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Easy and Tender Instant Pot Turkey Breast - a tender, moist and flavorful turkey (with gravy) in under an hour! No more early mornings or times spent basting a turkey every 20-30 minutes or less. Try this Instant Pot version with your family and friends this holiday season! #instantpot #instantpotturkey #turkey #friendsgiving #thanksgivingrecipes | https://withpeanutbutterontop.com
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Easy Tender Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Easy, tender Instant Pot turkey breast that takes all the effort, time and guesswork out of creating a healthy turkey breast! All done in the Instant Pot in under an hour.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Christmas, Friendsgiving, Instant Pot, Thanksgiving, Turkey Breast
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Pot to Pressure 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 575kcal
Author Samantha Buckner

Ingredients

Turkey:

  • 6 1/2 lb turkey breast, thawed (this fits a 6 Qt or larger Instant Pot)
  • 1 cup chicken broth, or sub with vegetable broth
  • 2 stalks celery, sliced
  • 1 medium onion, sliced into chunks
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tbsp light butter, melted
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp dried sage
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp salt, more or less, to taste
  • 1/2 tsp pepper, more or less, to taste

Gravy:

  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp water

Broiler (optional):

  • 2 tbsp light butter, melted

Instructions

  • Add the chicken broth (or vegetable broth) to the bottom of the pot. Put a trivet into the pot overtop of the broth.
  • Remove the (thawed) turkey from its wrapper and pat dry. Remove any items from the inside of the cavity and rinse the turkey thoroughly. Pat dry with paper towels.
  • To a small mixing bowl, combine: melted butter, garlic powder, onion powder,  rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix to thoroughly blend. Brush this mixture over the entire turkey breast, rubbing it in with your hands.
  • Stuff the turkey breast with the celery, onion, garlic cloves, and fresh sprigs of thyme.
  • Place the turkey breast into the pot, onto the trivet, with the neck facing upward (the stuffed end).
  • Place the lid on the pot and close. Set the valve to the sealed position.
  • Set the Instant Pot to High Pressure for 6 minutes per pound. So for a 6.5 pound turkey breast, set it to 39 minutes. It will take 15-20 minutes to come to pressure before it starts to cook, so now is the time to prep another dish, if you have one.
  • When the timer goes off, do a natural release for 10 minutes, followed by a quick release to remove any remaining pressure.
  • Carefully remove the turkey from the pot to a serving dish (or roasting pan if placing under the broiler), and cover with foil to keep warm.
  • Cancel the Instant Pot action and turn it to 'Sauté'. In a small mixing bowl, combine the cornstarch with the water. Whisk to thoroughly combine.
  • Using a skimmer (listed in the 'Tools Used' section above), skim any excess fat from the broth. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the pot of broth and whisk until the broth starts to thicken.
  • IF BROILING TURKEY: Place the turkey into an oven safe baking dish or pan. Brush the melted butter over the skin of the turkey and place under the broiler set on LOW for 3-4 minutes, or until the skin starts to brown. Keep an eye on the turkey!
  • Remove and serve with gravy and sides of choice. Check my post for some recommendations!

Notes

 
NUTRITION: This recipe serves 4-6 people. Nutrition is based on 1 serving of 6, including the gravy.
TURKEY INSIDES: You can discard the celery, onion, garlic and thyme from the inside of the turkey. They are merely there for providing moisture, as well as additional flavor, to the turkey while it cooks.
SODIUM: If you're watching your sodium or prefer to control how much sodium goes into your dish, I recommend using a low-sodium or no-salt-added broth and adding salt to suit your taste preferences.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 76g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 261mg | Sodium: 938mg | Potassium: 894mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 430IU | Vitamin C: 7.6mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 3.5mg