Instant Pot Turkey Breast Recipe – juicy turkey breast cooked in pressure cooker in just 35 minutes! The best way to save time preparing Thanksgiving dinner.
When I said, that the Instant Pot digital pressure cooker can change your life, I meant it. It’s been saving me time in the kitchen since I got it. But this Instant Pot Turkey Breast is a game-changer on a whole new level. I can cook a whole bone-in skin-on turkey breast in my pressure cooker in 1/3 of the time I would take me to roast it in the oven. I can bake side dishes in the oven in the meantime.
INSTANT POT TURKEY BREAST
The turkey comes out juicy and flavorful, the pan drippings are perfect to make the gravy and if the crispy skin is your favorite part, place the turkey breast under the broiler for a few minutes. I also have a recipe for a boneless turkey breast that cooks from frozen to juicy!
HOW TO COOK TURKEY BREAST IN INSTANT POT?
You won’t believe how easy it is to cook a turkey breast in the digital pressure cooker. I still can’t!
- Add two cups of broth or stock to the bottom of the Instant Pot insert. Add sliced onion, garlic and celery.
- Set the turkey breast side up in the trivet ( it came with your pressure cooker ) and brush it with herbed and spiced olive oil. It’s a simple mixture of oil, paprika, salt, pepper and poultry herb mix ( thyme, rosemary and sage ).
- Place lid on the Instant Pot, set valve to sealing position. Press “manual” and set it the timer.
- When the IP is done, let the pressure release naturally. It will keep the turkey moist. Once the pressure pin is down, carefully open the lid away from your face. Check the temperature of the turkey in it’s thickest part, not touching the bone. It should be at least 165 degrees F.
- Remove turkey from Instant Pot and broil for a crispy skin, if desired. For a low fat option, remove the skin and slice the meat.
- Make gravy with liquid remaining in the Instant Pot.
HOW LONG DO YOU COOK TURKEY BREAST IN INSTANT POT?
My turkey breast weighs about 7 lbs and the 35 minutes was perfect. You should check the turkey with a digital thermometer once done to make sure the temperature is at minimum 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast. This size of the turkey breast also fit perfectly in my 6 qt Instant Pot. After the timer beeps, let the pressure release naturally. It will keep the turkey juicy. If you do a quick pressure release, all of the juices will escape the meat. Set turkey on cutting board and let cool. Remove skin and slice the meat.
If the crispy skin is your favorite part of the Thanksgiving bird, place the cooked turkey breast on a baking pan or dish and set under the broiler for a few minutes. I set my broiler to 440 degrees F and watched the turkey the whole time.
I have the Instant Pot DUO60 6qt and love it. ( affiliate link )
HOW TO MAKE TURKEY GRAVY IN INSTANT POT?
To make the gravy, drain the pan drippings through a sieve to catch the onions and garlic. You can also press them through it to get all the flavor into the gravy. Measure out two cups of the liquid and place back in the Instant Pot insert. Add a mixture of 2 tablespoons or cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cold water and whisk well. Saute until thickens. You can use the rest of the liquid from cooking the turkey for soups later. I simply place it in ziploc bag once it completely cools. It’s a very flavorful broth and perfect for making soups during winter.
SIDE DISHES TO SERVE WITH TURKEY BREAST:
– mashed potatoes: If you are lucky and have two Instant Pots, I highly recommend making my IP Mashed Potatoes as a side dish. It’s the only way I cook them now. Perfect every time!
– roasted Brussels sprouts: my Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts are perfect for Thanksgiving! Even the kids will love them.
– carrots: my Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots are a family favorite here. So easy and so delicious!
– green beans: my classic Green Bean Casserole made entirely from scratch yet still super easy and accidentally gluten free ( completely if you use GF fried onions ) is a must for a family holiday dinner.
– hashbrowns: this Hashbrown Casserole makes for a perfect side dish in place of mashed potatoes. It’s cheesy and creamy and everyone loves it!
