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INSTANT POT TURKEY BREAST – A delicious, moist turkey breast made in a fraction of time when cooked in the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker. Seasoned just right, cooked to melt in your mouth perfection, and served with a gravy made right in the Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Instant Pot Turkey is a wonderful alternative to making a big whole turkey!
Whether you are looking to scale down how much Turkey you are making for the holidays, or looking to add more white meat to the menu, this Instant Pot Turkey Breast is the perfect solution!
In our family and extended family, many of us prefer the white meat and it seems when the meal is over we may could have used just a little more. Ya know everyone wants a turkey sandwich the next day right! So this became a wonderful addition to the table, once I finally got this most wonderful thing called the Instant Pot.
It is also a great way to make turkey if you need to free up room in your oven, or if you don’t have a big family to feed and need something smaller.
And hey you may want to have turkey on a day other than Thanksgiving or Christmas! You don’t have to go to the deli counter for sliced turkey anymore!
How to Cook A Turkey Breast in the Instant Pot
What size Turkey will fit in an instant Pot
You need to be sure that your turkey will fit inside the instant pot. I always use a 6 quart instant pot. And it fits a really good sized bone in breast inside.
You can test it by placing it in to be sure it fits and the lid will close, but here is a guide.
- For a 6 Quart: 5 to 6.5 pounds (I have even gotten a 7 lb one in mine)
It is okay if it goes past the max line. There is still room around the bird to allow it to come to pressure.
What seasonings do you use on an Instant Pot turkey
I have a rub that I use on my turkey whether I bake, roast, or put in the pressure cook.
- Start by mixing together salt, seasoning salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, red or cayenne pepper, basil and parsley in a small bowl.
How to Roast a Turkey Breast in the INstant Pot
- Cut up a few aromatics into chunky pieces. I just use celery and sweet onion.
- Then take room temperature butter and rub on the outside and under the skin of thawed turkey breast (Using your fingers carefully loosen the skin from the turkey).
- Next sprinkle rub spices on the outside and under the skin. This really infuses the flavors in the meat and the skin.
- Next you will put the veggies inside the cavity and if the cavity is split or you are using a boneless breast, they can go underneath in the instant pot.
- Pour stock and wine into inner pot of the pressure cooker.
- Place the turkey in the pot breast side up.
- Close the lid and make sure it is sealed. Cook on high for 6 minutes per pound.
- Once cooking time has finished, let pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
- Test with a digital thermometer to be sure the meat is at least 160 degrees.
- Remove turkey and place on a baking tray or cutting board and tent with foil to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
How to Brown the Turkey Breast
- Place on a baking sheet and place under broiler for 2 to 5 minutes to brown skin. Make sure to watch closely so it does not burn.
- You do not need to add any additional oil or butter because it was added in the beginning.
Can I cook a frozen turkey Breast in the pressure cooker
Yes, you can cook it from frozen. I know there always comes a time when we lost our minds and completely forgot to thaw a turkey. You will not be able to get those seasonings under the skin, but alas you will still have a delicious tender turkey when done.
- Sprinkle the turkey with the seasonings and covers as best as you can.
- Pour stock and wine in Instant Pot.
- Place vegetables in the instant pot.
- Slice butter and place pats on top of turkey breast.
- Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes per pound.
- Allow 10 minutes natural release.
Instant Pot Turkey Gravy
Making gravy is easy and you can do it right in the instant pot. That means no more dirtying another dish.
- Strain the cooking liquid from the instant pot and reserve.
- Return the inner pot back into the instant pot.
- Turn to saute and allow instant pot to heat.
- Add in butter and melt.
- Then add in flour and whisk to form a roux.
- Cook flour for 1 minute to cook raw flour.
- Slowly add in cooking liquid to desired thickness.
- Add in heavy cream if desire.
- Allow gravy to bubble and thicken, adding more liquid as desired to reach the consistency desired.
- If you would like to darken the gravy you may add kitchen bouquet or a pinch of coffee grounds.
Can I cook a Turkey Breast in the Slow Cooker
Absolutely! Just season the turkey as instructed. Pour stock and wine in slow cooker. Place turkey with veggies in cavity or underneath the turkey in crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Check the internal temperature to be sure it is 165 degrees. If not cook a little longer as slow cookers heat differently. Broil in oven if desired to get skin crispy.
