Cook a Crispy Instant Pot Turkey Breast in Under an Hour
Did you know that you can cook a juicy turkey breast with gravy in under an hour in your Instant Pot?
Stress LESS this Thanksgiving by letting the Instant Pot do the work!🍗
If you’re hosting a smaller holiday dinner, try making a quick and easy Instant Pot turkey breast! The results are ultra comforting and delicious.
First of all, let’s talk about how simple and easy it is to cook a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey.
It’s perfect for a smaller Thanksgiving gathering, less expensive than buying a full turkey, and is a great way to enjoy a quick turkey dinner throughout the year. My family is not great at eating all the leftover turkey, so making a breast is perfect for us.
You’ll definitely be impressed by how tender and juicy the meat turns out from cooking in the Instant Pot! I initially had my doubts about this method, but I’m so glad I tried it out, as we love Instant Pot turkey breast! Sometimes the breast meat can dry out quickly in the oven, and this method turns out fantastic.
The process of cooking a turkey breast in the Instant Pot is very simple and straightforward! Simply season the turkey as desired with poultry spices, stuff it with veggies and fresh herbs, and set the timer.
You can either use the turkey’s drippings plus a cornstarch slurry to make a quick gravy right in the Instant pot using the sauté function after cooking. Some turkey breasts even come with a gravy packet to use.
Tips for making the best Instant Pot turkey breast breast:
- These directions are for a bone-in 6-pound turkey breast that I thawed for a couple of days in the fridge and cooked in my 6-quart Instant Pot.
- Wanting to cook your turkey from frozen? I have not tried it, but according to my research, your cook time should double to 60 minutes, and always use a thermometer to make sure the internal temperature has reached at least 165 degrees. It’s easy to close the lid and cook longer if needed.
- For folks that own a larger 8-quart Instant pot, you may be able to cook an even larger turkey breast or even a tiny full turkey!
- Use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temp has reached 165 degrees after the cooking time. If you need a suggestion on a good one, I love and use my ThermoPro all the time.
- As an optional step, you could use the oven broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the skin. Or if you own a crisping lid attachment for the Instant Pot, such as the Mealthy crisp lid this is a great opportunity to use it. I used mine to make this turkey and LOVED the perfectly browned skin it had!
Instant Pot Turkey Breast
yield: 6 SERVINGS
prep time: 15 MINUTES
cook time: 40 MINUTES
total time: 55 MINUTES
Use your Instant Pot to cook a tender, juicy turkey breast and gravy in under an hour!
Ingredients
For the turkey:
- 6 lb. turkey breast, bone-in, thawed
- 3 to 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence (or poultry herbs of choice)
- 1/2 onion, quartered
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 piece of celery, quartered
- 14 oz. of chicken broth
For the gravy:
- drippings from the turkey
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
- salt & pepper to taste
Directions
1
To cook the turkey:
Rub the turkey with butter and season with salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence or seasoning of choice.
2
Loosely stuff the inside of the breast with onion, garlic, and celery.
3
Place the turkey in the Instant Pot breast side down.
4
Pour in the chicken broth. Secure the lid to "sealing". Set the timer on manual (high) for 30 minutes.
5
Let the pressure naturally release after the cook time is over for ten minutes. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temp has reached 165 degrees. If it's not, secure lid and cook for a few more minutes.
6
Optional step: Put the turkey in the oven on broil for a few minutes to crisp up the skin, or use a crisp lid Instant Pot accessory such as Mealthy. This is optional but so yummy!
7
To make the gravy:
Strain the drippings with a kitchen strainer, and place the drippings back into Instant Pot. Heat the Instant Pot using Sauté mode. Mix the cornstarch and water together and whisk the slurry into the drippings. Stir until gravy starts to thicken. This could take a few minutes (sometimes I'll close the lid to let it heat up a little). Add salt & pepper to taste.
8
Transfer turkey breast to plate and slice. Serve with the gravy and enjoy!
Additional Notes
Recipe adapted from MamasEarthWorld.com
What an easy and delicious way to whip up turkey and gravy!
My family loves a good turkey dinner and this is a great alternative to roasting in the oven. I love how the meat isn’t dried out at all! It was fall-apart tender and YUMMO! The gravy turned out delicious also.
I honestly think this Instant Pot turkey breast turns out better than the oven method. Plus, it frees the oven up for any side dishes that need the space to cook while the turkey is in the Instant Pot.
Pair this turkey with my favorite sausage stuffing for an excellent Thanksgiving feast!
I make my turkey breast for Thanksgiving like this every year. 5 lb. turkey breast (rubbed with seasoning), 1 cup chicken stock, 30 minutes hp, npr (no trivet). Cool, remove skin, slice. I put in a large frying pan and cover with gravy. Warm up while enjoying cocktails and appetizers.
Forgot to mention, I do it the night before and warm the next day
Very nice! Thanks so much for sharing!
Any idea how to do a pressure cooker/air fryer combo? This looks so delicious.
I am assuming you would pressure cook then air fry for a few minutes after cooking to crisp the skin. But let us know if you try!
I tried doing it on a Cornish hen a couple days ago, but I have the times off. Juicy and delicious though.
What temperature and how long to cook to crisp the skin with an Air Fryer attachment after following this recipe? Thanks.
I did about 5 minutes on 400 degrees.
I love using our Instant pot for Thanksgiving turkey! We don’t eat the skin, so don’t really care about browning it. I often buy a whole turkey (12-13 pounds) and cut the wings and drumsticks off, then the body fits in our 8 qt IP. I do the wings and drumsticks up separately in the oven for those who want the crispy skin and dark meat. Leaves lots of room for other things in the oven and the turkey breast comes out super moist.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing Ella!
It’s also very easy to cook in an oval crock pot, just try to keep under 7 pounds for size. Always comes out juicy and delicious!
Yes love that method as well. Thanks for sharing!
So I accidentally bought a “Ready to Roast” Butterball turkey. It says DO NOT THAW so should I return it and get a regular one so I can follow this recipe?? Help!! 😆
I remember my mother cooking a turkey in her pressure cooker when I was a child. It seemed so quick and I remember it was delicious. I might have to try it. I have her old pressure cooker and have never used it. I remember her using it on most meals and she had meals in minutes.
Oh awesome Chrissy. Thanks for sharing that memory 🙂