The Best Instant Pot Turkey Breast Recipe
My love for the Instant Pot continues and I have to say that after trying turkey breast roasted in the oven or made in a slow cooker, my favorite way right now is the Instant Pot version. The reason is simple and beside the obvious reason that it’s faster, I find that this results in the juiciest turkey breast out of all the other cooking methods. This is coming from someone who loves dark meat because I find that there’s more flavor in the dark meat, plus it’s not as dry as breast. However, the Instant Pot made me a believer in juicy turkey breast.
Turkey
Turkey – You’ll need a boneless 4 pound turkey breast. Frozen turkey breast must be thawed out first. Also, bone-in turkey breasts have a different cooking time, so it’s important to use boneless. Olive Oil – I use olive oil, but you can also use any type of vegetable oil. Herbs – Smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, and tarragon are used to add flavor. I like to use this mix of herbs in place of basic poultry seasoning. If don’t have Italian seasonings on hand you can use a mix of basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram or whatever you have in your pantry Salt – All poultry, especially turkey must be seasoned well with salt to make them tasty. Black Pepper – Regular ground black pepper is fine. Garlic – Always use fresh minced garlic cloves for the best flavor. Jarred garlic can sometimes be bitter due to preservatives. Butter – Used to sear the turkey breast with the oil. Always use unsalted butter to control the amount of sodium.
Gravy
Butter – Again, always use unsalted butter to control the saltiness. Flour – All you need is simple all-purpose flour to thicken the gravy. Chicken Broth – I always use low-sodium broth. Half and Half – Adds richness and makes the gravy creamy. You can use milk but it won’t make the gravy quite as creamy.
This Instant Pot turkey breast recipe is the quickest and easiest way to make juicy turkey with gravy in just one hour! The entire process is done in the IP and it’s a total turkey making game changer!
Prep The Turkey
First, you need to pat the turkey dry with paper towels. This is going to give you a much better sear once it’s seasoned. Then drizzle the olive oil over the turkey and rub it all over. Next, rub the turkey breast well with the smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Finally, rub it with the minced garlic to finish.
Sear The Turkey Breast In The Instant Pot
With the turkey well seasoned you can now begin cooking! So add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter to the pot and then turn the IP on to the high sauté setting. Then once your Instant Pot has reached the desired temperature and begins counting down, add the turkey breast to the pot and sear it well on all sides. This process should take about 5 to 8 minutes. Then remove the breast from the pot and put it on a plate.
Pressure Cook The Turkey Breast
To cook the breast, you first need to put the IP’s wire rack (the trivet) on the bottom of the pot. Then place the turkey on the rack. Now, close the lid and set the valve to the sealed position. Then set the Instant Pot to manual setting and set the timer to 25 minutes on high pressure. Yet, keep in mind that after you set the timer it will take the Instant Pot a few minutes to come to pressure before you see it starting to countdown. So don’t worry, your instant pot turkey breast is going to cook! Please not that I did not add any additional broth to the Instant Pot, the turkey will release natural juices as it cooks. However, many of you got the burn notice which usually happens when there’s not enough liquid. To avoid this, you can add about a cup of chicken broth, then when you make the gravy don’t add any additional broth.
Release The Steam
Once the Instant Pot has finished its cycle, let it natural pressure release until the pin drops. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes. Then carefully remove the lid and check the turkey for doneness. The thickest part of the breast needs to have reached an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to be considered done and safe to eat. I always use my handy digit cooking thermometer to check the temperature.
Let It Rest
Now, remove the turkey from your pressure cooker and place it on a cutting board. Next, completely cover the breast with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing to ensure that the turkey stays nice and juicy. If you cut into it too soon all the juices will run out and make the turkey dry.
Crisp Up The Skin
This step is totally optional! But if you’d like crispier skin it’s easy to do. Just put the turkey breast side up on a baking sheet and pop it in the oven under the broiler for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Make The Gravy
While the turkey rests you can make the gravy. To begin, leave all the turkey drippings in the Instant Pot and turn it back on to the high sauté setting. Then melt the 2 tablespoons of butter. Next, whisk in the flour and cook it for a few minutes while stirring constantly until the flour loses its raw smell. Now, pour in the chicken broth along with the half and half while whisking, and simmer the mixture for about 3 minutes or until the gravy has thickened. Then taste the gravy and season with salt and pepper as needed. Note, you can omit the half and half if you like and replace it with broth. I use it to make my gravy creamier, but this is a personal preference. Also, I keep my gravy simple, but you can easily sauté some onion, celery, and carrots first in the IP to add to the gravy.
Carve And Enjoy
Once the turkey has rested and the gravy is made, carve the breast and top it with some creamy gravy and fresh herbs. Then serve it with some yummy homemade cranberry sauce and enjoy.
Can I Make This Turkey Breast in the Slow Cooker
Absolutely! Check out the recipe notes for instructions on how to make this in the slow cooker, keep in mind that the instant pot also has a slow cooker method. Some of you have said in the past the slow cooking is still the best, well that option is available to you, you can definitely cook this on low for about 6 hours and you’ll still end up with a super juicy turkey breast.
Cooking Times for Instant Pot Turkey
The general rule of thumb for cooking poultry in the Instant Pot is is 6 minutes per pound with a 10 minute NPR (Natural Pressure Release). 4 lb Turkey or Turkey Breast = 24 minutes + 10 minutes NPR 8 lb Turkey or Turkey Breast = 48 minutes + 10 minutes NPR
Storage
Leftover turkey will keep in the fridge for about 6 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months when stored in an airtight container. To reheat, just put the leftovers in the microwave for a few minutes or in a pan on medium heat. However, if frozen, it’s best to let the stew thaw out in the fridge overnight prior to reheating.
