Instant Pot Turkey Breast with Gravy

Check out our recipe for Instant Pot Turkey Breast! 

This recipe is made using an 8 pound, bone-in turkey breast in the 8 quart Instant Pot Duo Crisp with the pressure cook and air fryer functions.  

When I think of Thanksgiving and food….the very first thing that comes to mind is TURKEY!!  You just can’t have Thanksgiving without turkey!  We like to change it up every couple of years and do a smoked turkey, a deep-fried turkey, a baked turkey, and even a turkey breast.

Usually, we need to do a big turkey so that there is enough to feed everyone and enough leftovers for turkey sandwiches!  🙂  I just love the leftover turkey sandwiches.  For the past couple of years, I have been buying a big turkey and a turkey breast so that we have enough white meat for everyone and so that we can guarantee that we will have enough for leftover turkey sandwiches. 

Tips for making Instant Pot Turkey Breast:

1.  What size turkey breast can I cook in my Instant Pot?

For this recipe, we used a 8-pound bone-in turkey breast, but you can use any size turkey breast that you would like as long as it fits into the air fryer basket that came with your Instant Pot Dou Crisp.  

2. Can I pressure cook a frozen turkey breast?

If you are wondering if you can use a frozen turkey breast for this recipe, the answer is yes, as long as you can get the gravy packet out of the turkey breast before cooking.  I have not experimented with a frozen turkey breast so I cannot give a recommended cooking time. 

3.  Can I pressure cook a turkey breast and reduce the sodium?

For a lower sodium turkey breast, use low sodium chicken broth and reduce the salt in the ingredients.  You can also substitute unsalted butter.

4.  Can I make a turkey breast in the Instant Pot if I don’t have an Instant Pot Duo Crisp or another type of air fryer lid?

Yes, you can.  You will need to place the turkey breast into a silicone sling instead of the crisping basket since you won’t have one.  Also, in the instructions, in step 7 instead of air frying the turkey breast, you will need to remove the turkey breast from the Instant Pot and place in an oven-safe dish, and broil at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for a few minutes.  Be sure to watch the turkey to make sure that it does not burn.  This should only take a few minutes, between 10 and 15 minutes. If you do not want crispy skin and will be committing the steps to air fry or broil the turkey breast, adjust the pressure cook time to 4 minutes per pound and natural release pressure for 15 minutes. 

Looking for more recipes?  Check out some of our favorites!

• Instant Pot ABC Green Beans
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
• Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
• Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
• Instant Pot Cheesecake

Ingredients for making Instant Pot Turkey Breast:

• 8 pound Turkey Breast-Bone-in and thawed
• 1 cup of chicken broth
• 12 tablespoons butter-salted and softened
• 1.5 tablespoon garlic-minced-this is about 3 cloves
• 1.5 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary-removed from stems and finely chopped- about 1 tablespoon chopped
• 6-8 leaves of fresh sage-removed from stems and finely chopped- about 1 tablespoon chopped
• 2 sprigs of  fresh thyme-removed from stems and finely chopped- about 1 tablespoon chopped
• ½ white onion-no need to chop or dice
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour or corn starch
• ¼ cup water

Directions for making Instant Pot Turkey Breast:

1.Remove bone-in turkey from the packaging.  Remove gravy packet (if there is one) and rinse and then dry turkey breast.

2.Create compound butter by combining the butter, garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, sage, and thyme in a small bowl.   Mix well until evenly combined.

3.Gently separate the skin from the meat of the turkey breast by carefully inserting your fingers in between the skin and the meat. Be careful not to tear the skin, you don’t want holes in the skin.  Insert half of the compound butter in between the skin and the breast.  

4.Use half of the remaining compound butter to cover the outside of the turkey breast.  This may be easier to do once you have already placed the turkey breast into the Instant Pot Duo Crisp basket.

5.Insert onion into the cavity of the turkey breast. 

6.Make sure that your insert pan is inside the Instant Pot and then pour in the chicken broth.

7.Place the turkey breast into the air fryer basket that came with your Instant Pot Duo Crisp, make sure the turkey breast is meat side up. Put air fry basket into Instant Pot. Put the pressure cooker lid on, make sure the valve is on in the “seal” position, and pressure cook for 3 minutes per pound.  Pressure cook for 24 minutes on high for an 8-pound turkey breast.  If you are using a smaller turkey breast, adjust pressure cook time accordingly. While 3 minutes per pound does not sound like a lot, remember that the turkey breast will continue to cook while the pressure is releasing and while the turkey breast is air frying. 

8 pound-24 minutes-8 quart pot is needed for this size turkey breast

7 pound-21 minutes-8 quart pot is needed for this size turkey breast

6 pound-18 minutes-6.5 quart pot or larger is needed for this size of turkey breast

5 pound-15 minutes-6.5 quart pot or larger is needed for this size of turkey breast

4 pound-12 minutes-6.5 quart pot or larger is needed for this size of turkey breast

Once the timer stops, natural release pressure for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, quick-release remaining pressure. Carefully open the pressure cooker lid.  Do not remove the liquid from the pot.  This liquid will be used to make the gravy. 

8.Using the remaining compound butter, coat the top of the turkey breast.  Close the air fry lid and select air fry at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Lift the lid every couple of minutes to check to see how crisp the skin is.  It may not take the entire 15 minutes to crisp up.   Once the turkey has reached the desired crispness, check the internal temperature of the turkey breast using a digital thermometer.  The turkey breast should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit when it has completed cooking.  Once the turkey breast is 165 degrees, carefully remove the turkey breast and air fry basket from the Instant Pot using silicone mits. 

9.To make the gravy, turn the Instant Pot on saute.  Make a slurry for your gravy by combining ¼ cup flour with ¼ cup water.  I like to shake these together in a small mason jar.   Slowly pour in the slurry and use a silicone whisk to combine and thicken the gravy.  Continue to stir until gravy has reached the desired consistency-about 5 minutes.  Using a mesh strainer, strain gravy into a gravy boat.

10.Slice turkey breast and serve with gravy.  Enjoy!! 

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