Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Name: Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 7-9 lb bone-in skin-on turkey breast; 3 Tablespoons salted butter (melted); 2 Tablespoons poultry seasoning; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; 2 cups chicken or turkey broth; 2 large celery stalks (cut into large chunks); 1 medium yellow onion (chopped into large chunks); 1 large carrot (cut into large chunks); 4 large garlic cloves

Created On: October 14, 2020 | Updated: August 22, 2021 | 50 Comments

18.69

1.56

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This Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe is just the easy Thanksgiving main dish that you’ve been searching for. The recipe will cost $18.69 to make and will serve 12 people.

For a complete guide to help you plan Thanksgiving, be sure to download our FREE Thanksgiving Dinner Planning Guide.

Finished recipe with text overlay for Pinterest.

What are your favorite holiday traditions? One of the biggest traditions in every family is how you cook the turkey. We don’t know about you, but our family only likes white meat when we have a turkey for Thanksgiving. The dark meat is usually what’s leftover for recycling into recipes the next week, and honestly, we do not look forward to the week after Thanksgiving because of this!

What can we do to get around this food waste? Well, we can cook what we like! Who says we have to cook an entire turkey?

If your family is like ours, create a new tradition this year and make this turkey breast recipe instead of the whole bird!

A table set with sliced turkey breasts, gravy, and mashed potatoes.

There are several benefits to cooking just the turkey breast instead of the entire turkey. First, as we already mentioned, you get all white meat! Don’t you always end up throwing away some turkey the next week and feel bad doing it? Well, waste no more!

Yay for wasting less and saving money, as you are only buying what you need instead of literally throwing it in the trash.

Secondly, this recipe is an Instant Pot turkey breast. What?! Yes, you heard us right, turkey breast made in the instant pot. You can save time cooking the turkey in the instant pot and leave the oven open to make other delicious items like our One-hour dinner rolls!

Lastly, this turkey breast recipe is so juicy, unlike other recipes where the white meat comes out tasting dry. Dry turkey is the worst! So, what do you say? Ready for a new Thanksgiving turkey tradition? Let’s do this!

All of the ingredients needed to make Instant Pot Turkey Breast.

How do I know when my turkey is done?

A turkey needs to reach 170 degrees in the breast to be safe to eat. There are several ways to check if a turkey is done, but the best way is by using a thermometer.

How do you use the trivet in the Instant Pot?

When using the trivet in your Instant Pot, you simply place it in the pot’s bottom with the handles up. That’s it! The trivet basically keeps the food above the waterline, which then enables even steaming and cooking.

Ingredients and Cost

RECIPE COST: $18.69

PER SERVING COST: $1.56

To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.

7 lb bone-in skin-on turkey breast – $15.96
3 Tablespoons salted butter – $0.30
2 Tablespoons poultry seasoning – $0.42
1 teaspoon salt – $0.01
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper – $0.04
2 cups chicken or turkey broth – $0.96
2 large celery stalks – $0.18
1 medium yellow onion – $0.48
1 large carrot – $0.14
4 garlic cloves – $0.20

Instructions

A picture collage of the steps to make this Pressure Cooker Turkey Breast recipe.

STEP ONE: First, place the trivet in Instant Pot Insert. Put the celery, onions, carrots, garlic on top of the trivet, and pour in broth.

STEP TWO: Next, in a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Set this mixture aside.

STEP THREE: Run the turkey breast under cold water as you remove the gravy packet. Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels.

STEP FOUR: Then, use a pastry brush to brush turkey breast with butter mixture. Nestle the turkey breast, breast side up, onto the veggies.

STEP FIVE: Secure the Instant Pot lid and ensure that the valve is in the sealing position. Select MANUAL and set the pressure to HIGH and the timer to 35 minutes.

STEP SIX: Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 25 minutes.

STEP SEVEN: While the pressure releases, move the oven rack to the upper-middle position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil; set aside.

STEP EIGHT: Once the instant pot has naturally released for 25 minutes, move the valve to “venting” to release any additional steam. Then, open the lid and use a large carving fork to remove the Instant Pot’s turkey.

STEP NINE: Finally, place the turkey breast on the prepared baking sheet and roast the turkey in the oven until the skin is crisp and golden in color. DON’T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE TURKEY DURING THIS STEP! Remove the breast from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting into slices and serving. (While the turkey rests, it’s a good time to make our Instant Pot gravy from the pan drippings!)

***Make sure you check out the recipe video in the recipe card below!

Cook’s Tools:

carving fork
chef’s knife
cutting board
Instant Pot
rimmed baking sheet

The Flavor and Recipe Variations:

Roasting the turkey in the oven to get crispy, golden skin is optional, so feel free to skip this step.
Make our Instant Pot Gravy to add even more flavor to the turkey breast. After all, what’s a turkey without the gravy anyway!?!
If you need to make more than 6 servings of turkey, then you can cook in batches or ask a friend or family member if you could borrow their Instant Pot!

How long is this good for:

Serve: Turkey should not sit at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
Store: Leftover turkey will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Place cooked and cooled turkey in freezer-safe Ziploc bags and squeeze out any air before sealing and placing it in the freezer. Frozen this way, the turkey will keep for up to 3 months.

How to get the kids involved with this recipe:

Ages 2-3: Let your little one place the trivet in the pot and pour in the broth.
Ages 4-5: Let your kiddo arrange the vegetables in an even layer on top of the trivet. You can also have them mix the butter and seasonings. Also, have them help you keep a watch on the turkey while it gets it golden, crispy skin in the oven.
Ages 6-8: Let them wash the turkey and brush on the oil mixture before placing it in the Instant Pot.
Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.
Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!

Discover why we love getting the kids involved in the kitchen and more tips in our How to Get Kids Involved In Cooking article.

Close up picture of sliced turkey breasts.

What to Serve with a Turkey Breast:

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