This tender Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe will save you tons of time in the kitchen on Thanksgiving! Learn how to serve some tasty, low-carb turkey dinner for two or four to your family with less money and effort than ever. Naturally gluten-free, keto, dairy-free, paleo and Whole30 compliant.
PIN HERE for later and follow my boards for more recipe ideas
Easy Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Having a smaller gathering this year and need a scaled down and easy alternative to our Whole Thanksgiving turkey for the holidays? Sometimes, roasting a whole turkey can be a little too much, especially if you can’t go home for the holidays or have a small family. With this easy Thanksgiving turkey breast recipe, you’ll never have to worry about having too many leftovers again. Plus, you’ll make the best-tasting turkey you’ve ever had!
The turkey only takes about 30 minutes to cook up in your pressure cooker. It’s then thrown in the oven for 5 minutes so the outside turns wonderfully golden and crispy. If you’ve been looking for an alternative to the classic Thanksgiving turkey recipe, you’ve found the perfect one! And it makes a healthy and delicious main dish all year long.
We love testing out Instant Pot recipes and once you try making our Instant Pot Whole Turkey or this Instant Pot Turkey Breast, you’ll never go back to your old oven-baked recipe.
Looking for an alternative to turkey this year? Try my Instant Pot Ham, Slow Cooker Ham, Honey Mustard Ham or Instant Pot Pot Roast.
Recipe Ingredients
With veggies, a bone-in turkey breast and a few savory spices, this turkey recipe has it all. Here’s what you’ll need to make a juicy and flavorful turkey breast:
- Carrot: Use a medium-sized carrot, cut into thirds.
- Onion: Cut your medium-sized onion into wedges.
- Celery
- Lemon
- Chicken Broth
- Butter Flavored Coconut Oil: You could also use avocado oil, olive oil, ghee, or butter if you’re not dairy-free.
- Fine Sea Salt
- Black Pepper
- Dried Spices: I use rosemary, oregano, thyme and sage for my turkey breast.
- Skin-On Turkey Breast: Pat your bone-in turkey breast dry. It should weigh about 6-7 pounds.
How to Make Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Your Instant Pot really does all the work for this recipe, with a little help from the oven. All you have to do is give your turkey a spice rub and then wait for it to finish cooking! Be sure to follow the step-step instructions and watch the video!
- Add Veggies, Lemon & Broth to Instant Pot: Place the carrots, onions, celery, sliced lemons and broth in an 8-quart Instant Pot.
- Rub Turkey: In a small bowl, use a fork to combine the coconut oil, salt, pepper and seasonings and brush or rub on the turkey breast.
- Add Turkey to Instant Pot: Place the trivet on top of the vegetables and arrange the turkey breast on top, breast side up.
- Cook: Lock the lid and push the steam valve to the sealing position. Then, press the High Pressure or Manual button and set the time for 36 minutes. Allow the turkey to naturally release for 10 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure by pushing the steam valve to venting.
- Let Cool: Carefully open the lid and allow to cool for 3 minutes before carefully transferring the turkey to a large baking sheet.
- Broil: Broil the turkey for about 5 minutes, or until golden, watching closely that the skin does not burn.
How Long to Cook the Turkey
You should cook your turkey breast for about 6 minutes per pound of meat. If your turkey weighs 6 pounds, your cook time should be 36 minutes, and if it’s closer to 7 pounds, you’ll want to cook it for about 42 minutes. Note that this doesn’t include the 10 minutes of naturally releasing the pressure from your slow cooker.
It’s better to underestimate the cook time, as you can always cook your turkey more if you need to. Its internal temperature should register at 165°F once it’s removed from the pressure cooker.
Tips for Success
- Don’t Use Frozen Turkey: The fresher your turkey breast is, the better it will end up tasting. You can still make some insanely yummy turkey with a frozen breast, but you have to let it thaw out first.
