Name: Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 cup turkey stock (or chicken stock may be substituted); 4-5 pound bone-in turkey breast; ¼ cup butter (softened); 3 teaspoons poultry seasoning; 2 teaspoons fresh minced parsley; Kosher salt and black pepper; 1 small onion (quartered); 1 stalk celery (cut in half); 2 tablespoons butter; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 cups turkey drippings (use additional broth if needed); salt and pepper to taste

This Instant Pot Turkey Breast comes out tender and juicy in about 30 minutes. You can even make your own gravy right in the pressure cooker!

A close up of a sliced instant pot turkey breast

You can serve turkey year round when you make Instant Pot Turkey Breast! Serve with Cranberry Sauce and Mashed Potatoes, and use the leftovers for Turkey Shepherd’s Pie.

Cooking a turkey breast in your pressure cooker is so much easier then roasting a whole turkey. It will feed 6-10 depending on the size, so it’s perfect for a small family gathering or when you need to add an extra entree. Plus it’s ready in under an hour AND you can make turkey gravy right there in the pot.

Using your pressure cooker also frees up your oven for cooking side dishes, like Classic Sausage Stuffing and Sweet Potato Casserole.

Sliced turkey breast cooked in the instant pot lying on a plate with parsley

How to Cook Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Season the bird. Mix together softened butter, poultry seasoning, fresh parsley, salt and pepper. Soften the butter – don’t melt it. Loosen the skin on the turkey breast and massage the butter mixture into the meat beneath the skin. Don’t rub the butter on top of the skin or it will burn while cooking.

A collage of images showing how to make an instant pot turkey breast

Put the turkey in the pot. Pour chicken broth into the instant pot, then place the turkey meat/skin side down. The bone releases a lot of moisture and this way the juices will drip down into the breast making it super juicy and flavorful. Put some onion and celery in the cavity of the breast.

Cook. Close and lock the lid and set the vent to sealed. Cook on high pressure using the manual button for about 6 minutes per pound. So for a 4 pound breast you’ll cook for 24 minutes, a 5 pound breast for 30 minutes, etc. Release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure. Use an instant read digital thermometer to check that the temperature of the turkey is at least 160 degrees F. Follow the steps for browning the skin if you desire.

Rest. Let the cooked turkey breast rest on a cutting board, tented with foil, for 10-15 minutes. Remove the bone to make cutting easy, and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices.

Cooking Times

Note: The size of your instant pot will play a part in what size turkey breast you can buy, so take that into consideration first.

These directions in this recipe include cooking times for a 4-5 pound bone-in turkey breast in a 6-quart instant pot. A bigger breast may require a larger pot, so be sure it’s going to fit ahead of time.

4-5 pound bone-in turkey breast: 35 minutes + 10 minutes release time.
6-7 pound bone-in turkey breast: 48 minutes + 10 minutes release time.
7-8 pound bone-in: 60 minutes + 10 minutes release time.

How to Make Turkey Gravy with the Drippings

Strain the liquid from the pot through a metal strainer and into a large glass measuring cup. Discard any bits left in the strainer. You’ll need about 1 ½ cups, so if you don’t get enough from the pot you can add some canned chicken or turkey stock.
Return the inner pot to the pressure cook and turn it to saute. Melt some butter and whisk in flour to form a roux. Slowly whisk in some of the reserved turkey stock and continue whisking as it thickens. Add more broth until you have a consistency you’re happy with.
Pour the gravy into a pretty little gravy boat for serving. If you’re wanting extra for your mashed potatoes, feel free to double the recipe and add more broth.

Gravy being poured from a gravy boat onto a slice of turkey breast on a plate with stuffing and sweet potatoes

What to Serve for a Classic Turkey Dinner

Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Easter, or just a Tuesday night, you can make a simple turkey dinner for your family. Since your instant pot is doing the work, your oven is free for some fantastic side dishes:

What to do with leftovers

Who doesn’t love leftover turkey?! If you have leftovers you plan to eat soon, store the cooked turkey breast in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.

If you want to freeze the turkey for using later, wrap it tightly in foil or wax paper, then place that into a freezer container or bag. Don’t forget to label it with the date. It will stay fresh in the freezer for 4-6 months.

Leftover turkey can be used in place of chicken in casseroles, tacos or enchiladas. There’s also Turkey Tetrazzini, Turkey Shepherd’s Pie and Turkey and Stuffing Casserole!

An overhead shot of a thanksgiving plate with turkey ,stuffing and sweet potatoes

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