A turkey breast is a wonderful alternative to cooking an entire turkey for Thanksgiving. It still feeds a good amount of people (a 6-7 lb. turkey breast will have about 8 servings), and as a bonus, it cooks up a bit more evenly since it’s all white meat. And cooking it in your instant pot is SO EASY! You just set it and forget it, so you can focus on more important things. Like your friends and family and pie. Even when it’s not Thanksgiving, it’s easy to whip up a turkey breast in your instant pot for tons of lean protein for turkey sandwiches, soups and stews, or a Sunday dinner. AND you can freeze the leftovers (or use them in turkey salad or healthy leftover turkey soup).
What seasoning to use
I used lemon and thyme – and lots of it – to season this turkey. You can use the same cooking method with your favorite turkey seasonings, such as a pre-made poultry seasoning, rosemary and sage, or even just plain old salt and pepper (which is usually what I do when I roast a whole turkey in the oven). The lemon in this adds a light citrus flavor to both the turkey and to the drippings. So be aware- if you are using the drippings to make gravy, it will be quite lemony. I liked it, but if that’s not your thing, leave the lemons out of the bottom of the pan.
How to make a turkey breast in your instant pot
The process to make this is quite simple. Just mix some softened butter with lemon zest, lots of salt, and fresh thyme, and slather it all over the turkey breast. DO make sure to get some of that butter mixture under the skin of the breast, as it will help flavor the meat directly.
Then, add some veggies (carrots, onions, and celery), along with the stems from the thyme and the rest of the lemon, into the bottom of your pressure cooker. Add some chicken broth – this will serve as a base for the drippings as well as provide liquid, which is necessary for the Instant Pot to work properly and come up to pressure. Then, place the wire trivet that came with your instant pot on top of the veggies, place the turkey on top of that, and you’re good to go!
What size pressure cooker to use
I used my 6 quart Instant Pot to make this with a 6.6 lb. turkey breast. It was quite tight, but I made it work by smushing the turkey breast down as much as possible.
How to get crispy skin
One thing to keep in mind if you make your turkey in your pressure cooker (or slow cooker- I’ve included instructions for this in the recipe below) is that it won’t develop a crispy, golden skin. In fact, the skin will be fairly unappetizing and sad looking when you take off the cover of your instant pot. Don’t worry! You have a few options here. The first option, and the easiest, is simply to remove the skin and serve it as is. It will be delicious and juicy and fine. But if you’re a fan of crispy skin and love the “wow” factor of a gorgeous golden color on your turkey, there is hope! To get the golden skin you see in these photos on my turkey, I just stuck it under the broiler for about 10 minutes after it was done. I also used a kitchen torch to crisp up the sides, since the broiler did a great job on the top but not on other parts of the turkey. If I didn’t need to take photos of this for this post, I would have simply broiled it and not bothered with the kitchen torch.
How to carve a bone-in turkey breast
The other advantage of cooking a turkey breast as an alternative to a whole turkey is that it’s SO EASY to carve. First, you need to make sure you allow the turkey to rest for about 20 minutes, or longer, to allow the juices to redistribute. Otherwise when you cut into it, you’ll release all the juices and the turkey will be a bit drier. Speaking of which, I recommend cooking the turkey for 30 minutes at manual high pressure. Check the temperature when you are done using a meat thermometer. Ideally, you want the temperature to be 160 degrees F when it’s done cooking. The recommended temperature of poultry is actually 165, but the meat will continue to cook while it rests, so taking it out 5 degrees before will help it not overcook (especially if you are going to stick it under the broiler!). To carve, just slice down into each side of the breast just off center to carve away the biggest chunk of meat you can, then slice into pieces and serve! Easy peasy.
Should you brine the turkey?
One final thing- I did not brine my turkey, but next time I make this, I just might. I’m not usually much of a briner, but the turkey was not as salty as I would have liked it, I think in part due to the fact that it cooks for a shorter time in the pressure cooker. Here’s a great basic turkey brine recipe. You can also buy a pre-brined turkey breast (such as butterball). Brine or don’t brine- it’s up to you! It’s just as delicious sprinkled with a bit of sea salt when you serve it.
Can I make this in my slow cooker?
YES! Just add the veggies and broth to the bottom of a large slow cooker, add the butter-rubbed turkey breast on top, and cook on low for 6 hours. Or 7. It’s hard to overcook things in a slow cooker. Check the temp to make sure it’s done- it should be 165 degrees F. You can also make a super juicy boneless turkey breast in your slow cooker!
What can I make with the leftover turkey?
If you like this Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe, you’ll love this Lemon, Garlic, and Rosemary Whole Roast Chicken. And if you have any leftovers, use them in this Easy Chicken Noodle Soup, this Easy Chicken and Dumplings from Scratch, or this Turkey Salad with Cranberries and Walnuts.
Other Thanksgiving recipes
And make sure you have your turkey gravy, homemade cranberry sauce, green beans, and mashed potatoes to go with it! Be sure to check out all of my easy Thanksgiving recipes. Did you make this Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe? Please click the stars below to comment and Rate this Recipe!
