This is the Juiciest Instant Pot Turkey Breast! You can make gravy from the drippings right in the same pot in 30 minutes.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Bone-in turkey breast – you can use frozen turkey breast, but you’ll need to increase the cooking time.
- Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil such as canola or avocado oil.
- Paprika – cayenne is also good but has a bit more of a kick.
- Onion powder – double up on the garlic powder if you don’t have any onion powder.
- Garlic powder – swap out for some extra onion powder instead.
- Chili powder – make your own using a combination of cumin, paprika and cayenne.
- Rosemary – substitute for another rub like Italian seasoning or poultry seasoning.
- Thyme – see substitution notes above.
- Sage – see substitution notes above.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
- Chicken broth – vegetable broth is the best substitute for chicken broth.
- Butter – use another cooking fat like coconut oil or cooking oil.
- Flour – cornstarch will also help thicken the gravy.
To serve
- Brussels sprouts – serve with another veggie like broccoli or green beans.
- Cranberries – cranberry sauce would also be good.
- Mashed potatoes – mashed sweet potatoes or roasted potatoes taste great with turkey.
How to make turkey breast in the Instant Pot
Step 1: Season the turkey.
Rub the turkey breast with olive oil and seasonings.
Step 2: Sauté the turkey.
Sauté the turkey breast in the Instant Pot on each side.
Step 3: Add a trivet to the Instant Pot.
Add a trivet to the Instant Pot, pour in the chicken broth, and place the turkey on top of the trivet.
Step 4: Cook on high pressure.
Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes, then do a quick release of the pressure. Broil for a couple minutes in the oven if desired until the skin gets crispy.
Step 5: Make the gravy.
Whisk the butter, flour and chicken broth together in the Instant Pot, and bring to a boil. Stir until thickened.
Step 6: Serve and enjoy!
Serve the turkey with gravy and any side dishes of your choice.
What to serve with turkey breast
If you’re looking for some easy side dish ideas, I’ve got you covered! Here are my fave ideas:
- Brussels sprouts
- Mashed potatoes
- Dinner rolls or breadsticks
- Stuffing/dressing
- Asparagus
- Mac and cheese
- Steamed vegetables
Frequently Asked Questions
Cooking the turkey breast from frozen is just as easy as cooking it from fresh – it just takes a little more time. For a 2-pound frozen turkey breast, increase the cook time to 50 minutes and allow pressure to release naturally.
If you want your Instant Pot turkey breast to have a nice crispy finish, stick it in the broiler for a couple minutes after cooking in the Instant Pot. Just make sure to keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
You can definitely use this recipe to make boneless skinless turkey breast. The cooking time should remain the same based on the weight of the turkey (about 6 mins. per 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast).
One of the best parts of making turkey in the Instant Pot is that you don’t need to brine it. The pressure cooker does that all on its own!
Storing and reheating
Store any leftover turkey breast in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. You can also store any leftover gravy in the fridge separately for 3 to 4 days.
If you want to make sandwiches or any recipes using leftover turkey, it is easiest to remove the bones before storing it. Reheating the turkey in the microwave with gravy or some chicken broth will keep it from drying out – be sure to cover it before and sprinkle a little bit of water over top to help it retain moisture.
Freezing this recipe
You can freeze cooked turkey breast for up to 3 months. Once it’s cooked and cooled, remove all the meat from the bones then dice or shred it and store it in a glass container or Ziploc bag.
You can also freeze the turkey with any leftover gravy to use in soups or chili. Pour gravy over the diced or shredded turkey and be sure to leave at least a half inch of space to let the gravy expand when it freezes.
When you’re ready to enjoy the turkey and gravy, let it defrost in the fridge overnight then reheat as normal.
More Instant Pot comfort food recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on storing the leftovers.
- Get a meat thermometer to make sure your turkey is cooked through, especially if you’re cooking frozen turkey breast.
Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 1 (2lb) bone-in turkey breast
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp sage
- Salt & pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth, divided
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp flour
To serve
- Brussels sprouts
- Cranberries or cranberry sauce
- Mashed potatoes
Instructions
- Rub olive oil over chicken breast, then rub with paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, rosemary, thyme and sage, then season generously with salt & pepper.
- Turn Instant Pot to saute mode, then saute turkey breast for 2-3 minutes per side. Turn off saute mode, remove turkey breast, then add trivet. Pour in 1 cup chicken broth then place turkey breast on top of trivet.
- Press the pressure cook button and set to high, then cook for 12 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 5-10 minutes to come to pressure, then notify you it's done by beeping.
- Press the Cancel button then let the Instant Pot do a natural release of the pressure for 10 minutes. Follow by doing a quick release. Open the lid when pressure gauge has dropped and the lid opens easily.
- Remove turkey breast and trivet, then turn Instant Pot back to saute mode. Meanwhile, broil turkey breast for 2-3 minutes until skin crisps up, watching closely so it doesn't burn.
- Whisk in butter until melted, then whisk in flour. Pour in remaining cup of chicken broth and whisk to combine, bringing to a boil. Stir until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve gravy overtop of turkey breast, and serve with desired sides. Enjoy!