– stuffing: my Slow Cooker Sausage Stuffing is another time and work saver in the kitchen during the holidays. It’s perfect for this Instant Pot Turkey Breast!
HOW TO USE LEFTOVER TURKEY?
After cooking up the big feast, you won’t feel like spending much time in the kitchen on the following days. Save the turkey meat, dice it and use in my One Pot Turkey Tetrazzini recipe. It’s perfect to use the leftover turkey meat!
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup – use turkey in place of chicken for a perfect soul-comforting soup.
To see how to cook BONELESS turkey breast (from frozen) in the pressure cooker, check out my new recipe and video for Instant Pot Boneless Turkey Breast with Gravy.
MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES:
Instant Pot Spaghetti (fail-proof and no burn!)
Instant Pot Guinness Beef Stew
If you want to learn more about the Instant Pot, check out my Guide for Beginners! Also, if you experienced the “burn” message, check out my Instant Pot Burn Message post to learn how to fix it and prevent it in the first place.
If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀
INSTANT POT TURKEY BREAST RECIPE
Juicy turkey breast cooked in the pressure cooker in just 35 minutes! The best way to save time preparing Thanksgiving dinner.
- 7 lb bone-in skin-on turkey breast
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp chopped poultry fresh herb mix rosemary, sage and thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 medium onion chopped into large slices
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 celery stalks
- Add chicken broth to Instant Pot insert. Place trivet inside. Arrange onions, garlic and celery.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix oil, paprika, herb mix, salt and pepper.
- Wash the turkey breast, remove gravy pocket. Wash and pat dry. Brush turkey breast with olive oil mixture. Place in the trivet, breast side up.
- Place lid on Instant Pot. Set valve the sealing. Press "manual", set timer to 35 minutes High Pressure.
- When the IP beeps, press "cancel/off" and let the pressure release naturally. It will keep the turkey juicy.
- When pressure is released, open lid carefully, away from your face.
- Using large fork, remove turkey from pressure cooker. Set on a cutting board, serving platter or if desired on a baking pan, to crisp up the skin in the oven. To do so: place cooked turkey breast in the oven under broiler set to 440 degrees F. Broil until skin is golden and crispy, watching the turkey the whole time. You may have to rotate the pan during broiling.
To make the gravy, drain the pan drippings through a sieve to catch the onions and garlic. You can also press them through it to get all the flavor into the gravy. Measure out two cups of the liquid and place back in the Instant Pot insert. Add a mixture of 2 tablespoons or cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cold water and whisk well. Saute until thickens.
The cook time does not include the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.
My turkey breast weighs about 7 lbs and the 35 minutes was perfect. You should check the turkey with a digital thermometer once done to make sure the temperature is at minimum 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast. This size of the turkey breast also fit perfectly in my 6 qt Instant Pot Duo60.
You can use the rest of the liquid from cooking the turkey for soups later. I simply place it in ziploc bag once it completely cools. It's a very flavorful broth and perfect for making soups during winter.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you use my link and make a purchase on Amazon, I will make a small commission, without any extra cost to you.
Vickie says
February 17, 2019 at 7:46 pmI have a 6.5 lb. turkey breast that is thawing in the fridge. I am going to use your recipe tomorrow in my 8 qt. Crock Pot Express Pot. I also have a 8.5 lb. turkey breast. I know the 6.5 lb. will fit but wondering if you think the 8.5 lb. would work in my 8 qt. pot.
Debra Jurcek says
February 2, 2019 at 8:56 amI just made it and it is the best turkey breast I have ever eaten. It was so moist and flavorful. I usually don’t care for turkey breasts but this recipe won me over,. I will only make it this way from now on.
Joanna says
January 26, 2019 at 1:12 pmHands down the best turkey I’ve ever made! It was such a hit with everyone! Thank you for the recipe!
