Instant Pot Turkey Breast
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This super easy Instant Pot Turkey Breast is made in a fraction of the time and you’ll end up with the juiciest turkey breast ever, plus make your own gravy right in the instant pot.
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 made in the Instant Pot using the high pressure method. 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.
How to Make Instant Pot Turkey Breast
But let’s talk about the obvious here. Roasted turkey breast in one hour, my friends! Can’t beat that especially when you’re crazy busy cooking a hundred other dishes for Thanksgiving. Plus you’re saving your oven for all the other goodies like making lots of cookies. You can also sear the breast right in the Instant Pot to get that nice golden brown color that we all love.
I love the idea of cooking only a turkey breast because whenever I cook a whole turkey I have enough for days. Trust me I do get tired of eating leftover turkey, especially when both hubs and I don’t do leftovers.
Another alternative is cooking just the turkey thighs, also perfect for a smaller crowd. However, I had a 4 pound piece of turkey breast here. This should be enough to feed 8 people 4 very hungry people. I have the 6qt Instant Pot and I could have easily cooked a much bigger piece of turkey in it.
You Can Make Gravy With the Drippings
The great thing here is that you will end up with turkey drippings to make some gravy. You can make the gravy right in the Instant Pot using the Saute setting. Very handy and all done in one pot, which is my favorite thing because there’s only one pot to clean.
I love to add half and half to my gravy to make it creamier but that’s totally up to you. However, you will end up with the most incredible gravy because as the turkey cooks you get all those juices dripping to the bottom of the instant pot; nothing gets wasted.
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
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Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 55 mins
Total: 1 hr
Serves: 8
This super easy Instant Pot Turkey Breast is made in a fraction of the time and you’ll end up with the juiciest turkey breast ever, plus make your own gravy right in the instant pot.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs turkey breast boneless, thawed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp italian seasoning
- 1 tsp tarragon
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp butter unsalted
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For Gravy
- 2 tbsp butter unsalted
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup half and half
Instructions
- Drizzle the tbsp of olive oil all over the turkey breast and rub it in. I usually do this so that the spices stick to the turkey breast. Rub the turkey well with the smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Finish with the minced garlic.
- Turn the Instant Pot to the high saute setting. (See your manufacturer’s guide for detailed instructions on how to use your instant pot). Add the 2 tbsp butter and oil and once your instant pot reaches the desired temperature (the timer will start to count down) add the turkey breast. Sear the turkey breast on all sides. Should take about 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the breast to a plate or a cutting board.
- Add the Instant Pot’s wire rack, then place the turkey on top, as seen in the video. Close the lid (follow the manufacturer’s guide for instructions on how to close the instant pot lid). Set the Instant Pot to the Manual setting and set the timer to 25 minutes on high pressure.
- Once the Instant Pot cycle is complete, wait until the natural release cycle is complete, should take about 10 to 15 minutes. Follow the manufacturer’s guide for quick release, if in a rush. Carefully unlock and remove the lid from the instant pot. Transfer the breast to a cutting board, cover completely with aluminum foil and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into it. Make sure to remove the butcher twine before slicing it. If crispier skin is desired, broil it in the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes.
For the Gravy
- Turn the Instant Pot to the high saute setting (don’t discard the turkey drippings). Add the 2 tbsp of butter and cook until the butter is melted. Whisk in the flour with the butter and cook for a couple minutes, stirring or whisking constantly, until the flour loses its raw smell.
- Whisk in the chicken broth and cook and half and half and cook for an additional 3 minutes or until thickened. You can omit the half and half and just use 1 cup of chicken broth or turkey broth. I used half and half for a creamier gravy. Season with salt and pepper as preferred.
Video
Recipe Notes
I used a boneless piece of turkey breast, sometimes it comes in a box and it usually has butcher twine all around it. You can of course, use a large turkey breast with bone in – meat side down.
Please note: NO ADDITIONAL LIQUID is needed in the Instant Pot, however some people have been having issues with their Instant Pot reaching high pressure, so if you wish you could add a cup of liquid, either water or chicken broth.
I DID NOT use the poultry setting on the instant pot, you must use high pressure.
Other herbs that you can use and go well with turkey include thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano or marjoram.
Searing the turkey breast before actually cooking it in the instant pot is an optional step, however, it does give the turkey an incredible depth of flavor, plus it gives it that nice golden brown color. Searing over high heat caramelizes the surface of the meat, giving it incredible complex layers of flavors.
Slow Cooker Alternative: Season the turkey breast as instructed then place the turkey breast in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Check the internal temperature and make sure it’s at 165 F degrees, otherwise cook it longer. If crispier skin is desired, broil it in the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes.
