Crockpot Turkey Breast with Cranberry Sauce
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Crockpot Turkey Breast with Cranberry Sauce is a boneless turkey breast cooked low and slow in a can of whole cranberry sauce, orange juice and onion soup mix. Ten minutes to put together, then the slow cooker does the rest. Swap in Homemade Cranberry Sauce if you have it.
It feeds four, so it's the Thanksgiving main for a small table or a Sunday dinner that leaves the oven free. Serve it with Garlic Roasted Mashed Potatoes and Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans.
Quick Look: Crockpot Turkey Breast with Cranberry Sauce
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
- 👨👩👧👦 Servings: 4
- 📊 Calories: 463 kcal per serving
- 🥣 Ingredients: Whole cranberry sauce, orange juice, onion soup mix, boneless skinless turkey breast, poultry seasoning, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy — mix, pour, walk away
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Seven Ingredients. Cranberry sauce, OJ and a soup packet make the whole sauce.
No Oven. Five hours on low, or two to three on high. Oven space stays free for the sides.
Leftovers Worth Having. Slice what's left for a Turkey French Dip Sandwich or Thanksgiving Turkey Grilled Cheese.
Ingredients Needed
- Cranberry Sauce: I use a canned cranberry sauce for convenience, but feel free to make a homemade cranberry sauce instead.
- Orange Juice: Adds flavor and helps make the turkey extra tender.
- Onion Soup Mix: Provides lots of savory goodness without extra effort.
- Boneless Skinless Turkey Breast: A 3-pound boneless skinless breast. Leave the netting on until it's done. Bone-in works if it fits — 3 to 5 pounds.
- Poultry Seasoning: You can use some dried herbs for a substitute.
How to Make Crockpot Turkey Breast with Cranberry Sauce
- Step 1: In a small bowl, combine cranberry sauce with onion soup mix and orange juice.
- Step 2: Place the turkey breast in the bottom of the slow cooker with the netting on. Sprinkle with poultry seasoning.
- Step 3: Pour the homemade sauce over the top and sides of the turkey breast.
- Step 4: Add sprigs of fresh herbs and cook on low for 5 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours.
Recipe Tips
- Be sure to let the turkey rest after cooking so the juices can properly circulate. This will prevent your turkey from drying out once sliced.
- Cook times may vary depending on the size and thickness of your turkey breast.
- Leave the netting on to ensure the turkey stays together while it cooks.
- Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for 3 to 4 months and use them in Easy Leftover Turkey Shepherd's Pie.
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or cook more at a time in the oven at 350 degrees. Some additional chicken stock or vegetable broth will help prevent the turkey from drying out.
Recipe FAQ's
This usually happens because of overcooking-- be sure to check on your turkey about an hour before the cooking time is up to make sure it's not already done. You should also give it time to rest after cooking. This will allow the juices to circulate and prevent them from leaking out when you cut into the turkey.
Yes, as long as you're properly slow cooking turkey breast all the way through to the right temperature, it's perfectly safe to slow-cook it from raw. Use a regular meat thermometer and insert into the thickest part of the breast to check for an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F to ensure proper cooking.
Yes, that's this recipe. The cranberry sauce, orange juice and onion soup mix turn into the cooking liquid, and the turkey comes out tender with a sweet and savory sauce to spoon over it.
The crockpot is more forgiving. It holds the turkey in liquid at a low temperature, so it's harder to dry out, and it frees the oven for sides. The oven gives you browned skin, which a boneless skinless breast doesn't have anyway.
Move the turkey to a cutting board, pour the sauce into a saucepan, stir in 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water and simmer until it thickens. Spoon it over the sliced turkey.
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Crockpot Turkey Breast with Cranberry Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (14 ounce) can whole cranberry sauce
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 packet onion soup mix
- 1 (3 pound) boneless skinless turkey breast
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
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Instructions
- In a small bowl add the cranberry sauce orange juice and onion soup and mix until combined.
- Unwrap the turkey breast but leave the netting on and place into the slow cooker, sprinkle the poultry seasoning on top.
- Pour the cranberry mixture over the turkey breast.
- Add in the rosemary and thyme and cook on low for 5 hours or high for 2-3 hours or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- Remove the turkey from the crock pot , rest 10 minutes, slice, and serve with the sauce.
Notes
- A boneless breast works beautifully and cooks more evenly, but bone-in will be extra juicy if it fits in your crockpot. Aim for 3–5 pounds for perfectly tender results.
- Don’t remove the netting from the boneless turkey roast until the meat is done. It helps it hold together during cooking.
- If you want your sauce to be thicker, then remove you turkey to a cutting board and pour your sauce into a saucepan and mix together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water and add that to the pan, and simmer until thickened. Pour sauce over sliced turkey.
This turned out so juicy and flavorful. Great for an easy holiday meal!