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Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is perfect for a small Thanksgiving dinner or serves as an easy meal prep idea. Crockpot bone-in white meat turkey is easy and delicious!
If you are planning a small holiday meal, looking to meal prep for the week, or are just trying to eat more white meat, this recipe is what you’ve been looking for.
Why this recipe works:
First and foremost, this is a super easy recipe. This bone-in double breast of turkey took me no more than five minutes to prepare. You get to walk away and come home to the most amazing smelling kitchen. Similar to a slow cooker chicken breast but with your favorite Thanksgiving vibe!
Don’t let the bone intimidate you. The bones and everything that comes along with them are what will make the most tender, juicy, and flavorful turkey possible.
Everyone knows that the most delicious broths come about because of the goodness in the bones. Cook your turkey slowly for the best taste and tenderness and not only do you end up with moist and flavorful meat, but you’ll have a stock that can be turned into a delicious turkey gravy.
How to make this recipe:
The one thing that surprises everyone the most about this recipe is that you don’t add any liquid.
- This recipe starts by placing a large, thick sliced onion in the bottom of the slow cooker (photo 1).
- You’ll then place the turkey breast on top of the onion. I sprinkle a bunch of herbs and seasonings on top of the turkey (photo 2) and then drizzle some olive oil on top (photo 3).
- It’s important that you stick a good meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat (photo 4). Then, just close the lid and cook on low for 4-5 hours. The time will depend on how long it takes for your turkey to get to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Cooking tips for success:
- You can follow the same recipe to prepare a boneless turkey breast, however it will cook much faster and might not be as moist.
- The herbs and spices in this recipe give the turkey great flavor, but if you want to go the extra mile, mix up my One Spoon Dry Rub to use instead.
- When cooking large cuts of meat like this, I try to allow them to come to room temperature before cooking.
How long does this recipe take to cook?
- The time it takes to cook a bone-in cut of turkey completely depends on the size of the breast, whether it is bone-in or boneless, your cooking temperature, and your method of cooking, so it is impossible to tell you a standard time of how long it takes to cook.
- If you roast a bone in turkey breast in the oven at a high temperature, you can count on it taking about 2 hours. Using the low setting in the slow cooker, you can plan on it taking about 4-5 hours. If you’re using your electric pressure cooker, or Instant Pot, you can count on it taking about one hour using high pressure.
- The only way to know when a a large cut of meat like this is completely cooked is to check the turkey’s temperature. The turkey is done when it reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the breast meat.
- It is always best to loosely tent your turkey after cooking and allow it to rest for at least 15 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.
Leftover turkey recipe ideas:
Moms everywhere can save time with easy meal prep ideas and using things like leftover turkey creatively.
- Leftover Turkey and Wild Rice Soup – this is one of my most favorite soup recipes because it’s creamy and incredibly delicious. I purposely demand that there be leftover turkey just so I can make this soup. Whether you make an entire turkey for Thanksgiving dinner or you make just the breast as an easy meal prep idea, you’ll have the makings of a fantastic soup.
- Warm Turkey Sliders – slow cooker recipes go with fall just as much as game day recipes, and any leftover turkey is fantastic in these warm sandwiches.
- Leftover Turkey Salad – similar to everyone’s favorite chicken salad, but the breast meat and a few extra goodies turn it into a fall classic.
- Homemade Chicken Pot Pie (but with turkey meat instead of chicken) – because nothing says yum like pure savory comfort food wrapped in an all butter crust. You might want to make a slow cooker turkey breast just so you have a reason to make a pot pie!
- Perfect Cobb Salad – I crave this salad. It is definitely one of my favorite meals and a fantastic way to use leftover turkey.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave me a comment below to let me know what you think!
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Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion sliced thick
- 1 double breasted bone-in turkey breast
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Place onion in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Rinse clean the turkey breast and place on top of the onion, breast side up. Top breast meat with paprika, thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Drizzle olive oil over the top.
- Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of breast.
- Cover with lid and set the slow cooker to low for 4-5 hours. Continue to cook on low until internal temperature reads 165 degrees F.
Notes
Cooking tips:
- You can follow the same recipe to prepare a boneless turkey breast, however it will cook much faster and might not be as moist.
- The herbs and spices in this recipe give the turkey great flavor, but if you want to go the extra mile, mix up my One Spoon Dry Rub to use instead.
- When cooking large cuts of meat like this, I try to allow them to come to room temperature before cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally created in September 2015 and was updated with process photos along with more helpful information and cooking tips. Don’t worry – I didn’t change the recipe.
Do you serve the skin of the turkey on your slices? Is it soft and not brown?
I do serve the skin because it does get nice and brown, but whether you eat it is totally a matter of preference!
Do you leave the meat thermometer in the whole time, or do you insert after a few hours? Also, does it hurt to add some broth with a bone-in turkey breast?
I always cook with the thermometer in the whole time. I’m always worried some of the juice will run out if I poke it in half way through cooking… plus I’m destined to forget until its too late. Never hurts to add broth in the slow cooker or pressure cooker!
This idea for a slow cooker was Brilliant. My wife said what about the slow cooker since my grill messed up for a Turkey breast. Came out so juicy. Thanks for the recipe!!
Krissy,
Can I put 2 (4-6 lbs) turkey breasts bone in into the crock pot? If so increase the cooking time or same setting for slow cooking 4-5 hrs? Or that’s not advisable? I need to feed more people that’s why I ask and time constraints.
Marco
Hi Marco, If they fit in the crockpot, you sure can! You will probably need to increase the cooking time, so I would start them earlier just to be safe and then you can always keep the meat warm and moist. Use the thermometer to make sure!
If you use a boneless turkey breast, would there still be enough liquids for cooking? Do you recommend a bone in or boneless turkey breast for this recipe.
I always prefer to cook with bone-in with recipes like this because I think it makes the meat more moist and flavorful, but you can certainly use boneless. If using boneless, I would definitely make sure it has skin. Either way, you can never go wrong by adding some broth!
Are there enough drippings to make gravy? Do you have any suggestions for a gravy? Thanks!
Yes! There should be enough liquid to make a gravy. This is my favorite turkey gravy recipe: https://selfproclaimedfoodie.com/savory-herb-turkey-gravy/ You can just skip the part about cooking the turkey parts to make a stock and use the liquid from the turkey breast.
Would the cooking time stay the same for a 3 lb boneless Turkey breast?
Hi Renee, Bone in typically takes less time, so I would plan on reducing but trust the thermometer above all else!
Hi. Does the turkey breast have to be thawed first? Thank you! NanaAnn
Nope. It’ll just take a lot longer to cook!
No, just takes about a 1/2 hour longer
I have a 7.6 lbs. turkey bone-in breast that I want to make for Easter dinner. I am thinking of doing the slow cooker for 6 hours? Would that be too much time?
Hi Amy, That sounds about right to me. Do you have a thermometer? I highly recommend using one. That way if it gets close too early, you can crank it down to low or keep warm.
Hi Kristy. I’m cooking a 7 lb breast. Can I leave it on low for 7 hrs or so ? Cause of work schedule
Hi Michael, If the turkey breast is big enough – yes. Otherwise I think cooking it the recommended 4-5 hours and then letting it sit on warm would be a better option.
I have A 5lb fully cooked and smoked T breast. About how long would it take to warm it in crock pot