippings for a double or triple batch. (Here's more on how to make gravy from turkey drippings).
- The turmeric in this recipe gives the turkey a golden color and helps add flavor. If you use the drippings to make gravy, the gravy will definitely be a yellow color- delicious but not a traditional gravy color. If you don't like the yellow color, simply omit it.
- Be sure to use a fully THAWED turkey breast. Often, turkey breasts come frozen. You will need to plan ahead to defrost it- keep it in the fridge for about 24 hours per 5 lbs. of meat to defrost before slow cooking. It's not safe to cook frozen meat in a slow cooker, as the inside will not fully cook quickly enough.
- When to take the turkey out of the freezer: I recommend moving the boneless turkey breast from the freezer to the refrigerator 3 days before. It may need only 2 days, but I always err on the side of more time, because if it defrosts completely in only 2 days, it will still stay good for the next 24 hours in the fridge until you’re ready to cook!
- If you want to cook two boneless turkey breasts at the same time, assuming they are about 3 lbs. each, I recommend cooking on low for 5-6 hours. You can check the internal temp at 5 hours if you want to make sure it's 165 degrees, but it won't hurt to go all the way until 6 hours. Don't forget to double the rub amount!
- To use this method with a bone-in turkey breast, assuming it is about 6 lbs, I recommend cooking it on low for about 6 hours, or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. Don't forget to double the rub amount!
- Making a different sized turkey? Here are my recommended times for slow cooking both bone-in and boneless turkey breasts. Keep in mind, it's hard to mess this up in a slow cooker. Overcooking by an hour or two may lead to meat that might fall apart and be a little stringy, but will still be juicy. You can err on the side of slightly more time for bone-in, and slightly less time for boneless, depending on the weight of your turkey and the times indicated below. Make sure to check that the internal temp is 165 degrees F when done!
- 2 lb: 3 hours on low
- 3 lb: 4 hours on low
- 4-5 lb: 5-6 hours on low
- 7-8 lb: 6-7 hours on low
- 9-10 lb: 8-9 hours on low
- Prep ahead of time by arranging everything in the slow cooker crock and then placing the crock, covered, in your fridge overnight. Then, transfer the crock to the slow cooker when you're ready to cook it the next day.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
Camille Howard
Hi. I am definitely making this for turkey day! Question: Can you use the disposable slow cooker bags by Reynolds? Do I need to grease the inside of the bag. The bag goes over the sides of the crock pot and then you add your ingredients.
Elizabeth Lindemann
You can definitely use one of those liners for easy cleanup! You shouldn’t need to grease the inside of the bag. Hope you like it, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Lori
I’m using a bone-in turkey breast but I asked the butcher to remove the bone. Doesn’t it need to be trussed in the crockpot? Some recipes say the breast to Will fall apart.
Elizabeth Lindemann
In my experience, with the cooking time indicated, this has not happened. But what can cause it to fall apart is overcooking it in the slow cooker. This can result in meat that is really soft, and pulls apart easily. It’s great for things like pulled pork or pot roast, but with chicken or turkey it’s not ideal as the texture is a bit mushy. So you will be fine, as long as it’s not significantly overcooked! That said, leaving it trussed won’t HURT, and it may make it easier to remove from the crockpot. In addition, for you or anyone else reading this, you can certainly make this recipe with a bone-in breast (see recipe notes for this). Hope that helps and hope you like it!
eddie kuiken
oh my gosh im going try this it looks and sounds so good i cant wait . i found your site by googling crock pot turkey breast. because why should i use the oven when a crock pot is easier ! i wish it was cooking right now ! im only one , but 3 lbs isnt that much 🤣 . i have never made gravy though , but it sure sounds easy . cant wait ! thank you elizabeth
Elizabeth Lindemann
So happy this is helpful for you! You can freeze any leftover turkey you don’t eat or use it in lots of different kinds of recipes, so I’m sure the leftovers will go to good use :-)
Katie
This recipe looks amazing! I am planning on trying it for Thanksgiving. Quick question–do you serve the onions with the turkey, or are they just for moisture/flavoring during cooking?
