Cooking A Turkey Breast In An Instant Pot

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The Best Instant Pot Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe - juicy, tender turkey breast roasted in an instant pot for a perfect easy dinner!

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Instant Pot Turkey
How To Cook Turkey in Instant Pot
- Tips to Cook Turkey Breast in an Instant Pot:
- How Long to Cook Turkey Breast in the Instant Pot
Can You Brown Turkey in Instant Pot
- Crisp Turkey Skin in Instant Pot With Crisp Lid
- Crisp Skin In Instant Pot Without Crisp Lip
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Easy Turkey Brine
- Easy Turkey Brine Ingredients:
- Easy Turkey Brine Instructions
Easy Turkey Gravy
The Best Recipes To Serve With Turkey Breast
Recipe FAQ's
The Best Instant Pot Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe

Instant Pot Turkey

My secret to a stress-free Thanksgiving - or turkey dinner - without having to worry about the bird taking up all the oven space?

My Instant Pot!

This little countertop appliance does so many things - its a pressure cooker and extra stovetop surface, all in one - and it is my secret to a perfect, juicy, tender turkey that won't dry out!

And hello... it doesn't take up ANY space in the oven!

If you're hosting Thanksgiving for a small crowd - or just don't want to hassle with a big bird - this tender, juicy, never dry Instant Pot turkey breast will be your favorite new recipe!

I have cooks of all levels of experience on my site, and I get a lot of questions and requests for additional information on my recipes.

If you'd rather skip over all that click to the information you need in the table of contents below, click the "skip to recipe" button in the top left corner, or scroll to the bottom of the page.

How To Cook Turkey in Instant Pot

While I LOVE more traditional recipes for Thanksgiving like my Easy Smoked Turkey or Brown Bag Turkey - or even my Orange Glazed Ham or Bourbon Molasses Glazed ham - sometimes we have smaller celebrations and I don't want to go through with the hassle of a giant main course we will be eating for leftovers for the next weeks - and opt for a smaller turkey breast.

Turkey breasts are incredibly easy to cook in an instant pot - its really just season, cook, and serve - but the tips below will help you get perfect never-dry turkey breast from your instant pot, every time you make it.

Tips to Cook Turkey Breast in an Instant Pot:

Add can lifter to bottom of the Instant Pot to easily place your turkey breast in your instant pot, and for effortless removal.

How Long to Cook Turkey Breast in the Instant Pot

Cook with high pressure for 5 minutes per pound, about 35 minutes for a standard 7 pound turkey breast.

This will NOT take into account any time needed to bring the Instant Pot to pressure - OR the time it takes to naturally release pressure/resting time after cooking - so count on about an hour twenty minutes total time when planning your meal around the turkey.

Can You Brown Turkey in Instant Pot

The Instant Pot doesn't brown food well - my only big complaint with it.

When using an Instant Pot with the regular lid, it just doesn't crisp up - but that is no matter for this recipe.

I am providing two ways to crisp your turkey breast skin below - one that involves an accessory for the Instant Pot, and one that involves a few minutes under a broiler.

Crisp Turkey Skin in Instant Pot With Crisp Lid

There are crisp lids you can find to help actually crisp the skin of the meat you're roasting in the Instant Pot - making this an easy one-step recipe.

A crisp lid helps direct heat to crisp the skin of turkey and is a breeze to work with!

To order an Instant Pot crisp lid, click my Amazon affiliate link here.

Crisp Skin In Instant Pot Without Crisp Lip

Since turkey skin is even better when crisp, it's necessary to broil for just a few minutes to crisp your turkey skin after cooking in the instant pot if you want perfect crispy skin.

If you'd like to get an extra browned, crispy turkey breast - please pop under the broiler after cooking for 5-10 minutes to crisp skin!

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

If you're looking for a delicious, knockout, absolutely no-fail turkey breast to cook in a slow cooker, instead of an Instant Pot, please check out my turkey breast in gravy slow cooker recipe below.

