This boneless slow cooker turkey breast goes into the Crockpot in about five minutes, cooks while you ignore it, and comes out sliceable and juicy with gravy made from the drippings right in the pot. You don’t have to worry about basting, oven space, or what you are going to do with 20 pounds of leftover turkey. It is just turkey and gravy, done together, in one appliance you already own.
I started making this because I got tired of turkey being a once-a-year event. My family loves it, but nobody wants to wrestle a whole bird on a weeknight. Now I make a boneless turkey breast in the crockpot every few weeks, and we eat it three ways: sliced with gravy the first night, in sandwiches the next day, and shredded into soup by Thursday. It is efficient and budget-friendly.
I think turkey actually tastes better in the slow cooker. Turkey breast is lean, and dry heat from the oven pulls the moisture right out of it. The slow cooker traps steam and holds a low, steady temperature, so the meat cooks in its own juices instead of drying out. Those juices become gravy.
Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Made this yesterday and it was immediately placed on our “make again” list. Great flavor and enough gravy to go with fresh biscuits.
— Jim
Now, the question everybody asks: won’t it dry out anyway? Not if you pull it at the right temperature. Turkey breast is safe at 165°F, so that’s your stopping point. Cook it past 175°F, and it turns chalky, which is what most people mean when they say slow cooker turkey didn’t work for them. A cheap instant-read thermometer solves this permanently. I’ll give you times by weight below, but the thermometer is the real answer.
Below you’ll find the cooking times by weight, how to make the gravy, what to do if your turkey breast comes with a netting, and some of my favorite ways to use the leftovers. This one’s a small-holiday dinner and a regular weeknight meal at the same time.
Looking for more slow cooker Thanksgiving recipes? Try my Crock Pot Cornbread Stuffing, Crock Pot Sweet Potato Casserole, or Crock Pot Green Bean Casserole.
Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Boneless turkey breast: This recipe works for anywhere from a 3-pound to a 5-pound breast. The size affects where in the cook time range you land, more on that below.
- Brown gravy mix: You’ll use two envelopes, one whisked into the liquid that goes over the turkey at the start, and a second one whisked in at the end to make the finished gravy.
- Ranch seasoning
- Water or chicken stock
- Paprika
- Poultry seasoning
- Black pepper
- Butter
How to Make Crockpot Turkey Breast
- Cut the netting off the turkey breast and pat it dry with paper towels, then place it in the slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1 envelope of the brown gravy mix (save the second for later), the ranch seasoning, and the water. Pour it over the turkey.
- In another bowl, mix the paprika, poultry seasoning, and black pepper, then sprinkle it over the meat.
- Cut the butter into a few pieces and put it on top of the turkey. Put the lid on and cook on low for 3 to 5 hours.
- When you think it is ready, check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. The thickest part needs to hit 165 degrees F before it’s done.
- Once it’s cooked, take the turkey out and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- While it rests, whisk the second envelope of brown gravy mix into the liquid left in the slow cooker to make the gravy.
How Long to Cook Turkey Breast in the Slow Cooker
A boneless turkey breast cooks on low for 3 to 5 hours. A bone-in breast takes a bit longer, about 4 to 6 hours. Weight is what moves you around inside that range. A smaller breast, closer to 3 pounds, usually finishes toward the short end. A larger one, closer to 5 pounds, needs closer to the full 5 hours.
I still check with a thermometer every time regardless of size, since slow cookers run hot or cool depending on the model, and the actual piece of meat in front of you is the real variable, not a stopwatch. If you let the turkey meat get above about 175 degrees F, it will not be as moist.
Serving Ideas
For the juiciest meat, let your Crockpot turkey breast rest at least 10 minutes before slicing. Then slice it, drizzle gravy over the top, and add a scattering of fresh herbs if you have some on hand.
I love serving this crock pot turkey breast with stuffing balls or cheesy mashed potatoes. The gravy soaks right into both. Add an easy green bean casserole, dinner rolls, and a vegan sweet potato pie for a full holiday spread.
Or skip the Thanksgiving framing completely and slice the turkey for sandwiches instead.
How to Store
Store leftover turkey breast in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. It’s good cold on sandwiches, or reheated in recipes like turkey rice soup, turkey tetrazzini, or turkey broccoli casserole.
