Instant Pot Turkey Breast: A delicious, moist turkey breast can be prepared in a fraction of the time when cooked in an electric pressure cooker. This herb seasoned turkey breast is cooked to perfection and is served with an easy gravy made right in the Instant Pot.
When it comes to turkey, I prefer turkey breast over dark meat turkey any day.
In fact, I often opt to have one small whole turkey along with a turkey breast at Thanksgiving.
This ensures there is plenty of turkey for everyone to enjoy and that I am left with leftover turkey breast meat, which I find is just perfect for my Southwest Turkey Soup, Turkey and Cheddar Sandwich and Turkey Quesadilla
Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Cooking a turkey breast in a pressure cooker not only frees up space in the oven for things like Sweet Potato Casserole and Classic Stuffing, this method also produces the most moist, tender, juicy turkey breast you have ever had.
This Instant Pot Turkey Breast is rubbed with an herb butter which helps to flavor the meat and keep the turkey juicy. However, it is the moist heat from the instant pot, that really does a perfect job of roasting the turkey without drying out the meat.
This turkey breast recipe is easy to follow and impressive enough to serve guests!
How to Cook a Turkey Breast in the Instant Pot
Make sure your Turkey Breast Fits
The most important step to properly cooking a turkey breast inside a pressure cooker is to be sure that your turkey breast will fit inside your instant pot.
I test by placing the turkey breast still in packaging inside the pressure cooker to see if I can fit lid on the Instant Pot.
Don’t worry about your turkey breast extending past the max fill line in your pressure cooker, this is one time that is okay!
In my experience, an instant pot can hold the following size turkey breasts.
- For 6 quart: 5-6.5 pounds
- For 8 quart: 7-8.5 pounds
Compound Herb Butter
You can use any herbs you like, but I find rosemary and thyme are perfect compliment for turkey breast.
- Mix together the softened butter with fresh minced herbs and 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Loosen skin on turkey breast using your hand.
- Rub herb butter underneath skin of turkey breast.
- Season outside of the turkey breast with remaining salt and pepper.
**An important note, do NOT rub compound butter on outside of turkey breast if placing turkey breast meat side down in pressure cooker, this could cause a burn notice. If you do want to rub the butter on outside of the turkey , simply cook meat side up in pressure cooker.
Roast Turkey Breast in Instant Pot
- Pour 1 cup stock into inner pot or pressure cooker.
- Place turkey inside Instant Pot, meat side DOWN.
- Place onion and celery stick in cavity of turkey breast.
- Close lid on instant pot.
- Set vent knob to sealed. C
- Cook on high pressure, using manual button, for 6 minutes per pound.
- Once cook time has elapsed, let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes naturally, then release any remaining pressure.
- Test turkey breast with digital thermometer to be sure meat has reached at least 160 degrees. (The turkey breast will continue to cook as it rests and needs to reach 165 degrees.)
- Remove turkey from instant pot and place on cutting board and tent with foil.
- Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Brown the Turkey Breast
At this point the turkey breast is ready to eat, however if you would like to get crispy skin or a golden brown appearance, it is easy to brown the turkey breast in oven.
- Place cooked turkey breast on baking sheet.
- Place under broiler for 5-6 minutes, watching closely so as not to burn, and brown up the skin of the turkey breast.
- There is no need to brush the skin of your turkey with butter or oil, the herb butter underneath the skin of the turkey breast is all your turkey should need to brown perfectly.
Instant Pot Frozen Turkey Breast
It can be very tricky to cook a frozen turkey breast for two reasons.
- It is hard to get a frozen turkey breast out of it’s packaging and to remove any gravy packet frozen to the turkey breast.
- It is hard to rub the compound herb butter under the skin of the turkey breast if frozen.
To cook a frozen turkey breast in the pressure cooker
- Season turkey breast with salt and pepper liberally. (Skip the herb butter)
- Pour 1 cup stock into the pressure cooker.
- Place turkey inside pressure cooker.
- Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes per pound.