Nicole says
December 22, 2018 at 6:46 amAmazing!’ I used a 5lb turkey because it was all I could find and cooked as directed for 32 minutes. This was my very first turkey and “the pressure was on” because my in-laws were coming for Christmas dinner. My in-laws LOVED it, and my husband went to bed talking about it! Thank you so much for this recipe! It will now be a staple on our home!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
December 23, 2018 at 12:49 amHi Nicole! YAY! That’s a huge win! I am so happy to know it was such a success. Amazing! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and for leaving this sweet comment!
Pam says
January 22, 2019 at 11:16 amHow would I adjust this to a boneless, skinless turkey breast?
Nancy says
January 6, 2019 at 10:21 amI just got a Strata brand electric pressure cooker, and all the buttons are different from the insta pot, so having problems figuring out the cooking times. Can you help please. Thank you.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
January 8, 2019 at 12:54 amHi Nancy! I am not familiar with Strata but if it’s a digital pressure cooker (not stove-top), the cooking times stay the same. I hope this helps! Let me know if there is anything else I can help with!
Lori says
November 24, 2018 at 6:41 pmFive stars! I made this tonight and it came out great. The weight tag on my bird was torn off, so I wasn’t exactly sure of the weight. To be safe I cooked it for 38 minutes and did a 10 minute NR. I probably didn’t need quite that long, the internal temp was closer to 180 degrees. BUT! Boy was this bird delicious! I didn’t bother to broil. The meat was super tender and juicy. I used some fresh sage, rosemary, and dried thyme, plus tons of black pepper and garlic powder in addition to the other seasonings. I made more of the seasoning rub since I ran out on the first side of the bird. Also, I cooked mine breast-side down and stuffed the cavity with a head of garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. I stacked the bird on more veggies and didn’t bother with the trivet. Perfect result. Thanks for this super fast and easy recipe for a quick Thanksgiving dinner.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
December 3, 2018 at 4:51 pmHi Lori! Yay! That’s fantastic! I am so glad I was able to help. Thank you!
Marcie says
November 23, 2018 at 5:11 pmWow! Great recipe. I had a 5.20 lb turkey breast. I cooked it for 28 minutes. Took forever to depressurize, but it was juicy and delicious. And the gravy was so good!! It made a small Thanksgiving dinner easy to prepare 🙂
Faith says
November 22, 2018 at 4:56 pmHow long would I cook a 7.56lb turkey
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
November 22, 2018 at 5:18 pmHi Faith! I would set the timer for 38 minutes. Make sure the turkey is at least 165 degrees F when done. Hope this helps!
Diane says
November 21, 2018 at 10:25 pmHow long for a fresh 4.4 lb turkey breast?
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
November 22, 2018 at 1:23 amHi Diane! I would set it for 23 minutes. Hope this helps!
Diane says
November 22, 2018 at 5:50 pmThank you, going in the pot right now. Lol
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
November 22, 2018 at 6:46 pmGood luck! Let me know how it goes, Diane!
Sylvia says
November 21, 2018 at 4:17 pmAnna I made your turkey. Omg big hit. I wish I could and you a pic.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
November 22, 2018 at 1:24 amHi Sylvia! Woohoo! That’s wonderful! Thank you so much!
La says
November 20, 2018 at 4:20 pmI’ve never used fresh herbs. Can someone tell me how to prepare them? I found package in store but they are actual pieces of the herb. Do you take it off the wood? Do I crumble. I feel dumb but I have no clue
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
November 21, 2018 at 1:09 pmNot a dumb question at all! Gently pull the leaves off and chop on a cutting board. Hope this helps!
La says
November 20, 2018 at 12:05 amThis sounds so tasty. My first time making dinner on thanksgiving. Weee but nervous. Old school cooks have made dinners previous.
So, with that said, I’m feeding traditional people. Who want traditional turkey. Sooo would you say this flavoring and way of cooking will be approved by my guests?!? 😂 I’ve only used IP a handful of times and I’m not confident with times. I need to make sure this is DONE. I read turkey is 6 min per pound plus 10 min NPR. Which would be 55 total. Would that be way too long?
