Skip the hassle of roasting a whole bird and make this juicy, flavorful Slow Cooker Turkey Tenderloin recipe instead! It’s the perfect easy main dish for a smaller Thanksgiving gathering or cozy fall dinner that still feels festive and delicious.
You will love this Crock Pot Turkey Tenderloin Recipe
Intimidated by the idea of cooking a full turkey? Or maybe you love the flavor of turkey but dread the hours of prep and carving that come with the big bird. I totally get it, which is why I’m all about delicious, low-effort alternatives that still feel special for the holiday season.
This crockpot turkey tenderloin recipe is perfect for a small Thanksgiving or anyone who wants a simpler, stress-free holiday meal. The lean meat turns out incredibly tender, flavorful, and juicy every time
Plus this turkey recipe so much easier to slice and serve than a whole turkey (major win!), and it’s only white meat, which typically gets fought over in my house. No longer need to text mom “How long do I cook a turkey in the microwave” IYKYK;)
Recipe Ingredients
- Turkey Tenderloins: A lean, boneless, and skinless cut of meat, found below the main breast bone prized for their tenderness and versatility. Chicken tenderloins can also work, but will likely need less cook time as compared to a whole turkey breast tenderloin as they aren’t as thick.
- Brine: A combination of water, salt, pepper, brown sugar, herbs, lemon and orange slices
- All-purpose turkey seasoning: My go-to coatings for the top of the turkey is a combination of salt, garlic and onion powder, brown sugar, pepper, thyme and sage.
- Veggies: White onion and carrots cooked in chicken stock.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
Switch up the seasonings for different variations:
- Herb-forward/Thanksgiving Style: Add more sage or thyme and mix in a pinch of nutmeg for warmth.
- Sweet & Smoky: Swap paprika for smoked paprika, add ½ tsp chili powder and a drizzle of maple syrup.
- Lemon Herb: Add lemon zest and skip the paprika for a lighter blend
How to Make This Recipe
1. Make the wet brine for the turkey tenderloins. Remove the turkey tenderloins from their packaging and pat their liquid away.
2. In a large pyrex dish (deep enough to fit 3 cups of water + ingredients), place the turkey tenderloins.
3. In a large measuring quart, whisk together water and kosher salt until salt is dissolved.
4. Pour the salted water into the dish with the turkey tenderloins. Then sprinkle the brown sugar over the dish. Place lemon and orange slices on the top, gently submerging them, along with the fresh herbs. Finish with cracked pepper.
5. Cover the turkey tenderloins and place in the refrigerator overnight! Make the all-purpose turkey seasoning in a small bowl. Cover and set aside until tomorrow.
6. Remove the turkey tenderloins with tongs from the wet brine and place on a plate layered with paper towels, patting dry (don’t worry, the wet brine was so the turkey will stay moist on the inside while cooking).
7. Place the diced onions and carrots on the bottom of the slow cooker. Use a spoon to generously season the turkey tenderloins, each side (I used all of the seasoning). Using the tongs, gently place each seasoned turkey tenderloin on top of the onions & carrots.
8. Fill with chicken stock until the vegetables are totally submerged and the liquid is just touching the bottom of the turkey tenderloins.
9. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Note: I’ve found my Crock Pot cooks quickly on low.You will know your Crock Pot best. After 3 hours, check the internal temperature so you have a gauge of how well it’s cooking.
10. Once the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 160-165F. Remove it from the crock pot with tongs on a large cutting board. Allow it to rest briefly before using a sharp knife to cut through (it should slice like butter). Serve warm and let your guests rave about the best turkey they’ve ever had (and the easiest for you!
PRO TIPS
The rule of thumb for wet turkey brine is ¼ cup salt per quart of water!
Recipe FAQs
Store cooled turkey tenderloins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently with a splash of broth or gravy to keep them moist.
