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Instant Pot Turkey Breast – Fresh or Frozen [Video]

Catalina Castravet
By Catalina Castravet
Updated:
Published:
5 from 8 reviews

Instant Pot Recipes Thanksgiving Recipes Turkey easy meals recipes

Cook time Cook time: 1 hour 5 minutes
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Instant Pot Turkey Breast turns out tender and is incredibly easy to make. You can make this time-saving recipe using fresh or frozen turkey breast.

Instant Pot recipes can save you so much time, I love that you can cook Frozen Chicken Breasts, Frozen Chicken Wings, Frozen Beef or even an entire Frozen Whole Chicken. Now, we are bringing you and recipe for Instant Pot Turkey Breast that you can also cook from either fresh or frozen.

instant pot turkey breast

The Best Instant Pot Turkey Breast

One of the easiest ways to cook turkey breast is by using your Instant Pot. The best part of this recipe is that you don’t have to thaw the turkey breast. Imagine how annoying it is when you planned to cook a turkey breast for dinner, but forgot to thaw it. No more problems like this, with this recipe you can easily cook a fresh or frozen turkey breast in your pressure cooker.

The turkey turns out juicy and moist and yes, I don’t have an issue using that word. If your oven is busy and you don’t want to cook an entire turkey for Thanksgiving, this Instant Pot version is perfect for you. Finish it under the broiler for a few minutes to get the skin crispy and golden brown.

WHY COOK TURKEY BREAST IN THE INSTANT POT?

Cooking turkey breasts in the pressure cooker is a great idea. First, you can cook a fresh or frozen turkey breast, bonus points for that. The meat ends up being very moist and tender, just like it has been slow-roasted for hours. Also, you can’t beat the convenience of being able to cook a frozen turkey breast in just under 2 hours, it takes way longer to defrost it.

Instant pot turkey breast - frozen or fresh

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE INSTANT POT TURKEY BREAST

HOW DO YOU COOK TURKEY BREAST IN THE INSTANT POT?

Making Instant Pot Turkey Breast is very easy and it involves just a few steps, you can also make this in any other electric pressure cooker:

  1. All you have to do is add either fresh or frozen turkey breast to the Instant Pot, add water and cook on High Pressure per recipe directions.
  2. Release pressure, remove turkey breast from the pressure cooker and brush with melted butter mixed with your favorite seasoning.
  3. Broil, checking often so it doesn’t burn.

Frozen turkey breast instant pot

How long to cook turkey breast in instant pot?

COOKING TIME FOR INSTANT POT TURKEY BREAST USING FRESH/THAWED MEAT:

  • 3 pounds turkey breast = 20 minutes cooking time on High Pressure with a 15 minutes Natural Pressure Release
  • 3.5 pounds turkey breast = 23 minutes cooking time on High Pressure with a 15 minutes Natural Pressure Release
  • 4 pounds turkey breast = 25 minutes cooking time on High Pressure with a 15 minutes Natural Pressure Release
  • 4.5 pounds turkey breast = 28 minutes cooking time on High Pressure with a 15 minutes Natural Pressure Release
  • 5 pounds turkey breast = 33 minutes cooking time on High Pressure with a 15 minutes Natural Pressure Release

COOKING TIME FOR INSTANT POT TURKEY BREAST USING FROZEN MEAT:

  • 3 pounds turkey breast = 39 minutes cooking time on High Pressure with a 15 minutes Natural Pressure Release
  • 3.5 pounds turkey breast = 46 minutes cooking time on High Pressure with a 15 minutes Natural Pressure Release
  • 4 pounds turkey breast = 52 minutes cooking time on High Pressure with a 15 minutes Natural Pressure Release
  • 4.5 pounds turkey breast = 60 minutes cooking time on High Pressure with a 15 minutes Natural Pressure Release
  • 5 pounds turkey breast = 65 minutes cooking time on High Pressure with a 15 minutes Natural Pressure Release

Instant pot turkey breast recipe

WHAT TO SERVE INSTANT POT TURKEY BREAST WITH:

What to do with leftover turkey?

Leftover turkey doesn’t have to go to waste, it can be added to many delicious recipes, you can replace the chicken with turkey in this delicious Chicken Spaghetti Casserole or Crack Chicken Casserole. You can also add it to salads, wraps, and sandwiches.

WHAT IS A NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE?

A Natural Pressure Release means that the pressure is released gradually. For a Natural Pressure Release, you click on Keep Warm, and wait 10-15 minutes (or based on what the recipe says), after which you open the valve and let any leftover pressure to release.

Another option is to Turn Off/Unplug the pressure cooker, wait 10-15 minutes (or based on what the recipe says) and after that open the valve. A natural release is usually used when cooking soups, meat in a large amount of sauce, pasta or steel cut oats. This method prevents any foam from the dish to shoot out through the valve, which can happen during a Quick Pressure Release.

Other great Thanksgiving recipes:

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5 from 8 reviews

Easy Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Instant Pot Turkey Breast turns out tender and is incredibly easy to make. You can make this time saving recipe using fresh or frozen turkey breast.

Easy Instant Pot Turkey Breast
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Author: Catalina Castravet Serves: 6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 5 minutes Total time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

Buttery Mixture for Broiling:

Instructions

Cook:

Buttery Mixture for Broiling:

Broil:

Nutrition information

Calories: 259 Carbohydrates: 5 Protein: 0 Fat: 26 Saturated Fat: 5 Cholesterol: 0 Sodium: 915 Potassium: 76 Fiber: 0 Sugar: 3 Vitamin A: 1175 Vitamin C: 4.1 Calcium: 17 Iron: 0.2
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Instant Pot Recipes Thanksgiving Recipes Turkey easy meals recipes

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Comments

Leave a reply

Sue

Did you use a boneless or bone-in turkey breast?