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
November 20, 2018 at 1:44 amHi! I’ve made many turkeys in the oven and the ones I’ve made in my Instant Pot are always the best. The turkey will be juicy and delicious. You can pop it under the broiler to get the skin crispy. In my experience, bone-in turkey breast needs 5 minutes per pound. The natural release takes about 12 minutes for me. Always check the temperature to make sure it’s at least 165 degrees F. I hope this helps! If you have any questions, feel free to email me anytime. I am always happy to help! Good luck! You got this!
Emily says
November 19, 2018 at 9:32 pmI’m so excited to make this for Thanksgiving this year! I have an 8 lb bone in turkey breast. I am planning on cooking it for 40 minutes and doing a natural release. How long should I plan for the natural release to take? I’m just trying to plan accordingly! Thanks!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
November 20, 2018 at 1:40 amHi Emily! The natural release for me takes about 12 minutes. I hope this helps! Let me know how it goes. Thank you!
Pamela Swiger says
November 19, 2018 at 4:17 pmI am planning to make this turkey breast ( size 8.61 lbs.) this Thanksgiving. I have an 8 quart InstaPot . How many minutes should I set it for and how long will it take the pressure to release naturally? Thank you very much for your help. I am cooking this year for my new husbands family.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
November 20, 2018 at 1:39 amHi Pamela! For that size turkey, I would set the timer to 43 minutes. Pressure release takes about 12 minutes for me. Check the temperature of the turkey after you open the IP. It should be 165 degrees F. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions. Feel free to email me anytime. Good luck!
Pamela Swiger says
November 21, 2018 at 11:44 pmOh my. I forgot to ask you about how long it takes for the pressure to rise before starting to cook? Hope I’m not too late in asking. Thank you so much.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
November 22, 2018 at 1:21 amAt least 10 minutes. I believe mine took 12. Good luck! Let me know how it goes! I am always happy to help.
Sonya says
November 14, 2018 at 7:31 amHow long do you cook if frozen?
Cyrus F Atkinson says
December 3, 2018 at 4:36 amYou dont. Must thaw before this type of cooking.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
December 3, 2018 at 4:50 pmHi Sonya! I recommend thawing the turkey breast. Frozen will take at least 50 minutes but I did not test this recipe using frozen bone-in breast so I can’t say for sure. I do have a boneless turkey breast recipe that was around 3lbs. It’s linked in my post!
Aj says
November 7, 2018 at 10:59 amAm I seeing correctly that it is OK to go above the max line? I have never gone above the max line but your turkey looks absolutely delicious and it seems to be above that line. Please let me know! Thank you!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
November 7, 2018 at 5:12 pmThe “above the max line” rule goes more for liquidy dishes, like soups, as well as beans, grains, rice. This recipe works, even if your turkey breast is above the max line in the insert. Let me know if you make it!
Ericka says
November 13, 2018 at 10:48 amI could not figure out how to leave a comment so I will try it under reply. Wanted to know if you have done potatos under the Turkey for mashed potatoes? Would I need to adjust the time? Thanks
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
November 14, 2018 at 12:25 amHi Ericka! I did not try that but I would love to know if it works. Sorry I am no help.
Kathy says
November 3, 2018 at 10:35 amWell I have cooked over 45 years and my gravy never turned out this good!! Thank you! Loved the turkey breast and my Instant Pot!!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
November 3, 2018 at 11:30 pmHi Kathy! I am so happy to know you love this recipe! Thank you so much for making it and for letting me know!
Emma Reed says
October 17, 2018 at 7:25 pmThis is freaking amazing! Super moiste turkey and the gravy was even better than I expected! Thanks so much for this recipe! I love my IP even more now 😍
(Only change I made was butter instead of olive oil because we’re a butter family)
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
October 18, 2018 at 3:11 pmHi Emma! YAY! That’s fantastic! I am so happy to know you loved the turkey and the gravy. I am obsessed with my IP so I totally understand the excitement. 😀
Cindy says
October 10, 2018 at 7:28 pmMade this tonight with a wild turkey breast. out great. When my husband dressed out the turkey he cut the breast in half, so mine was only 3.5# and I cooked it for 20 min. Turned out great. Was really moist, wuild turkey can be dry but this wasn’t. Will use this recipe again.