Other Turkey Recipes To Try
Spatchcock Turkey Air Fryer Turkey Breast Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup Maple Mustard Roasted Turkey Thighs How to Roast a Turkey Brined Roast Turkey Breast Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Breast
Originally published Nov 2017.
title: “Instant Pot Turkey Breast” ShowToc: true date: “2024-11-01” author: “Wanita Keck”
How Many Minutes Per Pound Should You Cook a Turkey Breast?
When cooking an Instant Pot turkey breast, you’ll need about 8 minutes of cooking time per pound. Keep in mind that this is calculated using a 6-quart Instant Pot. A different size might require a different time. Here are some examples:
5-pound turkey x 8 minutes = 40 minutes 5.5-pound turkey x 8 minutes = 44 minutes 6-pound turkey x 8 minutes = 48 minutes
I’ve experimented with both bone-in turkey breasts and boneless turkey breasts, and in both cases, I’ve gotten consistent results using the timing above. Don’t forget to take pressurization into account! It will take roughly 10 to 12 minutes for the pot to come to pressure, and you’ll let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes after the cooking cycle is complete. So, add an extra 20-22 minutes to the cooking times above to get a more accurate idea of the total time.
Can I Cook a Frozen Turkey in the Instant Pot?
Yes, you can cook a frozen turkey in the Instant Pot, but I don’t necessarily recommend it. Turkey will cook the most evenly when it’s thawed first, and that’s how you’ll get the most consistent results. If you want to experiment with cooking a frozen turkey breast in the Instant Pot, I’ve read that you should add an extra 5 minutes per pound to the cooking time. So, a 5-pound turkey would need at least an extra 25 minutes added to the overall cooking time.
What Size Turkey Fits in the Pressure Cooker?
If you’re using a 6-quart Instant Pot, you can fit up to a 7-pound turkey in the pot, but I would recommend looking for one that is 6 pounds or less to guarantee that it will fit.
Turkeys can vary pretty drastically in shape and length, so I’ve had the best luck with the 6-pound size fitting consistently in the pot. It’s okay if the turkey goes above the “max fill” line, since that mostly applies to liquid-based recipes, like soups, but it’s important that the turkey doesn’t interfere with the lid opening and closing easily.
How to Brown the Skin
When you cook turkey in the Instant Pot, you won’t get a golden brown skin like you would in the oven. It’s cooked with steam pressure, after all! If you would like to give the skin a more golden-hue, you can place the cooked turkey under your oven’s broiler briefly to help the skin look more appealing. It won’t become as crispy as an oven-baked turkey skin, but it does look nicer.
Alternatively, you can simply remove the skin before serving, if you’d rather not deal with it.
How Long Do You Let the Turkey Rest Before Carving?
While the Instant Pot should prevent the turkey from drying out, it’s still important to let it rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting into it. This allows the turkey to firm-up and retain its juices.
How to Cook Boneless Turkey Breast
Boneless turkey breast typically comes wrapped in netting, and I recommend that you remove that before getting started. This will allow the breasts to cook faster and more evenly. Ideally, you want both turkey breasts to be the same size, otherwise one half might cook faster than the other. If you have a turkey breast that is drastically larger, you might want to remove the smaller one during the cooking process so that it won’t over-cook. How to calculate the cooking time for different-sized breasts:
For a turkey breast half that is 2.5 pounds, that would presumably come from a 5-pound turkey in total. A turkey needs to cook for 8 minutes per pound, so a 5-pound turkey would cook for 40 minutes. So, if you have one breast that is 2.5 pounds, my best guess is that it will still need 40 minutes to cook. If the smaller breast happens to be only 1 pound, you’d use double that weight to calculate the cooking time. A 2-pound turkey would cook for 16 minutes, so a 1-pound half-breast would also need to cook for at least 16 minutes.
Hopefully that makes sense, let me know in the comments if you have questions! I read them every day.
Be sure to use an instant read thermometer, to make sure the turkey reaches at least 160ºF, because it will continue to heat up as it rests and should reach 165ºF before serving.
Making Turkey Gravy in the Instant Pot
After cooking the turkey breast in the pressure cooker, you can make an easy gluten-free gravy from the drippings. For an extra-flavorful gravy, cook the turkey with an onion and a few cloves of garlic, which you can strain out when the cooking cycle is over.
Return the strained drippings to the pot and press the “Sauté” button. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of arrowroot start with 2 tablespoons of cold water, and whisk well to combine. You’ll need to use 1 tablespoon of arrowroot for every 1 cup of turkey drippings, so if you end up with 3 cups worth of liquid, use 3 tablespoons of arrowroot and 3 tablespoons of cold water to make the slurry.
Note: Arrowroot, tapioca starch, and corn starch work best when you dissolve them in cold water first. They might make a lumpy gravy if you forget to make this cold-water “slurry” first. Add the arrowroot slurry to the pot, and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking often. The mixture should thicken within a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve warm over the sliced turkey breast. I use my homemade poultry seasoning mix to season this turkey, but you can use any store-bought blend, or simply dried thyme as an alternative.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Need some easy & delicious side dishes to go with your turkey? Try one of these!
Spiced Cranberry Sauce (the best!) Mashed Cauliflower Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Vegan Gravy (I prefer this one over turkey gravy, personally) Favorite Holiday Salad Wild Rice Stuffing
If you try this Instant Pot Turkey Breast, please leave a comment below letting me know how it works out for you! And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too. We can all benefit from your experience! – Reader Feedback: Are you cooking a whole turkey this year, or something smaller for a more intimate gathering? If you have leftover turkey, be sure to try my Leftover Turkey Soup to squeeze some extra veggies into your next meal.