To freeze it, wrap the turkey tightly, sliced or whole, and freeze for up to about 4 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat gently, whether it came straight from the fridge or was frozen and thawed: a covered skillet on low, the microwave in short bursts, or a low oven all work. Add a splash of the leftover gravy or some broth so the meat doesn’t dry out while it reheats.
Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- I usually use a crockpot liner for this one. Cleanup takes two minutes instead of twenty, which matters most when I’m running a full holiday dinner with five other dishes going at the same time.
- Boneless turkey breast usually doesn’t come with skin, but if yours does, or you want a browner outside, put it on a baking sheet and run it under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes after it comes out of the slow cooker.
- You can tuck carrots, onion, or celery under the turkey before it cooks. They add flavor to the gravy, and you get a side vegetable without much effort.
- Boneless is the way to go here. Bone-in adds flavor in the oven, but in a slow cooker the bone mostly takes up space and makes carving awkward in a hot, cramped pot. Boneless breast fits better, cooks more evenly, and slices clean.
Reader Questions
Yes. A bone-in breast needs a bit longer, about 4 to 6 hours on low. As always, check the temperature with a meat thermometer before serving.
Slow cooking is good at keeping the meat moist on its own, so brining isn’t necessary. But if you want to brine it anyway, try my apple cider brine recipe.
Either before or after cooking. I’ve done it both ways and find it easier to do it before cooking. The easiest method is kitchen shears: cut along the top and pull the netting away from the meat.
No. Thaw it completely before cooking. A slow cooker won’t hold a high enough temperature to cook meat that starts frozen safely.
The two cuts have different advantages. Boneless cooks faster and slices easier. Bone-in comes with skin and tends to stay a little juicier. For the slow cooker I prefer to use boneless, but either works.
Plan on about ½ pound of meat per person. If you want extra for leftovers, plan on 3/4 of a pound per person instead.
One reader tried this after asking about it in the comments and reported back that it worked well, so if you’d rather use turkey gravy than the packaged brown gravy mix, go ahead.
If you want it thicker, stir a cornstarch slurry (about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch blended into 1/3 cup of cold water) into the leftover liquid in the pot.
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Crock Pot Boneless Turkey Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 3-5 pound boneless turkey breast
- 2 envelopes brown gravy mix (.87 ounces)
- 1 envelope ranch seasoning (1 ounce)
- 1 1/2 cups water or chicken stock
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Open the package and remove the netting from the meat. Pat it dry with paper towels.
- Place the turkey breast in the slow cooker.3-5 pound boneless turkey breast
- In a small bowl, combine 1 packet of the brown gravy mix, 1 envelope of ranch seasoning, and the water. Pour this mixture over the meat.2 envelopes brown gravy mix, 1 envelope ranch seasoning, 1 1/2 cups water
- Mix the paprika, poultry seasoning, and black pepper and sprinkle this seasoning mixture over the turkey. Then place the butter on top of the meat.¼ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 4 tablespoons butter
- Put the cover on the slow cooker and cook on low for 3-5 hours. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check that the thickest part has reached 165 degrees F internally.
- Once the meat is cooked, remove the turkey from the slow cooker and set it aside to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Meanwhile, whisk the second brown gravy envelope into the slow cooker with the remaining liquid to make the gravy.2 envelopes brown gravy mix
- Slice and serve with the thick gravy.
Notes
- Always verify the internal temperature of the meat has reached 165 degrees F before serving.
- If your turkey breast is frozen, thaw it before cooking.
- A bone-in breast needs a bit longer, about 4 to 6 hours on low. As always, check the temperature with a meat thermometer before serving.
- Plan on about ½ pound of meat per person. If you want extra for leftovers, plan on 3/4 of a pound per person instead.
- Tuck carrots, onion, or celery under the turkey before it cooks. They add flavor to the gravy, and you get a side vegetable without much effort.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
I haven’t tried this yet but will soon. My question is – why brown gravy? Could this be made with turkey gravy?
Turned out delicious. I gave it 4 stars because I made 2 changes. Followed through on my questions about brown gravy and turkey gravy. Used the turkey gravy and it tasted great. Also added about 1 T cornstarch (blended in about 1/3 cold water) to the gravy left in the pot as I like gravy a little thicker.
Made this yesterday (4/6/24) and it was immediately placed on our “make again” list. Great flavor and enough gravy to go with fresh biscuits.