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
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
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ 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:
- 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:
Originally published Nov 2017.
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!
A good rule of thumb for cooking turkey in an IP is 6 minutes per pound. So, cook yours for an hour. Enjoy!
Thanks so much! I can hardly wait to have this yummy turkey again.
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?
You can reduce the cook time to 15 minutes on high pressure for that type of turkey breast
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.
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.
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Thanks,, Marty
I’ll add you to our mailing list. You’ll get an update whenever we post a new recipe!
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.
So glad you guys enjoyed it! Keep trying the other IP recipes, I’m sure you’ll love them.
You can use Ultra Gel instant thickener to make the gravy with no fuss. It’s really great for InstaPot meals. Just stir the Ultra Gel into the drippings until it is as thick as you want it and serve. Also stays good in the refrigerator or freezer–so freeze the extras for another busy day. Oh. You can get the instant thickener at Amazon if it isn’t at your local store.
I’m not sure if we have that here in Canada, but my go-to is a quick cornstarch slurry. We’ll keep an eye out for that gel!
Can you a frozen turkey breast?
Haven’t tried it frozen myself, so it would depend on the size of the turkey breast, but I think somewhere around 45 to 50 minutes.
No liquid? According to Instant Pot, a minimum of 1 cup of liquid is required. I added a cup of chicken stock to the pot before putting the breast on the rack and pressure cooking for 35 min. Made gravy right in the pot. It all turned out great.
Please read the recipe notes.
Might be a silly question but do you sear it with the twine still on?
I do because it keeps all nice and tight. I remove the twine after the turkey is done cooking.
How would you adjust the time if using a frozen turkey breast??
Haven’t tried it frozen myself, so it would depend on the size of the turkey breast, but I think somewhere around 45 to 50 minutes.
I have a turkey breast tenderloin instead of a breast…how long would I cook it?
I think the time would be the same, but it depends how big it is.
I made this tonight and used a 6 lb fresh turkey breast and 1 red onion sliced, I browned for about 8 minutes using saute setting. I then added 1 cup of chicken stock and used my rack and placed turkey on top and used hi pressure cooker setting for 38 minutes and let steam release. When finished I added about 2 cups more of stock and 1/4 c of flour and made the gravy w/saute setting at 5 minutes. The turkey was moist and the gravy was an added plus served with mash potatoes and it was a hit! Thank you for the great recipe.
Happy you enjoyed it!
The new ultra setting replaces manual. Now you need to choose a temperature setting (low, medium or high) as well as pressure and time. Any suggestions?
I have a 3lb turkey breast and I got a 3q instant pot for Christmas, do you think I could cook it in that or do you think 3q would just be too small?
Also is the cook time from frozen or thawed?
I’m not sure, you should read the manual to see what its capacity is. The cook time is based on a thawed turkey breast.
I’m cooking a 2.5 lb turkey breast (first time in 6 qt Instant Pot). Should I cut the cooking time from 25 min to 15 min? Thank you for your help.
Hmm…good question, I would still do about 20 minutes.