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Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is the perfect way to get tender juicy turkey with a fraction of the prep, but all the flavor. Let the slow cooker do ALL the work!

Using the slow cooker for your turkey frees up the stove and oven for all the amazing sides. Combine this succulent Turkey with Roasted Autumn Vegetable Stuffing, Famous Mashed Potatoes, The Best Sweet Potato Casserole, The World’s Best Green Bean Casserole and some Parker House Rolls and you’ve got Thanksgiving, or any special occasion covered.

Turkey cut up on a white plate.

Turkey Breast in the Slow Cooker

I always make my turkeys in the oven. Why have I never made them in the slow cooker before? I love my slow cooker! It took me a total of 5 minutes to throw this into the slow cooker. In just a few hours, I had the most delicious, moist, and tender turkey that I have ever had in my life!

I have always wanted to try making turkey in the slow cooker. This was the perfect opportunity! It was a smaller turkey and just right for our family. This was the most moist and tender turkey I have had. Which makes sense because it seals in the moisture and cooks in the juices all day. I couldn’t believe how delicious this turned out! And the sauce that it cooked in all day gave it the perfect flavor. This will not just be a seasonal meal made at our house. We will be making this year round!

Turkey Breast Ingredients

This will take 5 min to put together and then let the slow cooker do the rest. Super simple and tastes amazing!

  • Turkey Breast: 5-6 pounds, make sure it fits in your slow cooker.
  • Orange Juice: Adds a nice zing
  • Whole Cranberry Sauce: Cranberries were made for turkey
  • Onion Soup Mix: One of the best flavors you can add to anything
  • Salt and Pepper: Add to taste

Turkey in a slow cooker.

Making Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

Sometimes you just don’t want or need to cook an entire turkey. Maybe it’s just a smaller crowd this year, or maybe your family made the turkey this year but you still want leftovers. Slow cooker Turkey Breast is the perfect way to satisfy your turkey cravings, whatever they maybe.

  1. Prep: Either use a slow cooker liner or spray your cooker with cooking spray. Make sure your Turkey Breast is thawed and place inside.
  2. Mix: In a separate bowl mix the cranberry sauce, onion soup, orange juice together and pour over the top. Rub with salt and seasoned pepper.
  3. Cook: Cove and cook on low for about 8-9 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F. Remove and cover with foil and let it rest for at least 5-15 minute.

Preparing a turkey in the slow cooker.

Tips for Tender Turkey Breast

I love the flavor this imparts, it’s perfect, but you can always use a few tips right?!

  • Turkey: Can’t stress enough to make sure your turkey fits in the crock pot.
  • Bone-In: Having a bone in and skin on turkey imparts more flavor and moisture into your turkey. You can remove the skin before carving.
  • Rest:  Allowing the turkey to rest before carving gives the juices time to distribute evenly through the meat. It sounds weird but it’s totally true. Let it rest before cutting.
  • Veggies: You can add carrots, celery, onion chunked to the bottom of your slow cooker before you add the turkey if you’d like.
  • Crisp it: If you want a classic crispy top, place under the broiler for 5-8 minutes, basting as necessary.
  • How much to buy: Aim for buying 3/4 of a pound of turkey per a person. If you want leftovers, plan on a 1lb per person.
  • Thaw: Be sure to thoroughly thaw your turkey breast in the fridge for at least 24 hours. Do not thaw at room temperature.
  • Gravy: Make gravy to go with it!

Leftovers

  • Fridge: If you have any leftovers store them in the fridge in a tightly sealed container or even a freezer bag for up to 4-5 days.
  • Freeze in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 3 months,
  • Bone: Save and freeze the bone to throw in soup another time.

Turkey in a slow cooker.

More Turkey Loving Recipes

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Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

4.88 from 8 votes
By: Alyssa Rivers
Amazing juicy and perfectly tender turkey breast that slow cooks all day in the crockpot!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Line your slow cooker with a liner or spray with cooking spray. I like using a liner so that the clean up is easy. Place the thawed turkey into the crockpot and rub with some salt and seasoned pepper on the top.
  • Mix together the cranberry sauce, onion soup mix, and orange juice. Pour over the top of the turkey. Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper. I love using the Lawry's coarse seasoned pepper.
  • Cover and cook on low for about 8-9 hours or until your thermometer reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Carefully remove your turkey and place it on a plate. Let it rest for 5 minutes before carving and enjoy!

Notes

I did not crisp the skin after it was done in the slow cooker.  If you want a crispy skin, then broil the turkey for 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 575kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 98gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 245mgSodium: 969mgPotassium: 1157mgFiber: 1gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 162IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

Collage of slow cooker turkey breast photos.

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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Recipe Rating




35 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I used this recipe last year for Christmas and I’m making it again this year. It’s delicious and so easy. Turkey breast is the way to go for just four guests.

  2. 5 stars
    I used this recipe for our Thanksgiving turkey breast and it was the absolute best! Tender, moist, delicious and easy. My entire family devoured it. I added 2 packs Knorr Turkey gravy mix just thicken up a bit. Perfect in every way. Thank you!

  3. I’m a little confused. The picture shows a whole turkey and shows the seasoning on the turkey “before” adding the salt/pepper/seasoning. The recipe says bone in turkey recipe and says to add salt/pepper/seasoning, after pouring on the cranberry mixture? I’m guessing the cook time of 8 to 9 hours, is for a whole turkey, so how long do you cook the bone in breast?

  4. 5 stars
    I have (2) 3 pound boneless turkey breasts. Should I put then both in one crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours or in separate crock pots and lower the cooking time? How long would it take for a 3 pound breast?
    Thank you!

  5. 4 stars
    I enjoyed the simplicity of this recipe and the flavors were great. However why is there a photo of a whole turkey?? It’s very confusing to those searching for a turkey breast recipe.

  6. 5 stars
    I never leave comments but this was amazing even though I didn’t have oj I subbed cranpinapple. So good!!

  7. Hi there….Wondering if the juices left on the bottom of the crockpot can be used as a sauce or if it has done its job after cooking.

    Thanks very much for posting!

  8. Instead of using cranberry sce could you use a can of mangos or peaches I’m going to try with a can of mangos

  9. 5 stars
    This was AMAZING…maybe the best ever! Definitely one of the best turkey breast recipes I’ve ever used. I’m excited to make this year round. It’s so easy and insanely delicious and tender.