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 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. 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.
Donna says
For an 8.25 lb breast what is the cooking setting on manual? 25 mins or 45 mins ?
Nicole Beaulieu says
45 minutes will be perfect!
Tracy Gaut says
Yes, yes, yes! I had an 8.75 bone-in turkey breast. I used all the spices add mentioned (eyeballing the measurements). I did sear the turkey breast. This should not be optional! It just really made the bird! I took 1/2 onion, a couple cloves of garlic, and some celery and shoved them into the cavity, you know, just because. Honestly, I didn’t read all the notes, so I didn’t see the notes about not adding extra liquid, and I did add 2c chicken broth. I cooked the bird with my Crock Pot Express for 6 minutes/pound on the manual/high option (as noted in the instructions). NPR for 10 minutes and this bird was crazy juicy and fell off the bone! I took the turkey out, degreased(?) the juices, then put the juices back in the pot with that bag of gravy (that you always get work the turkey breast) and some salt, pepper, and thickener, set the pot to boil, and made some quick gravy. This…was…amazing!
Randy says
Just tried this last night with a 5.8 lb turkey breast that was BONE-IN, e.g. had the body cavity of a whole turkey. We overcooked it, unfortunately, so will try again sometime with either a boneless breast or adjusting cooking time downward if bone-in. It was tender enought, but not juicy – though our fault.
For others’ information, here are a couple of thoughts:
o Ending temperature after 38 minutes cook time (more than the 34 or 35 recommended), and just a few minutes rest, we were at 205 minimum temperature in the breast. Normally I’d want more like 165. I think the extra 3 or 4 minutes that we added to the cook time could not have accounted for it being so overcooked, Therefore I think it was the body cavity that may have contributed, since hot air cooked the breasts from the inside as well as the outside.
o The rub was really good, will definitely use it again.
o The gravy turned out great, but we did it slightly differently based on reading some comments here. We have a large, 8-quart Instant Pot, and it always seems to need some liquid. So, we added one cup of chicken broth before cooking. That left us plenty of liquid for gravy after cooking. I added the butter and some flour, sauteed it until it thickened, and that was all! No added broth or cream since it had the extra chicken broth already in. The flavor was great, enhanced by the effects of the rub from the turkey.
Thanks! We will definitely try this again and aim for success on the turkey temperature.
Deborah Aldama says
I have a 3 pound boneless rolled turkey breast and two bone-in turkey thighs. Can I put them all in the IP after searing each piece? I assume I would use the same cooking time calculator and confirm the cooking temperature with a thermometer. Thanks for your help. I’m looking forward to using this recipe for Christmas dinner.
Nicole Beaulieu says
Yes, if they all fit in there nicely then you can do that! Merry Christmas to you 🙂
Lucy says
I bought a 6 1/2 pound turkey breast right before ordering one of these in the 6 quart size. I know you need a bit of extra space at the top for the steam and pressure to accumulate and build up. Do you think my turkey breast is too big for the Instant Pot? Should I cut it in half and cook it in two sessions? I have no prior experience with the Instant Pot.
Nicole Beaulieu says
You might have to cut it, try and see how it fits in your IP. As long as the lid closes and has some room, you are okay.
Melissa says
Thank you this was amazing. I used Rosemary, Sage and Thyme on mine. I also made the gravy right in the instant pot so it was a one pot dish! I wouldn’t have made the gravy otherwise. 🙂
hotmail com login says
I’m not a big fan of turkey or chicken breast but I will try this recipe as soon as possible. Thank you for sharing!
Anne says
Made this for Thanksgiving and it turned out perfect! Thank you so much for posting this recipe. It was only my second time using the IP, so I was a little nervous. But it worked perfectly and everyone loved it! This is my go-to method from now on. Saved so much time and made clean up even easier! My daughter made your cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. We use so many of your recipes, thanks again for all of them! 🙂
Joanna Cismaru says
I love hearing this, Anne! I’m glad I could help. 🙂
Stacey says
My turkey reached 190 degrees, but it’s still pink inside. Should I be concerned?
Nicole Beaulieu says
Make sure you are taking the temperature from the centre of the turkey breast rather than too close to the outside. 190 from the middle is safe to eat.
Tony says
I was going to experiment with my IP this Tday, I have a 8lbs breast and didn’t want to use the oven, I’ll be placing the turkey in a brine first. Thank you for this recipe…
Gina says
Success! I did a 7-pound bone-in breast in my 6 qt instant pot this morning for our recipe club. It tasted great. I cooked it for 43 min and because I was running short on time, did only 5 min NPR before I manually released the rest of the pressure (there wasn’t much left).
I had a ?? moment with the gravy instructions though. I had a pot full of cooking liquid and I’m supposed to melt 2 Tbsp of butter in there with the liquid? And then add in 2 Tbsp of flour? It seems like the flour & butter to make a roux would work if you didn’t already have a pot full of liquid. Was I supposed to pour it out and set it aside to add back to the roux? I ended up just thickening as I would do with a stew, but it didn’t have really thick gravy texture to it, so I wondered how that was supposed to work. Otherwise, seriously, this was so good. A successful trial run for replacing the Thanksgiving turkey in the oven!
