Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Instant Pot Turkey Breast will be your Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day go-to recipe for juicy, tender, and flavorful turkey breast.

This Instant Pot turkey breast recipe is perfect for a quick and easy dinner. Cook it in the pressure cooker and you’ll have a moist and flavorful meal in minutes!

I just love how quick and easy this Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe makes our holiday meal prep. No more running the oven for hours on end – this gives us delicious turkey and it is practically effortless.

I really love this recipe because now that our oven runs on the same fuel as one of our heating sources and that source isn’t unlimited – I am far more conscious of how long I am using the oven. I don’t want to make anything in there that will cook for longer than an hour.

Fortunately, we have great little countertop appliances like the air fryer and pressure cooker that can do the same job in a short amount of time and save my fuel source in the process.

Not only that – but it makes clean up a breeze because everything is contained to the one little pot. Super simple and the turkey is just so tender and juicy too. I know you’ll love it.

Instant Pot Turkey

Here are some commonly asked questions

How much turkey breast do you need per person?

The rule of thumb is to buy one pound of turkey per person.

Keep in mind how many side dishes you will be offering along with the turkey. If you are making this for Thanksgiving – then you will most likely be serving side dishes too. So people may serve themselves a bit less turkey if they plan on loading up their plate with a lot of extras.

Something else to keep in mind – do you expect your guests to go back for seconds – always keep that in mind. I almost always double what I think I will need because not only does my family love seconds – but we love leftovers too.

What temperature should a turkey be cooked to?

The best way for a turkey to be cooked is with high heat, which will kill all the bacteria in the turkey. The USDA recommends cooking your turkey at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes per pound of weight when using a conventional oven.

When cooking with an Instant Pot it is sealing in the heat and steam to cook the turkey and therefore it will cook the food much faster than what you get with an oven.

Pressure cooking a turkey breast can be done on manual high pressure until the internal temp reaches 160 degrees.

Can leftover turkey be frozen?

You bet. We like to keep the leftovers in the fridge for a couple of days for quick and easy meals. But if it looks like we aren’t going to be able to eat it all within 3-4 days – then I toss the remaining leftovers in a zip-top bag and freeze it for up to 2 months. It’s great to add it to a last-minute dinner-like soup in the Instant Pot. I don’t even have to thaw it first.

pressure cooking a turkey breast

How long do I pressure cook a turkey in the Instant Pot?

Well – this will depend on the size and thickness of the turkey you are wanting to cook.

If you are cooking a BONE-IN turkey breast – the cooking time will be based on the weight. I generally cook mine for 30 minutes with 10 minutes for a natural pressure release when cooking a 6-7 pound BONE-IN turkey. You can reduce it to about 25 minutes for a 3-4 pound turkey breast and 27-28 minutes for a 4-5 pound turkey breast.

Now- when cooking a BONELESS turkey breast you will be focusing on the thickest part of the turkey because they will range in shape. Keep in mind that the long skinny ones will take less time than the rounded, fatter ones. Start your time at about 30-35 minutes with a 10-minute natural pressure release when cooking a ROUND turkey breast that is roughly 3 pounds.

How do I make this recipe at high altitude?

**Live at High Altitude – Because water boils at a lower temperature at high altitudes, and pressure cooking requires water to boil in order to work, some foods may need a little more cooking time.

When pressure cooking at high altitudes you want to make sure to add 5 percent to your cook time for every 1,000 feet above 2,000 feet elevation. For example, when we lived at 4,000+ feet I would add 10 percent to my cook time.

For a recipe that called for 20-minutes of cooking time, I would then cook for 22 minutes. When pressure cooking, 1-2 minutes can make all the difference in a recipe, unlike when cooking by traditional methods.

I got a burn notification – now what?