Elizabeth Lindemann
I never serve the onions- they are just there for flavor. You CAN eat them, but they won’t be anything special- kind of mushy and flavorless by the time everything cooks. Hope that helps, hope you like it, and happy Thanksgiving! I’ll be making it as well this year!
Nicholas Caputo
If I want to cook two 3-pound butterball turkeys in the crockpot, how long would I need to cook them on low for?
Thanks!
Elizabeth Lindemann
I would do 5-6 hours on low for two butterball turkey breasts- you can check the temp around 5 hours to see if it’s 165 degrees F if you like but it won’t hurt to go up to 6. You’re not the first person to ask this question- I’m going to update the recipe card now with a note specifying this! Thanks!
Debbie
Hi Elizabeth, I am cooking 2- 3 lb butterball boneless turkey breast roast. Directions on the packaging say not to remove the string when cooking. What do you think? This is a turkey roast, is there a difference. Thanks. Cooking the two breast together in a crock pot. Saw in another comment to cook for 5-6 hours..
Elizabeth Lindemann
UPDATE TO THIS COMMENT RESPONSE- a turkey breast roast should remain trussed, as it’s not one single piece of meat but several smaller pieces trussed into one loaf shape. So sorry for any confusion this caused- I updated the recipe card above with a note addressing this issue!
I removed the string from mine and it was fine! When cooking in the oven, the string can help keep everything compact to keep the juices in, but in the slow cooker this shouldn’t be an issue. That said, leaving the string on wouldn’t hurt, if you are concerned about taking it off. I don’t believe there is any difference between a turkey breast and a turkey breast roast, except for the marketing by Butterball- the roast has it trussed (with the string) and has a gravy pack included, whereas other turkey breast cuts are just the meat. And yes- I would do 5-6 hours for two breasts, and double check the temp just to make sure when it’s done. Hope that helps and hope you like it!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hi Debbie! I hope I caught this in time. I wanted to follow up about your comment about a turkey breast roast. I got one myself this year because they didn’t have a normal boneless turkey breast at the grocery store and it consists of small parts of turkey breast put together in a trussed loaf shape. So I’m going to edit my response here to say do NOT take the truss off! I added a recipe note to the card in this post as well. Really hope everything turns out well for you, and sorry about the misinformed response from before!
Mark Kaminski
Will try this recipe for this Thanksgiving, have two Butterball 3 lb turkey breast roast boneless, will be using 6.5 quart slow cooker, looks like they’ll fit, question is, think 4 hrs on low would be good or more time, I can’t wait to make this!
Elizabeth Lindemann
I think you should add more time – 5-6 hours on low should be perfect. Somewhere between that time, you can check the internal temperatures of each to make sure it’s 165 degrees F at the center, which it should be. And make sure they are completely defrosted before cooking! Hope that helps, hope you like it, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Jeff Goulian
Hi
I’m thinking of using barbecue sauce with the recipe. What do you recommend.
Thanks
Elizabeth Lindemann
This is a fun idea! Here’s what I’d do: I’d use a bbq rub to season the turkey breast, and cook it in the slow cooker as directed. Then when it’s done, I would place the turkey on a baking sheet and brush BBQ sauce on it, and broil it for 5 minutes or so. Then brush with more, and broil again. And a third time and fourth time, if needed, until you get a nice BBQ glaze on it.
I use this technique with my BBQ chicken and my BBQ salmon recipes, so you might want to check those out for more information.
I think that if you use the BBQ sauce in the slow cooker it will probably just kind of fall off the top of the turkey and not really add anything significant to it, so I do suggest using the oven to finish it off. If you really want to not use your oven, the other option is that you could use a rub to cook the turkey, remove it and slice it, then add it back to the slow cooker along with a cup or so of BBQ sauce with more on the side for serving (kind of like pulled pork).
Hope that helps, and if you try it I’d love to know how it comes out!