Get my Slow Cooker Turkey Breast in Gravy Recipe Here.

Easy Turkey Brine

While this recipe doesn't need a brine, I'm adding my recipe for an easy turkey brine in case you don't mind the extra step - while not necessary, brining your turkey will always come out with the most flavor and tenderness.

Easy Turkey Brine Ingredients:

1 cup kosher salt
½ cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
2 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 ½ teaspoons allspice berries
1 ½ teaspoons rosemary
2 teaspoons savory
1 gallon ice cubes

Easy Turkey Brine Instructions

Bring all ingredients, except ice to a boil.
After you reach a rolling boil, turn off heat and let cool.
Combine cooled brine with ice inside a large bag in a beverage cooler, stock pot, or other large container with a tight fitting lid.
Submerge turkey and seal container.
Brine for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days - be sure to keep turkey cold with ice as it brines.

Easy Turkey Gravy

I am not adding the gravy in the Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe below to make sure it is as easy as possible to follow.

To get my knockout, super easy recipe for Turkey Gravy, please click here for my Easy Turkey Gravy Recipe.

The Best Recipes To Serve With Turkey Breast

If you're looking for perfect easy dishes to serve with this amazingly delicious instant pot turkey, check out some of my all time favorites below!

From classic sides like brussels sprouts, green beans, and fresh baked bread - to mashed potatoes, cauliflower rice, and more!

Easy No Knead Bread
The Best Easy Baked Scalloped Corn Recipe
Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Scallops Recipe
The Best Easy Oven Roasted Asparagus Recipe
The Best Easy Turkey Gravy Recipe
The Best Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Cranberry Apple Sangria and Virgin Sangria
Sparkling Apple Cider Rum Punch Recipe

Recipe FAQ's

What temperature should I cook turkey to?

When your turkey is fully cooked, it should reach 165 degrees with a thermometer placed into the fattest part of the breast (be careful to not hit the bone, as it will make your turkey's temperature reading inaccurate.)

Do I have to brine the turkey breast?

Brining is optional but always gives more flavor and a better texture.

Can I cook turkey breast from frozen?

You can cook the turkey in an instant pot from frozen.

I personally don't reccomend it, as you miss the chance to brine - but you can cook straight from the freezer if you set cook time to 50 minutes on high pressure and let naturally release for 15 minutes.

The Best Instant Pot Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe

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Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Resting Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

The Best Instant Pot Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe– juicy, tender turkey breast roasted in an instant pot for a perfect easy Thanksgiving dinner!

Ingredients

7 lb bone-in skin-on turkey breast
1 stick butter
1 tbsp Italian Herbs Blend
1 tsp pink sea salt
1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
2 cups chicken broth
Optional Aromatics:
1 medium onion chopped into large slices
4 garlic cloves
2 sprigs Thyme
1 orange or lemon, sliced thin

Instructions

Pat turkey dry with paper towels.
Generously rub turkey breast with softened butter - rub butter all around turkey, and carefully lift up skin to rub butter under turkey skin, too.
Stuff turkey breast cavity with aromatics.
Add chicken stock to the bottom of Instant Pot.
Coat turkey breast with herbs and spices.
Place on can lifter and lower into Instant Pot.
Place lid on Instant Pot.
Set valve the sealing.
Press "manual", set timer to 35 minutes High Pressure.
When the IP is done cooking, let pressure release naturally... don't manually release pressure.
Remove turkey from Instant Pot (be sure to take care when opening pressure cooker, even if you think all pressure has been released, and always open away from your face) and place on a baking sheet.
Tent with foil for at least 10 minutes before carving.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 709 Total Fat 20g Saturated Fat 10g Trans Fat 1g Unsaturated Fat 8g Cholesterol 349mg Sodium 1007mg Carbohydrates 6g Net Carbohydrates 0g Fiber 1g Sugar 3g Sugar Alcohols 0g Protein 121g

Nutrition is automatically calculated by Nutritionix - please verify all nutrition information independently and consult with a doctor or nutritionist for any and all medical and diet advice.