More Delicious Instant Pot Recipes
- Mashed Potatoes made in Instant Pot
- Southern Green Beans and Bacon in Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Corn on the Cob cooked in Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Beef Tips
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Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Ingredients
Turkey Breast Ingredients
- 6 to 6.5 pound Turkey Breast, defrosted, (I used Butterball whole bone in breast)
- 1 ½ cups Chicken or Turkey Stock
- ½ cup white wine, (Optional)
- 1 sweet onion, roughly cut
- 4 stalks celery, roughly cut, (4 sticks of celery)
- 1 stick butter, softened
- ½ tbsp salt
- 1 tsp seasoning salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp poultry seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ to ½ tsp ground red pepper
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried parsley
Instant Pot Turkey Gravy Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups turkey drippings, or more to taste
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Remove gravy packet or anything from inside turkey cavity. Rinse and Pat dry with paper towels.
- Add stock and wine into Instant Pot {6 Quart}. You may use trivet to easily remove if desired and if it will fit.
- In a bowl mix Spices. Take 1/2 of butter and rub on top of turkey skin. Using fingers carefully loosen skin from the turkey. Rub remaining butter and half of spices under skin. Sprinkle remaining spices onto top of buttered skin.
- Put vegetables inside cavity or underneath turkey if not cavity and carefully place turkey into Instant Pot breast side up.
- Close lid, make sure pressure valve is closed and set pressure cooker to manual high pressure for 30 minutes or 6 minutes per pound. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then turn the valve to open and let pressure quick release.
- Remove from Instant Pot and serve as desired.
Instant Pot Turkey Gravy
- Strain cooking liquid from instant pot and reserve.
- Return inner pot back to Instant Pot. Turn to Saute function and allow instant pot to heat.
- Once pressure cooker is heated, add in butter and melt. Add in flour to melted butter and whisk well to form a roux. Cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly add 1 1/2 cups reserved cooking liquid to instant pot whisk well. Add in heavy cream if desired. Allow gravy to bubble and thicken, adding more cooking liquid as needed to reach desired consistency. Serve with turkey.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
©️Soulfully Made
This was such a great recipe! My entire family loved this and cleaned their plate the gravy was so flavorful and great over mashed potatoes and the turkey!
Thank you Susan! It thrills me to hear a family enjoys a recipe and a meal together!
I am officially terrified! I am trying a 7# turkey breast, my first cook in a new Instapot. I am pretty sure I got the time set at 52 minutes, I pressed the Manual button all is says now is “ON”. The prep and recipe were a breeze, looks fabulous, I will let you know how it comes out!
Bumping up to 5 stars! Thank you for your step by step along with the recipe. This was my first time trying my Instapot and it came out fabulous. Very moist and flavorful, I was so intimidated by the whole process, you made it easy. Now onto Turkey Tetrazzini for the weekend!
Thank you so much! I am glad you enjoyed it so much. Turkey can seem intimidating, but really is not. I bet tetrazzini was amazing!
I am confident it will work out just perfectly and can’t wait to hear.
We’ve been in the market for an Instant Pot turkey breast, and my goodness, does this one deliver! Perfect for a weeknight OR Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much Erin!
Your turkey is perfectly golden brown. You’ve made a believer out of me. I never would have thought to use the Instant Pot, what a timesaver!
Thank you Deb. I think the IP is such a fabulous invention and time saver!
I couldn’t believe a turkey and gravy came out like this from a pressure cooker! I had to try it! It was PERFECT!! Thank you!!
Thank you Michaela! The gravy is amazing in the IP and so easy!
We usually have fried turkey but there are always a few die-hard fans of traditional turkey! I love that I can just use my IP instead of heating up the oven:)
I love the idea of making turkey in an instant pot! Can’t wait to try this!
I think you will love it Madi! Happy Thanksgiving!
Nikki, you have hit it out of the park again! WOW, I am excited to try this recipe because I adore turkey all year long!
Thank you Kathleen! I so appreciate that! It’s a wonderful way to make turkey all year long!