Samantha Anderson
I’m hoping to make this recipe for thanksgiving dinner, however I was unable to get a boneless turkey breast. I have a bone in turkey breast. How would I adjust the cooking time to compensate for the bone-in? This looks so delicious!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
You can definitely make this with a bone-in turkey breast! So funny- I actually was looking for a bone in for this recipe for this year’s Thanksgiving but all they had was boneless. Wish we could trade haha! Honestly it’s about the same amount of time in the slow cooker, per pound. But bone-in turkey breasts are usually larger. Assuming it’s around 6 lbs., I recommend 6 hours on low. Double check the internal temp when it’s done to make sure it’s 165 degrees F. Hope that helps and hope it works well for you, and happy Thanksgiving!
Joan
I used butterball turkey breast and omitted the salt. Fantastic! Used some of drippings with chicken broth for dressing.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Wendy Vandenberg
I only found a boneless Butterball Turkey Breast Roast at my grocery store. Is that what you use for this recipe? Or is the roast different then a regular turkey breast?
Elizabeth Lindemann
I think that will be fine!
Aaron Lee Rodriguez
Do you put water in crockpot? And onion. First time using crockpot.
Elizabeth Lindemann
No need to add water! The liquid released from the onions (which are placed on the bottom of the crockpot) and from the turkey itself will be enough. You can add a little water if you want, which will result in more drippings, but it’s not necessary. Hope you like it and good luck with your first slow cooker meal!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hi Wendy! I wanted to follow up on this comment. There IS a difference between a turkey breast roast by butterball and a regular boneless turkey breast. A roast is small pieces of meat trussed together in a loaf shape. So the turkey breast should remain trussed when cooking. So sorry for any confusion this may have caused! I’ve updated the recipe card in this post to reflect this issue.
Val
Hi Elizabeth!
I JUST literally made this and it is now in my crockpot but I realized I have 1.78 lb of turkey breast tenderloin. I realize that 4 hours on low may be way too long. Would you say 2 hours?
Thanks in advance!! Can’t wait to eat it!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
I think 3 hours on low should be good! Hope you like it!
Val
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly!! I appreciate it and will let you know how it was! :)
Ed
Should I baste during cooking
Elizabeth Lindemann
Nope! Definitely DON’T open the slow cooker until it’s done cooking- it will let the heat out and it won’t cook properly. Just keep it closed, and go do something fun instead of basting- that’s the beauty of this recipe! 😃
Karen
Hi. Can I recommend putting the note about salt nearer to the front of the recipe? I followed your instructions and put in the crock pot and realized too late that the instructions indicated that when using butterball not to put as much salt. I am hoping this still forms out as we are having guests to share this😕
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh goodness, hope it turned out OK, and thanks so much for this suggestion! Going in and editing the recipe now.
Deborah Porter
Hello, I have a 5 pound 6.8 ounce turkey roll fresh and I put it in at 11 AM on high in the slow cooker because we are supposed to be eating a little after 6 PM and I’m scared it’s not gonna be done by then if I put it on low. I was thinking of letting it cook on high for 1 hour then low the rest. What are your thoughts please?
Elizabeth Lindemann
I think it will be fine on low the whole time, as long as it’s definitely not frozen in the center. That said, if it gives you peace of mind, cooking on high for a little while won’t hurt it! Hope you like it :-)
Verna Morgan
I have a 2 lb turkey breast. I’ve looked at several different recipes. Some say to cook 3-4 hrs. Others say 6hours. I’m confused.
Elizabeth Lindemann
6 house is far too long in my opinion. Overcooking turkey breast in the slow cooker will result in kind of stringy meat that falls apart easily and is a little mushy. You should be fine with 3 hours on low for a 2 lb. bird, but do check the internal temperature to be sure that it’s 165 degrees F. If you check it at 3 hours and it’s not quite done, cover it as quickly as possible (so the heat doesn’t escape) and give it 30 minutes – 1 hour more. Hope that helps!