Pam says
November 8, 2018 at 2:12 pmYour 3/5# for 20 minutes, was it frozen or thawed?
C Edmonds says
August 15, 2018 at 7:48 amFast, easy and delish! Thanks for a new go-to dish.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
August 15, 2018 at 11:27 pmAwesome! Thank you!!
Mary says
August 9, 2018 at 9:49 pmHi,
Thank you for this fantastic recipe!! I used a frozen 7lb bone in breast for mine. The breast was so big I couldn’t use the trivet 😊
I followed the recipe except the frozen part. I cooked mine for 40 minutes and it turned out PERFECT!!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
August 9, 2018 at 11:04 pmHi Mary! That’s awesome! I am so happy to know you made it and love it! Thank you!!
Cynthia says
July 10, 2018 at 11:59 amHi Anna… thank you for sharing your turkey recipe, I made it yesterday. I followed your recipe almost exactly… I didn’t have fresh herbs so I used dry, I let them soak in the olive oil for about 20 minuets before covering the breast. It came out wonderful! I did a 100% n/r, when I checked the internal temperature it was well over 200* but still moist and yummy. Normally I never cook just the breast but I wanted to try your recipe and something other than a pasta recipe in my IP… I would like to add a word of CAUTION: please be very careful when slicing and serving. Due to the process of removing the breast from the rest of the turkey, I’ve found numerous small-very small bone fragments!
Alexa says
June 29, 2018 at 3:29 pmThe 5 mins per pound didn’t work for me, the turkey was slightly underdone. I’m new to the whole instant pot thing. I let the steam naturally escape and then checked the temp. What should I have done? Put it back on for 5 more mins? I was hesitant to because I know it takes a bit of time to rebuild up the steam. Any advice would be great as I’m thinking the same could happen with potatoes as well (check them after natural escape and them being underdone). Thanks so much.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
July 1, 2018 at 5:51 pmHi Alexa! I am so sorry you had trouble with this recipe. Anytime the food is underdone after cooking in the Instant Pot, it is recommended to set it back for a few minutes. It will have to build up pressure again so make sure there is enough liquid at the bottom. Potatoes are actually easy to be overdone unless you are making baked potatoes. I hope this helps!
Sara says
May 28, 2018 at 11:29 pmHi! I noticed a couple people asked similar questions as the one I have back in January and last November so I’m wondering if, since then, anyone has made this recipe with a boneless frozen turkey breast and if so did you need to make any adjustments on cooking time??
Thanks in advance!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
November 10, 2018 at 1:08 amHi Sara! I know your question was posted in May but I just shared my new recipe for boneless frozen turkey breast. Here is the link: https://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/2018/11/09/instant-pot-boneless-turkey-breast/ I hope this helps!
Denise says
April 23, 2018 at 8:32 pmGreat recipe! Best turkey breast ever ! I set the time for 5 minutes per pound , 40 minutes for the 9 lb turkey breast.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
April 24, 2018 at 11:39 amHi Denise! Yay! That’s wonderful! Thank you so much for the comment!
Pam says
November 8, 2018 at 2:15 pmIs your turkey breast frozen or thawed?
Suzzanna says
April 16, 2018 at 12:13 pmI don’t often review recipes, but this time I felt compelled to do so. This recipe was FANTASTIC. I followed the directions pretty much to a T, and the turkey was, by far, the best I’ve ever eaten… juicy and flavorful. The gravy was out of this world. Thank you, thank you, thank you for this great recipe! I can’t wait to make it again.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
April 18, 2018 at 12:03 amHi Suzzanna! THANK YOU! Your comment just made my day! I am so happy to know you love this recipe and the turkey was perfect. Thank you for giving my recipe a try!
Susan says
April 13, 2018 at 6:55 amI am struggling with figuring out how much time to allow so that I can serve dinner with other dishes. How do I determine how long it will take to get to temperature?