- Broil Carefully: The crispy, golden-brown skin is probably my favorite part of the turkey. Keep a close eye on your bird while it’s broiling to avoid burning the skin. Your turkey should sit at least 4 inches below the broiler.
- Rotate While Broiling: If you want that crispy skin to cover every inch of your turkey, you just have to rotate it while it’s broiling. Use tongs to avoid burning yourself.
- Remove Gravy Packet From Turkey: Sometimes, turkey breasts come with a plastic packet of gravy inside. Check for this and remove it before you cook your turkey – you don’t want to ingest any plastic!
Serving Suggestions
The great thing about making a smaller turkey dinner for two or four is that you can serve it with any of your favorite Thanksgiving recipes and Thanksgiving sides here:
- Make Gravy: You can make a super tasty gravy with the leftover liquid in your Instant Pot! Just measure out 2 cups through a sieve, whisk them with well 2 tbsp of corn starch and 1/4 cup of water, and you’ll have an amazing homemade gravy for your turkey.
- Serve with Squash: This easy Air Fryer Butternut Squash is a delicious side dish for Thanksgiving or any other time of year.
- Make Turkey Sandwiches with leftover turkey: If you have leftovers or simply want to change up the way you serve your turkey, add a few slices into your favorite sandwich.
- Serve with Mashed Potatoes: You could make a basic mashed potatoes recipe, or you could try my creamy Sweet Potato Mash! It tastes like heaven and makes a beautiful addition to any dinner table.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Tightly wrap your turkey breast in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the fridge. It’ll stay fresh for about 3 days. You can reheat your turkey in the oven if you cover it with foil and in the microwave if you cut it into slices.
Can You Freeze Instant Pot Turkey Breast?
To store your leftovers in the freezer, place the tightly wrapped turkey into a freezer-safe bag. Make sure all the air is squeezed out of the bag when you store it. Before you reheat your turkey, you’ll need to let it thaw out completely in the fridge. Frozen turkey will last for 2-3 months!
Other Instant Pot Recipes to Try
- This Instant Pot Pumpkin Soup is a cozy and delicious side dish to serve on Thanksgiving. It’s warm, creamy and full of pumpkin flavor.
- Nothing beats fresh Homemade Cranberry Sauce! My easy recipe is also keto, paleo and gluten-free.
- My kids are obsessed with this Instant Pot Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese. Made with pumpkin puree and two types of cheeses, it’s fall comfort food at its finest.
More turkey recipes you’ll love:
This healthy Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe will save you tons of time in the kitchen on Thanksgiving! Learn how to serve some tasty, low-carb turkey to your family with less money and effort than ever. Naturally gluten-free, keto,low carb, dairy-free, paleo and Whole30 compliant.
- 1 medium carrot cut into thirds
- 1 medium onion cut into wedges
- 2 celery ribs cut into thirds
- 1/2 lemon sliced
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tbsp softened butter flavored coconut oil can sub with avocado oil, olive oil, ghee or butter if not dairy-free
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/3 tsp dried oregano
- 1/3 tsp dried thyme
- 1/3 tsp dried sage
- 1 bone-in, skin-on turkey breast 6-7 lbs, patted dry, gravy packet removed if included
Place the carrots, onions, celery, sliced lemons and broth in an 8-quart Instant Pot.
In a small bowl, use a fork to combine the coconut oil, salt, pepper and seasonings and brush or rub on the turkey breast.
Place the trivet on top of the vegetables and arrange the turkey breast on top, breast side up.
Lock the lid and push the steam valve to the sealing position. Then, press the High Pressure or Manual button and set the time for 36 minutes.
Allow the turkey to naturally release for 10 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure by pushing the steam valve to venting.
Carefully open the lid and allow to cool for 3 minutes before carefully transferring the turkey to a large baking sheet.
Broil the turkey for about 5 minutes, or until golden, watching closely that the skin does not burn.
Slice and serve with roasted vegetables and cauliflower mash.
Leave a Comment