Serve your turkey with:
Mashed Potatoes
Crockpot Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
Cranberry Sauce
Nutritional information includes gravy. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 360kcal (18%)Carbohydrates: 3g (1%)Protein: 49g (98%)Fat: 16g (25%)Saturated Fat: 6g (38%)Cholesterol: 143mg (48%)Sodium: 869mg (38%)Potassium: 614mg (18%)Vitamin A: 720IU (14%)Vitamin C: 1.4mg (2%)Calcium: 63mg (6%)Iron: 1.8mg (10%)
Originally published Nov 2017.
MSJOE143 says
Going to be 100% honest here. I did not see the video until the turkey was already cooking – I cut the twine off because I didn’t know it was supposed to stay on. But it turned out for the better because I was able to get seasoning all over the breast. Also, I seasoned it and left it in the fridge covered for 3 days. Came out delicious and the gravy got rave reviews! Will definitely make again.
Nina griffith says
Can I freeze half after cooking it?
Jo Cooks Team says
Yes you can!
Bridget Kulick says
I started cooking more during quarantine, and I am so glad I found this recipe! I made this with wild turkey breast my husband got hunting. The rub was incredible (I didn’t have tarragon so omitted). With all this quarantine cooking I gained a new appreciation for paprika! I was a little nervous about not adding any liquid to the Instant Pot, so I did add 1 cup of chicken broth. The drippings made fantastic gravy, and I served shredded over mashed potatoes.
Lynne Hirzel says
I. Add this tonight and it was a huge hit! Very moist and tender.
Kelly says
I put in a 6lb bone in breast in my IP. Should cook at high for 30-35 but I’m counting on most likely 45 min- 1 hour as it was still partially frozen. Will let you know how it goes!! It’s our Easter Dinner so a lot is riding on this meal.
Melissa says
I made a 6-lb bone in breast (not frozen), cooked on high for 36 min, 18 min natural release (got distracted) and came out raw. How did yours turn out?
Jo Cooks Team says
Was it completely raw? I would refer to the owners manual if so. 36 minutes is quite a long time in a pressure cooker. We did also use a boneless chicken breast.
Robyn says
IP noob here. I wasn’t able to set the IP to 25min. When I pressed `MANUAL` setting the LED showed 30, then displayed ‘ON’. I couldn’t use the ‘Adjust’ button at all after pressing the MANUAL setting. It’s been cooking now for about 10min and is displaying 20. I hope this comes out right.
jo says
When you press Manual the IP defaults to 30 minutes, but you can use the up and down arrows to change it to the desired time.
Adorisa says
I made this as written and we all loved it!! My 4 lb turkey roast was mostly frozen so I cooked for 50 minutes after sauteing it – it was perfect.
Kristi Thompson says
Turkey breast with bone, which side goes down? The recipe says the answer is in the video, but you use a boneless breast so the answer is not in the video. Thank you!
Jo Cooks Team 2 says
Hi Kristi! It actually says in the recipe card – not the video 🙂 But if you’re using bone in, cook with the meat side down.
Elle says
Hi! I can’t wait to try this but I’m new to Instant Pot. When you say it needs 25 minutes, does that include the time it take the pot to reach pressure?
jo says
No it doesn’t, 25 minutes is what you need to program it to.
Lindsey M says
The flavor was great! My only issue was it took quite a bit longer than stated…I had a 3 lb boneless breast, I cooked it for 21 minutes (a bit more as I live around 4,000 ft elevation) and it was only 70°, I had to cook an additional 20 minutes to come to just under 165° (came to temp with carry over cooking)…maybe the issue is my elevation but either way, the flavor was great and the breast was moist…my family liked it much better than and whole turkey I’ve made in the oven…I’ll make this again 🙂
Leslie says
FYI, Just wanted to say that the beauty of the instant pot is you don’t have to convert cooking times based on weight. The IP cooks according to what the item is that you’re cooking. It has nothing to do with its weight.
Jo Cooks Team says
For items like pastas, rice, potatoes or even sized pieces of meat such as chicken breasts you’re absolutely correct! When you have one solid piece of meat, like what we have here, you will need to increase cooking time with more weight. This is because the piece will be thicker with more weight, and it will take longer for the heat to cook to the center of the meat versus a smaller, thinner piece.
Shawn F says
Still in the process of cooking, but I set a 2.5 lb turkey breast to 15 minutes, slow release for 10 minutes, and it only got to about 80 degrees F in the middle. Back into the Instant Pot for another 15 minutes (so double the cook time) and hoping it’ll be cooked.
Seems like this may need a tweak to the cooking time. It’s smelling good though!
Jo Cooks Team says
The time worked perfectly for us! Your turkey breast, even at 2.5lbs may just be thicker than usual, and therefore need more time to get the heat all the way to the middle. It’ll taste amazing when it comes out!