Reply
Catalina Castravet

bone in

Reply

Lin.xia

Wow this is just perfect for the holidays!!

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Anne Marie

I'm going to clip and save this for Thanksgiving. We always buy a second turkey since they are on sale, and we use it to make meals and sandwiches in the week following.

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robin rue

I am ALWAYS looking for new instant pot recipes. I am excited to make some turkey breast in mine now.

Reply

Liz Mays

We're definitely going to try prepping turkey like this soon. In the past year we've really gotten into using the instant pot to simplify some of our old recipes.

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Amy

Wow, this looks so good! I have never even thought to cook turkey in the Instant Pot. Sounds so good!!

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Kathy

This recipe looks really good. That turkey turned out great! I've always wanted to try this with the instant pot. Now I really need to give it a shot.

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Rachel

Oh nelly! I love my instant pot. I need to go buy some turkey. I am so inspired now.

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Stephanie Pass

Oh my, I love turkey, and I had no idea I could cook it in an instant pot. I've literally had an instant pot in a box for a year now. I need to try this!

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Heather

I am so amazed by the Instant Pot everyday seeing what people are making for dinner. This looks incredible and I definitely want to give it a try.

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Toni | Boulder Locavore

Saving this for Thanksgiving! Thank you so much for sharing your helpful tips!!

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Jennifer

I am definitely going to have to try this during Thanksgiving this year. I was wondering if I could cook a turkey in my instant pot.

Reply

Cinde

Hello, Thank you for the recipe.How do you remove the giblets prior to cooking if using a frozen turkey breast?

Reply
Catalina Castravet

You won't be able to remove them, unless you try to run the cavity under warm water for a while to loosen it, you can do that or remove before broiling.

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Reesa Lewandowski

This is a great idea for Thanksgiving when you need a little bit more meat! I would love to try!

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Lisa Joy Thompson

I love cooking turkey and try to roast one once a month, but this recipe could make my life a whole lot easier. A turkey breast that hardly takes any time to cook? Yes please!!!

Reply

Minda

Nice recipe We tried it yesterday and quite loved it. Also, we tried your chicken one and was delicious! 

Reply
Catalina Castravet

Hi - I am very happy that you loved both, thank you for the feedback!

Reply

JG

This recipe looks AMAZING!!! Do you think you could you do this with a boneless, stuffed turkey breast, like the one sold by Butterball? (see link here: https://www.butterball.ca/en/products/boneless-stuffed-turkey-breast-roast) I think it should work since you have to cook it from frozen, but just wondering if the lack of a bone and the stuffing will make a difference. I would still use the broiler to brown after it is done.

Reply
Catalina Castravet

You should be able to cook it, I don't see why not.

Reply

Nancy

If the frozen turkey is 7 pounds, do I still cook for the same amount of time?

Reply
Catalina Castravet

No, that would be about 90 minutes.

Reply

Cheryl Schnupp

This was SOOOO good!! And SOOO easy!! I had a 7.5# turkey breast (which I had to wrestle into my 6 qt Instant Pot, but I got it in there!!) that I partially defrosted in a sink full of water for maybe an hour. I only did so to get the gravy pouch that was stuffed in there, out. Cooked for 60 minutes, 15 minute NR and it was PERFECT! I added some shallots, poultry seasoning, rosemary, and salt in with my softened butter and shoved it under the skin before putting in the IP and never broiled in oven (just removed skin once I pulled it out of the IP). It was really tender, BUT it was registering pretty overcooked - like 195-200 in some spots. (but who cares, better over than under with poultry IMO). It was still tender and delicious! Next time I might go for 50 minutes with 15 min natural release. Thanks for the recipe!! :)

Reply
Catalina Castravet

Hi Cheryl, thank you for your feedback :) I am very happy that you enjoyed this recipe :)

Reply

cherylwiers

Hi. Would the cooking time be the same for a pre-cooked, frozen turkey breast without bone in?

Reply

Linda S.

IF your oven has both a high and low broil temp setting, which one would be best to use?

Reply
Catalina Castravet

the high one

Reply

Jennifer

Thanks for this! It took forever to find you. All I needed was the time and liquid for frozen turkey breast so I can make soup!!!

Reply
Catalina Castravet

Hi Jennifer, thanks! ))

Reply

Karen Kordich

Glad I watched the video, as you know this is a busy time of year and I miss read the instructions. The video is very short but well worth watching it. It’s less than 2 minutes, so take the time and watch it. I try watching any videos because sometimes we miss interpret what we are reading.

Reply
Catalina Castravet

Yes, this is the main reason we try to put a short video for every recipe we make, to better guide you through the process. Thank you for your feedback!

Reply

Stephen Ryan

Mine is a bone-in breast, however I don't have a trivet for the instapot, what can I use instead?

Reply
Catalina Castravet

I would suggest investing in a trivet, you will use it many times with your IP.

Reply

Nanny B

I have an 8 quart Duo Instant Pot, with 8.34 pound bone in turkey breast. Could you please advise how much liquid to use, cook time and natural release time? Thank you so very much!

Reply
Catalina Castravet

I would do 90 minutes cooking time on High Pressure with a 15 minutes Natural Pressure Release and two cups of liquid.

Reply

Whitney

Which brand of turkey breast have people found works best? Pre-basted or not? Anxious to try this method this week for Thanksgiving!

Reply
Catalina Castravet

Both work well!

Reply

Verna

I have a frozen turkey breast that is a little over 5 pounds , how long would I cook it for ? It’s 5.3 pounds Thanks

Reply
Catalina Castravet

65-70 minutes should work

Reply

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