This probably happened because the pot was not deglazed after something else was cooked in there. Anything that is stuck onto the bottom of the pot can affect how the cooker comes to pressure – resulting in it not cooking correctly. This can also happen if the mixture of what you have in there is too thick. If the mixture isn’t stirred well – it will cause the burn notice. For this recipe – that part shouldn’t be a problem.

Make sure that the bottom of the pot is clean by scraping up any food stuck to it using a wooden spoon. Make sure there is adequate liquid in the pot – you can always add 1/4 cup to a 1/2 cup more depending on your elevation and climate.

Why is it important to use the thermometer on the thickest part of the bird?

The most important thing to remember when using a meat thermometer is that it needs to be in the thickest part of the meat since that will take the longest to heat all the way through and come to the proper temperature.

The tip of a digital thermometer should be inserted into the center of a large roast, turkey, or other whole bird. The probe should not touch the bone or any other cold spot.

Insert the probe slowly and carefully until it touches an internal part of the meat and takes its reading without touching or moving any internal parts such as bones or fat.

turkey breast in presure cooker

HOW TO MAKE GRAVY IN THE INSTANT POT

This is the best part. You will have all those juices in the bottom of the pot once you remove that turkey. These are great for making a super flavorful gravy.

To do so – drain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer so you can separate it out from all of the other veggie pieces and other little floating things in the juices.

Add back to the pot 2 cups of the juices along with 1/4 cup of water and 2 tbsp of cornstarch. Whisk it really well. Set the Instant Pot to the saute setting and continue to whisk as it heats up until the gravy thickens. Remove from the heat and serve alongside your turkey and fixings.

Be sure to hold onto the remaining liquid – you can use that for turkey soup with any leftovers you might have from your meal.

What is the difference between a pressure cooker and an instant pot?

By today’s definition, they are virtually the same – if you are talking about an electric pressure cooker. However, a traditional pressure cooker and an instant pot are two different cooking methods.

A traditional pressure cooker is a sealed metal container that cooks food quickly by steam under increased atmospheric pressure and heats the pot to boiling point.

An Instant Pot, on the other hand, is an electric-style pressure cooker that uses the same idea for cooking foods but can do so with very little liquid. They are incredibly efficient, safer than a traditional pressure cooker, and super easy to use too. Plus they come with a multitude of other functions making them great for quick meal prep.

Turkey Breast Instant Pot

How to soften the butter to room temperature?

First

There are a couple of ways to do this. The first being that you can take the butter (& any other ingredients that need to be at room temperature) out, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep for baking.

I usually start with all my chilled ingredients and pull everything I need out onto the counter before getting started – so I know for sure I have everything before I’m mid-way through I realize I’m out of something.

But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.

Second

I place the butter in the microwave – wrapped in the paper. (don’t do this if it is wrapped in foil) Then I microwave for 2 seconds – flip – go another 2 seconds – flip again – and continue for 2 seconds on each side.

This is usually enough to get it perfect – sometimes stopping before if it feels soft enough. Take care when doing this method – overly softened butter from the microwave WILL ALTER the end result of the recipe. Don’t over-do it.

Third

My third method is to place the wrapped butter sticks in a zip-top bag and place it in a bowl of warm water. I do this with the eggs too. If the water isn’t too hot it can be THE PERFECT way to get “room-temperature” ingredients.

What to serve with Instant Pot Turkey Breast

While this turkey breast is very versatile and can be served with just about anything – here is a list of our favorite recipes that we pair with this great main dish.

• Cranberry BBQ Meatballs
• Apple Cranberry Spritzer
• Cranberry Quick Bread
• Traditional Deviled Eggs
• Apple Stuffing
• Honey Glazed Carrots
• Easy Cranberry Sauce
• Loaded Green Bean Casserole
• Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
• Easy Sausage Stuffing
• One Hour Dinner Rolls
• Easy Gravy Recipe
• Bourbon Apple Cider
• Bacon & Garlic Green Beans
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Mini Apple Pies
• Holiday Party Punch
• Pumpkin Roll Cake
• Best Pumpkin Pie
• Turkey Gravy

Can you cook a turkey breast frozen?