Melissa
I am making this today, I have one question, do you put any kind of liquid in the bottom of the crock pot
Elizabeth Lindemann
Nope! The liquid released from the turkey and from the onions will be enough- you’ll be surprised at how much liquid there is when it’s done cooking. That said, if you’re concerned about it, adding some chicken stock or some water (1-2 cups) won’t hurt it at all, and will result in more drippings which is great if you want to make gravy. Hope that helps, and hope you like it!
Sabena
Is there any difference in using Ghee instead if butter (whole 30 compliant), should I still use 4 tablespoons?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Yes, you can still use 4 tablespoons of ghee. Hope you like it!
Terrie
Thank you, so happy I found this. So easy, so yummy! Made exactly to recipe, even the turmeric; I only reduced salt to 1 teas. Family of five adults loved it and devoured it. No leftovers- soon I’ll make two in my larger slow cooker :)
Elizabeth Lindemann
Yay! So happy you and your family liked it!
Penny Powell
Did you cook the Turkey breast frozen or thawed out?
Elizabeth Lindemann
THAWED! See recipe notes for more details. It’s not safe to cook it frozen, as the inside won’t cook all the way or cook at a safe temperature.
Debbie
Thanks for the recipe! One question…my breast is frozen. Should I thaw it first? Thanks! Xxox
Elizabeth Lindemann
YES! Definitely thaw it, completely, first. This may take a few days in the fridge, depending on how big the breast is- around 24 hours per 5 lbs. of meat. There are some recipes out there for cooking a frozen turkey breast in an instant pot, but for a slow cooker it’s not safe (and I am hesitant to believe that a frozen turkey breast would work in a pressure cooker either… but I’ve never tried it personally). Hope that helps! I’m going to add a recipe note now explaining this- thanks for bringing up this question :-)
Sandie
Hi Elizabeth… I fixed this and I was amazed with the outcome. The turkey was tasty and moist. I took my turkey out of crockpot when it reached 160degrees and then I let it rest with the probe in for 20 mins. and it reached it’s 165 degrees while resting. Total time in my slow cooker was 3 1/2hrs on low. Thank you for this simple and easy recipe.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad to hear you liked it!
Jane
This is a wonderful recipe. Moist meat and the gravy is easy to make and delicious. I don’t think I will ever cook a full sized turkey again.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Welcome to the club- I’m never doing a whole turkey again either! So glad you liked the recipe :-)
Diana
This was an easy and good recipe. I had a 5 pound bone in skin on turkey, so I cooked mine on low for three hours, and then on high for one hour more. I put it in the oven afterward to crisp it up a bit. I had a four quart crock pot. It just fit enough for the lid to seal correctly. It wasn’t too dry.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Angie Wortkoetter
This was the absolute best turkey I have ever had! Delicious, moist, very flavorful, and very simple to make. Bonus… it makes it easy peasy to impress your guests! Thank you for sharing this recipe, I don’t think I could go back to the old dried up turkey again.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! I agree- I don’t think I’m every going to cook a whole turkey again.
Erin
If I’m using a frozen butterball turkey breast does it need to be fully thawed before going in the slow cooker?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Yes! Otherwise it might not cook fully, or cook too slowly to be safe, on the inside.
ANTHONY
I noticed the ingredients don’t list fluids like water or chicken broth. Is the meat dry after cooking?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Nope, you don’t need any liquid! There’s enough liquid released from the onions and from the turkey breast (poultry has some water, it’s often packed with extra water, which is released when it cooks), to create a nice humid, steamy environment in the slow cooker to cook the turkey so it’s super juicy. Just make sure you don’t open the slow cooker to peek as it’s cooking. If you’re concerned about it, you can add 1/2 cup to 1 cup of water or chicken broth to the bottom of the crockpot- it definitely won’t hurt (and you’ll have more drippings to make gravy!) but you don’t need it. A pressure cooker, on the other hand, needs some liquid in order to pressurize correctly. Hope that helps!
Anthony
Thank you so much, you are very talented for making this recipe. I made this for my family the other night and it was so good. I went ahead & added 1/2 cup of water just to be on the safe side because this recipe was new to me. That’s when I found out that you don’t have to add anything it kinda makes itself.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!