Turkey Tenderloin Crock Pot Recipe

Name: Turkey Tenderloin Crock Pot Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 425 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds turkey tenderloin ((about 2 tenderloins)); 1 cup chicken broth (or chicken stock, regular or low-sodium); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 tablespoons honey; 1 tablespoon dijon mustard; 3 garlic cloves (crushed); 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme ((or 6 sprigs fresh thyme)); 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary ((or 1 sprig fresh rosemary)); 1 teaspoon sea salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper

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This easy turkey tenderloin crock pot recipe is an ideal alternative for a small Thanksgiving gathering or family dinner any time of year. Enjoy the classic big flavors you love, but with the convenience of cooking the smallest, juiciest and tender part! Simply add turkey tenderloins into the slow cooker with an aromatic marinade, and in just a few hours you’ll be ready to serve a centerpiece-worthy dish for any occasion.

A plate of sliced turkey with bowls of mashed potatoes.

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Reasons to Make This Tasty Recipe

Tender and juicy meat.

This tenderloin has a mild flavor and great texture. And like whole birds and turkey breast, the tenderloins pair well with your favorite holiday and comfort food side dishes. If you like chicken tenderloin recipes, you are absolutely going to love this recipe!

2. Easily made in the crock pot.

Using a crock pot to slow cook the poultry really takes the tenderness up a notch. The meat becomes incredibly juicy, and the marinade will infuse each tender bite with flavor. Plus, it’s beyond simple to make turkey tenderloin in a crock pot!

3. Perfect for smaller gatherings where a whole bird is too big.

Although making a tenderloins (and even oven roasting turkey tenderloins) may seem like non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner ideas, they’re actually the best when you’ve got a small group.

A table setting with roasted turkey tenderloin cooked in the crock pot with mashed potatoes.

What is a Turkey Tenderloin?

The tenderloin is located between and is attached to the breasts of the bird. It’s a thick, wide strip of meat from a part of the bird that doesn’t get much of a workout. So it tends to be a bit softer and stay super juicy when cooked vs. the breast. However, tenderloins are still rather lean and quite healthy!

Since tenderloins are boneless and skinless, so they are also very easy to work with and prepare in any number of ways. I like to marinate them overnight for extra flavor. However, this is totally optional!

Ingredients and Substitutions

A package of boneless skinless poultry, chicken broth, and marinade ingredients for a turkey tenderloin recipe.

Turkey – you’ll need two boneless and skinless tenderloins. At most stores, they come in packages of two, with a total weight of about 1.5 pounds. The Jennie-O brand is usually available all year long at Walmart stores.
Broth – we use chicken broth, but chicken stock and vegetable broth are both good substitutes.

🎯 Important Information

We use fresh tenderloins or thawed from frozen. According to the USDA website, it is generally considered unsafe to prepare frozen meat in a crock pot.

For the Marinade

Apple cider vinegar – adds a nice tangy flavor to the marinade, but you can use white vinegar instead if you don’t have any.
Honey – sweetens up the marinade. You can also substitute brown sugar, pure maple syrup, or agave nectar.
Dijon mustard – helps thicken the marinade and adds flavor. You can swap it with yellow mustard if needed.
Herbs and spices – we used dried thyme, dried rosemary, sea salt, and pepper. However, you can use any herbs and spices you have on hand. Feel free to get creative!

Crock pot turkey tenderloin ingredients.

How to Make Crockpot Turkey Tenderloins

Prepare the marinade.

The turkey tenderloins only needs to marinate for an hour or so before everything is ready to be added to the slow cooker. But if you have the time we recommend letting the tenderloins marinate for a few hours.

To do this, you want to place the tenderloins in a 1 or 2-gallon size Ziploc bag or use the crockpot insert covered with the lid.

Pouring a bowl of turkey marinade into the crock pot.

Bring the poultry to room temperature before slow cooking.

After marinating, just pull the package out of the fridge and let it sit on your counter top for 30-45 minutes.

Two boneless skinless pieces of poultry in a slow cooker.

Slow cook the meat. Add poultry and marinade to the slow cooker. Pour chicken broth over meat, then place the lid on your crock pot.

Cook the turkey breast tenderloins on low for 6-8 hours, checking the turkey tenderloin temp after 4 hours. Use an instant-read thermometer, placing the probe in the center (the thickest part of the turkey roast). The magic number for perfectly cooked poultry is 165º F.

🎯 TFN Pro Tip

After you finish cooking turkey tenderloins in the crockpot, let them rest for 10-15 minutes. During the resting time, the poultry will continue to cook (this is known as carryover cooking.) To prevent the poultry from over cooking, remove the meat from the slow cooker when the internal temperature is 165°F.

Serving Suggestions

We think these sides pair perfectly with this poultry dinner: No drain mashed potatoes, oven roasted green beans and potatoes, candied maple balsamic brussel sprouts. For some tasty desserts, we suggest a sweet carrot pie or pumpkin custard pie.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this turkey recipe without marinating it?

Definitely! Just pour the marinade mixture over the top of the meat when you add it to the slow cooker. See notes under the recipe.

Where can I buy turkey tenderloins?

Most local grocery stores carry them in the fall, but I find the Jennie-O brand year-round at Wal-Mart.

Plated crockpot turkey tenderloin covered with gravy.

Consider These Easy + Delicious Poultry Recipes…

If you tried this Turkey Tenderloin Crock Pot recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

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