While you can do this – that doesn’t mean that you should. I highly recommend that you don’t try to do this with a frozen turkey breast.

Usually, the pressure cooker is great for cooking meat from a frozen state – but because we are working with a very thick piece – the likelihood of you having to overcook the outside so you can get the inside to cook to the proper temperature is pretty high.

This won’t result in a very good meal. You will likely have dry, tough turkey on the outside and potentially unsafe turkey on the inside. Please use a fresh or fully thawed turkey for this recipe.

pressure cooker turkey breast

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Ingredients for Instant Pot Turkey Breast

• chicken stock
• onions – quartered
• carrots – cut into 1.5” slices
• celery – cut into 1.5” slices
• butter – softened
• garlic – minced
• parsley – minced
• sage – minced
• thyme – minced
• rosemary – minced
• boneless skin-on turkey breast
• olive oil
• kosher salt
• black pepper

Turkey Instant Pot

How to make Instant Pot Turkey Breast

1. Add the trivet insert to the Instant Pot.
2. Then add the chicken stock, onions, carrots, and celery. Make sure the vegetables are in an even layer so they create a bed for the turkey breast to sit on.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the butter, garlic, parsley, sage, thyme, and rosemary until combined.
4. Pat the turkey breast dry with a paper towel and gently lift the skin away from the meat.
5. Rub the butter mixture between the skin and the breast meat making sure to cover it evenly.
6. Drizzle the outside of the turkey breast with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
7. Rub seasoning all over the turkey to make sure it’s evenly coated on all sides.
8. Place the turkey breast in the Instant Pot skin side up.
9. Close the lid and ensure the valve is in the “sealing” position.
10. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook – Manual for 35 minutes.
11. Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking, allow for a natural pressure release for 15 minutes. Then, release any additional pressure by switching the valve to the venting position.
12. Remove the turkey from the Instant Pot and slice into your desired size. Enjoy.
13. **SEE NOTES BELOW FOR BROWNING
14. Store any leftover turkey in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

BROWNING

If you want to brown the turkey skin after cooking, transfer the cooked turkey breast to a baking sheet and broil for 3-4 minutes or until your desired doneness. Make sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.

How to store leftover turkey breast

If you happen to have any turkey leftovers after serving – just transfer the remaining turkey to an airtight container and keep refrigerated until ready to serve again.

To reheat – microwave for about 30-60 seconds or until hot again.

You can also place your serving in a small cake pan and place it on a trivet in the Instant Pot. Be sure to add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the pot before cooking – then reheat on manual pressure for about 5 minutes – although the total time will depend on how much you are reheating.

Boneless Turkey Breast Instant Pot

How to Carve a Turkey Breast

The key here is to be patient so you get the best possible result.

1. First, start by allowing the turkey breast to rest after cooking. You want to make sure to give it at least 15 minutes. To keep it warm and allow the juices to distribute throughout the breast – tent it loosely with foil.
2. Make sure you are using a sharp knife.
3. Make your slice along the side of the breast bone – making smooth, long even strokes. You can saw back and forth if using a serrated knife.
4. When the knife reaches the edge the slice should fall. You can continue to follow this pattern until all of the turkey is removed from the breast.

What size Instant Pot do you use for this recipe?

I am currently using an 8-quart pot, but this recipe can be made in the 6-quart pot too. If you have one of the smaller versions (3-quart mini), I recommend cutting this recipe in half.

Here are my favorite Instant Pot Tools and Accessories!

1. Instant Pot
2. Non-Stick Instant Pot Insert with Silicone Lid
3. Accessory Set
4. Glass Lid
5. Sealing Rings
6. Silicone Egg Bites Mold
7. Large Mesh Steamer Basket
8. Complete Cook & Bake Set

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If you love this Easy Turkey Breast recipe, you’re going to love these other turkey recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

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