Nicole Beaulieu says
If you watch the video, we start making the gravy around 0:40. There aren’t a whole lot of drippings in the pot so we are able to make a roux, and cook the flour properly.
Ella says
If you end up with too much liquid in your instant pot, you can make your roux in a separate sauce pan. Then add the liquid from the instant pot and continue to cook and thicken the gravy. It won’t be a one pan dish anymore, but you will still have delicious gravy. 🙂
Jill Mount says
Thank you. I have a 4 lb. boneless turkey breast and had no idea how to prepare in the IP. I now feel I have a great recipe to try here.
Joanna Cismaru says
Let me know how it comes out!
Gail says
You don’t have to put any water in the pot before you start?
Nicole Beaulieu says
If it’s giving you an error code, you can add a 1/2 cup of water or broth.
Geri says
I am preparing to cook a 4 pound, bone in turkey breast in the instant pot tomorrow! How do I adjust my cooking time? I did the math (6. Min per lb) and that comes out – 24 min. About the same time as you recommend for your boneless 4 lb turkey breast…help!
Joanna Cismaru says
I think 24 minutes should be enough, you can always use an instant thermometer to see if it reached 165 degrees, otherwise you can close the instant pot and cook it for a few more minutes.
Alexandra says
Delicious and very tender! Great recipe!
Mary says
I have made this recipe before, using a boneless breast. It was FABULOUS! I now have a small 10-pound turkey and would like to use this same recipe. I can cut it apart to make it fit into the pot, and I can double all the other ingredients, but how do I adjust the cooking time? Any suggestions? Thanks so much!
Nicole Beaulieu says
A good rule of thumb for cooking turkey in an IP is 6 minutes per pound. So, cook yours for an hour. Enjoy!
Mary says
Thanks so much! I can hardly wait to have this yummy turkey again.
Melanie Kepper says
Hi! I bought two fresh Turkey breasts today (they look like chicken breasts). I really wanted to make this tonight for supper with them and am worried they will turn into pulled Turkey. Have you tried it with success with those type of turkey breasts?
Nicole Beaulieu says
You can reduce the cook time to 15 minutes on high pressure for that type of turkey breast
Elizabeth says
eek… I just finished natural pressure release after following the recipe and the turkey is still raw! I’m not sure what happened- the pot sealed, and the broth/juices at the bottom are pretty caramelized. Maybe my turkey was still a little frozen in the middle? I’m putting it back in for another 25 minutes to see if that will do the trick.
Nicole Beaulieu says
That sounds like exactly what happened- your turkey was still frozen. Turkey breasts are quite large so the can take a very long time to thaw out. I would personally thaw mine for a full 24 hours in the fridge.
Marty Suprano says
Please add my e-mail to receive future IP recipes.
Thanks,, Marty
Nicole Beaulieu says
I’ll add you to our mailing list. You’ll get an update whenever we post a new recipe!
Doseydoes says
WOW! What a great recipe! I made this for tonight’s dinner for the hubs and me, using a boneless skin-on seasoned half breast. It weighed a little over two pounds. Even though it was somewhat seasoned in the package, I added my own touches. I sprinkled both sides of the breast with Montreal Chicken Seasoning (love that seasoning!), and browned the skin side of the breast for about 5 minutes in 2 TBSP of unsalted butter on the sauté function (“HIGH” heat) of the Instant Pot. Then I turned the breast skin side up and briefly seared the underside of the breast. Removed the breast to a plate, and added chopped onion, celery, and a couple cloves of garlic to the pot and sautéed for about 5 minutes to clean the bits stuck on the bottom of the pot from the turkey breast. I added a cup of dry vermouth to the veggies, stirred it up, and turned off sauté. Put the trivet on the sautéed veggies and placed the browned breast on the trivet. Closed up the pot with the lid, closed the pressure valve to seal, and set the pot to Manual for 20 minutes, and allowed a 10 minute NPR. Removed the cooked breast to a platter, tented with foil for about 10 minutes while getting supper on the table. (The broth left in the pot I strained off and will use it to either make gravy and add leftover turkey, or put it in the freezer to add to my chicken stock pot.) I sliced the turkey into half inch thick slices. The meat was VERY MOIST, TENDER, FLAVORFUL AND PERFECTLY COOKED!!!!! S-C-O-R-E !!!!!!!! It was fabulous! The best turkey meat I’ve ever prepared or eaten anywhere (sorry, Mother)! Thank you for posting this recipe, Jo. My Hubs Thanks you too. Happy dance.
Joanna Cismaru says
So glad you guys enjoyed it! Keep trying the other IP recipes, I’m sure you’ll love them.