If the overnight marinade doesn’t work for your schedule, you don’t have to do the overnight marinade (but it definitely makes a difference). Letting the turkey tenderloins brine overnight is the best way to get them to absorb moisture and seasoning all the way through, which leads to juicier meat with extra flavor. If you’re short on time, brining for a minimum of 3-4 hours is a great alternative, just keep the turkey submerged and refrigerated the whole time. The flavor won’t be quite as deep, but it’ll still be delicious once slow-cooked!
You can absolutely add more vegetables to the slow cooker with the turkey tenderloins! Root veggies like beets, potatoes, onions, and parsnips work especially well. They’ll soak up all the savory juices and become super flavorful. Just keep them in larger chunks so they don’t get too soft during the long cook time.
Turkey tenderloins are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F as measured with a meat thermometer in the thickest portion of the meat.
Serving suggestions
Serve juicy turkey tenderloins with your favorite cranberry sauce or turkey gravy. Complete your delicious turkey dinner with your favorite side dishes like this Sourdough Stuffing, Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, sweet potato casserole and some Honey Jalapeño Cornbread or these Old Fashioned sweet dinner rolls on the side – YUM!
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Slow Cooker Turkey Tenderloin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 turkey tenderloins, 24 oz each (We love Jennie-Os)
Wet brine:
- 3 cups water
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 lemon, sliced
- 1/2 orange, sliced
- 1 container fresh poultry herbs, rosemary, sage, and thyme
- Cracked pepper
All-purpose turkey seasoning:
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried sage
Slow Cooker
- 1 white onion
- 4 large carrots, halved and quartered lengthwise
- 3 cups chicken stock
Instructions
The day before
- Make the wet brine for the turkey tenderloins. Remove the turkey tenderloins from their packaging and pat their liquid away.
- In a large pyrex dish (deep enough to fit 3 cups of water + ingredients), place the turkey tenderloins.
- In a large pyrex measuring quart, whisk together water and kosher salt until salt is dissolved.
- Pour the salted water into the dish with the turkey tenderloins. Then sprinkle the brown sugar over the dish. Place lemon and orange slices on the top, gently submerging them, along with the fresh herbs. Finish with cracked pepper.
- Cover the turkey tenderloins and place in the refrigerator overnight! Make the all-purpose turkey seasoning in a small bowl. Cover and set aside until tomorrow.
Turkey day!
- Remove the turkey tenderloins with tongs from the wet brine and place on a plate layered with paper towels, patting dry (don’t worry, the wet brine was so the turkey will stay moist on the inside while cooking).
- Place the diced onions and carrots on the bottom of the slow cooker. Use a spoon to generously season the turkey tenderloins, each side (I used all of the seasoning). Using the tongs, gently place each seasoned turkey tenderloin on top of the onions & carrots.
- There should be a few gaps where you can see the carrot/onion mixture. Pour the chicken stock into the pot, careful to avoid the turkey tenderloins so they don’t lose their seasonings.
- Fill with chicken stock until the vegetables are totally submerged and the liquid is just touching the bottom of the turkey tenderloins.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Note: I’ve found my Crock Pot cooks quickly on low.You will know your Crock Pot best. After 3 hours, check the internal temperature so you have a gauge of how well it’s cooking.
- Once the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 160-165F. Remove it from the crock pot with tongs on a large cutting board. Allow it to rest briefly before using a sharp knife to cut through (it should slice like butter).
- Serve warm and let your guests rave about the best turkey they’ve ever had (and the easiest for you!)
Nutrition
Looking for this in MyFitnessPal?
If you’re using MyFitnessPal, search ‘A Paige Of Positivity’ and find Slow Cooker Turkey Tenderloins calories and nutrition facts. Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved or just say hi!
so simple & TASTY! will be making this for meal prep, not just thanksgiving!
Tender, juicy, moist, shall I continue… this is awesome and a must try!
forget the bird, make this instead! It slices like butter and the dry rub is TASTY!
Recently had this with the stuffing and the flavor combination is spot on!
The texture of this tenderloin was AMAZING! So juicy and full of flavor! In my crockpot era and this was so easy for a fancier meal