- Allow pressure to release for at least 10 minutes before releasing pressure in Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Turkey Gravy
You can easily make gravy right inside your pressure cooker.
- 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 to cook away raw flour flavor.
- Add in dry white wine and whisk well.
- Slowly add 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid to instant pot whisk well.
- Allow gravy to bubble and thicken, adding more cooking liquid as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve with turkey.
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Stock
Instant Pot Turkey Breast Recipe
I would love to know how you enjoy this recipe! Be sure to leave a comment and let me know. Or snap a picture and tag @amindfullmom on Instagram and hashtag it #amindfullmom
Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Ingredients
For the Turkey Breast
- 1 cup chicken or turkey stock
- 1 5-6 pound turkey breast bone in
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- 1/2 tablespoon rosemary chopped
- 2 teaspoons thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon pepper divided
For the Turkey Gravy
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/3 cup dry white wine optional
- 1 cup turkey drippings
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Mix together the butter with fresh herbs and 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Loosen skin on turkey breast using your hand. Rub herb butter underneath skin of turkey breast. And any remaining butter on top of turkey.
- Season outside of turkey with remaining salt and pepper.
- Pour 1 cup stock into inner pot or pressure cooker.
- Place turkey inside Instant Pot, meat side DOWN. Place onion and celery stick in cavity of turkey breast.
- Close lid on instant pot. Set vent knob to sealed. Cook on high pressure, using manual button, for 6 minutes per pound.
- Once cook time has elapsed, let pressure release for 10 minutes naturally, then release any remaining pressure.
- Test turkey breast with digital thermometer to be sure meat has reached at least 160 degrees. (The turkey breast will continue to cook as it rests and needs to reach 165 degrees.)
- Remove turkey from instant pot and place on cutting board and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
- To brown turkey skin, Place cooked turkey breast on baking sheet. Place under broiler for 5-6 minutes, watching closely so as not to burn, and brown up the skin of the turkey breast.
For 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.
- Add in dry white wine and whisk well. Then slowly add 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid to instant pot whisk well. Allow gravy to bubble and thicken, adding more cooking liquid as needed to reach desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper and serve with turkey.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- For frozen turkey breast, simply season with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes per pound on high pressure.
- Feel free to use chicken stock in place of white wine for the gravy.
- See Instant Pot High Altitude Conversion if cooking 2500+ feet above sea level.
To Make Turkey Breast in an Instant Pot, You May Need
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This recipe is one of my family’s favorites! I won’t cook a turkey breast unless it is in my electric pressure cooker because of you! I sometimes switch the herbs a bit but this is my go-to whenever I’m making turkey breast. Thank you!
I love hearing this is one of your family’s favorites Jen!
Thanks for the recipe. Made a 6.5 pound turkey in the ip last night. My very picky husband commented that it was the moistest turkey he has ever had. He felt the gravy was just okay.(Probably the wine, next time I’ll just use chicken stock.) I found it very easy to slice. Can’t wait to eat the left overs. Only problem was the recipe didn’t say to use the trivet. After I had already started the ip I was reading the comments and saw that it was suppose to have the trivet in. So I stopped it and put it in. I am an IP beginner. I am making turkey stock out of the bones today. Since it was so tender there is not much meat on the bones. Thanks again. I will never make a turkey breast in the oven again. Loved having to clean only one pan.
Hi Rene. I am glad you enjoyed. The trivet is optional. I suggest it for those who want to keep the turkey breast out of the liquid, but placing directly in the inner pot is fine as well.
Hi there. I’ll be doing this recipe in a day or two but was wondering if the same timing principles apply to the drumsticks.
Thx
The Smiths
Hi Mrs Smith! I have not tried turkey drumsticks. However, most poultry cooks in 6 minutes per pound.
Hi, I’m going to bribe my 8.3 turkey breast for about 6 hours before following this recipe. Other than omitting the salt from the butter compound, do you have any other suggestions?
Hi Jen! I use my turkey brine to brine my turkey breast and it is AWESOME–even without butter. I would just be sure to rinse the turkey breast so it is not too salty. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you and happy thanksgiving!