Pressure Cooker Turkey Breast Recipe – juicy turkey breast cooked in a pressure cooker in just 35 minutes! The best way to save time preparing Thanksgiving dinner.
A little Thanksgiving practice run before heading off to spend the week with family. Herbed turkey breast with homemade gluten-free gravy!
I’m opting for turkey breast as opposed to a whole turkey this year because it’s easy and you can customize the recipe depending on how large or small of a group you’re serving, plus it has a shorter cooking time.
Pressure Cooker Turkey Breast
For this recipe, I used 3 features on my NinjaFoodi: pressure cook, aircrisp (to get that golden-brown skin), and the sauté feature to bring the liquid to a simmer and make gravy.
I love the convenience of being able to make the turkey breast and gravy all in one pot! This frees up my oven and stove for cooking sides and yields turkey that is super tender on the inside and crispy + golden-brown on the outside.
Pressure Cooker Herbed Turkey Breast Ingredients:
Turkey Breast: Lean and easy to customize for smaller groups.
Chicken or Vegetable Broth: Adds moisture and flavor to the turkey.
Olive Oil: Adds moisture and helps in achieving a golden-brown skin.
Seasonings and Herbs: Infuses the turkey with delicious, comforting holiday flavors.
How to Cook Turkey Breast in a Pressure Cooker:
Begin by patting the turkey breast dry with paper towels. Mix together the dried seasonings and herbs, then add 2 tbsp of olive oil to the seasoning mixture and combine.
Rub the seasoning mixture all over the turkey breast (including the cavity) and then stuff the cavity with fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary and sage.
Next, add broth to the inner pot of the pressure cooker (I always use my NinjaFoodi) and the reversible rack. Set the turkey on the rack and put the pressure cooker lid on, making sure that the valve is in the sealed position.
Pressure cook for 35 minutes, with a 15-minute natural release. Drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and cover using the aircrisping lid. Aircrisp at 400 F for 15 minutes, rotating the pot using mitts halfway through.
Now, remove the reversible rack from the inner pot and place on a plate or baking dish. Let your turkey breast rest for 20-30 minutes, loosely tented with foil, before carving.
Then, press the sauté feature and bring the broth and drippings to a simmer. Mix together a slurry using 1/4 cup of cold water and 1/4 cup of tapioca flour. Add this once the liquid is simmering and let cook for 1 minute, while stirring.
Finally, turn the NinjaFoodi off after 1 minute and let the gravy thicken as it cools. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
How to Cook Turkey Breast in the Oven:
First, preheat the oven to 325 F. Follow all the instructions in step number 1 above.
Add roughly chopped carrots and celery to the bottom of a roasting pan. Pour the broth over the veggies as well as 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of pepper, and 1/4 tsp of dried thyme, then stir. Place the turkey breast on top of the vegetables.
Cook for 1.5-2 hours (basting with the broth and drippings halfway through) or until it reaches a temperature of 165 F. Let it rest for 15-30 minutes before carving and serving.
Remove veggies with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl (or keep in the liquid if you want the vegetables in the gravy). Bring the broth and dripping mixture to a simmer in a saucepan. Stir together 1/4 cup of cold water and 1/4 cup of tapioca flour to make a slurry.
Add it to the simmering liquid and cook for 1 minute, while stirring. Turn off the heat after 1 minute and let cool slightly to thicken. Season with salt + pepper to taste.
How Long Do You Cook a Turkey Breast in a Pressure Cooker?
While this recipe is based on a 3-4 lb turkey breast, you can easily adapt it for larger sizes. In my experience, a 7 lb turkey breast cooked perfectly with the same 35-minute pressure cooking time.
However, it’s always a good idea to check the internal temperature with a digital thermometer to ensure it reaches at least 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast.
Tips for the Perfect Pressure Cooked Turkey Breast
For a crispier skin, pat the turkey breast dry before seasoning and place the turkey breast under the broiler for a few minutes.
Letting the turkey rest after cooking ensures juiciness.
For a low fat option, remove the skin and before slicing the meat.
The pan drippings are perfect to make the gravy. Adjust the seasoning in the gravy according to your taste.
How to Store Pressure Cooked Turkey Breast
Store leftover turkey and gravy in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Side Dishes to Serve With Turkey Breast
Mashed Rutabagas – if you’re lucky and have two Pressure Cookers, I highly recommend making my pressure cooked mashed rutabagasas a side dish. It’s the only way I cook them now. Perfect every time! If not, no worries – the stovetop directions are there as well!
Oat Flour Biscuits– These biscuits are pure heaven. They have long been a favorite around here and I’m telling you everyone at the table will be coming back for seconds.
Gluten Free Stuffed Mushrooms – If your looking for a perfect holiday appetizer, look no further. These stuffed mushrooms are so easy and oh my, my mouth is watering just thinking about them. Perfect for a crowd as well.
Tender turkey breast, cooked to juicy perfection in just 35 minutes in the pressure cooker! A time-saving dish for hassle-free Thanksgiving dinner preparation.
optional: fresh thyme, rosemary, and/or sage to stuff in the cavity of the turkey breast
Instructions
Pressure Cooker Method:
Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels. Mix together dried seasonings and herbs. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to the seasoning mixture and combine. Rub all over the turkey breast (including the cavity). Stuff the cavity with fresh herbs (optional).
Add broth to the inner pot of the NinjaFoodi and the reversible rack. Set the turkey on the rack and put the pressure cooker lid on, making sure that the valve is in the sealed position.
Pressure cook for 35 minutes, with a 15-minute natural release. Drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and cover using the aircrisping lid. Aircrisp at 400 F for 15 minutes, rotating the pot using mitts halfway through. Remove the reversible rack from the inner pot and place on a plate or baking dish. Let rest for 20-30 minutes, loosely tented with foil, before carving.
Press the sauté feature and bring the broth and drippings to a simmer. Mix together a slurry using 1/4 cup of cold water and 1/4 cup of tapioca flour. Add this once the liquid is simmering and let cook for 1 minute, while stirring. Turn the NinjaFoodi off after 1 minute and let the gravy thicken as it cools. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Oven Method:
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Follow all the instructions in step number 1 above.
Add roughly chopped carrots and celery to the bottom of a roasting pan. Pour the broth over the veggies as well as 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of pepper, and 1/4 tsp of dried thyme, then stir. Place the turkey breast on top of the vegetables.
Cook for 1.5-2 hours (basting with the broth and drippings halfway through) or until it reaches a temperature of 165 F. Let it rest for 15-30 minutes before carving and serving.
Remove veggies with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl (or keep in the liquid if you want the vegetables in the gravy). Bring the broth and dripping mixture to a simmer in a saucepan. Stir together 1/4 cup of cold water and 1/4 cup of tapioca flour to make a slurry. Add it to the simmering liquid and cook for 1 minute, while stirring. Turn off the heat after 1 minute and let cool slightly to thicken. Season with salt + pepper to taste.
Notes
Please note that the cook time mentioned does not account for the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure. For a 7 lb turkey breast like mine, the 35-minute cooking duration yielded perfect results. It’s crucial to use a digital thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast.
This size of turkey breast fits seamlessly into a 6 qt Instant Pot.
Additionally, if you’re aiming for an even crispier skin, consider broiling the turkey for a few minutes after pressure cooking – it adds a delightful golden-brown finish.
