Put the pressure cooker to work for a holiday feast that comes together in under an hour. Quick Pressure Cooker Turkey Breast Recipe – 40 minutes to the table.
Not every holiday meal or special dinner is going to involve 15 family members and a flurry of your closest friends. Sometime’s, it’s going to be a smaller more intimate group. It’s easy to cook for a just two people, but making holiday meals can seem daunting as all of the special cuts seem to also be larger cuts and that means being creative with a lot of leftovers. I have been thinking on this, as my close family and friends is a pretty small group and wanted to see just how easy I could make feeding everyone for the holidays.
Truth bomb. It doesn’t get much easier than this. One six pound turkey breast, 40 minutes and dinner was on the table. Who knew holidays could be this easy?
I used a pressure cooker for the turkey, cooking the bone in turkey breast in 30 minutes, plus the few moments it took for the pressure to work itself up. Meanwhile, I made mashed potatoes, biscuits, and roasted root vegetables.
While the turkey was resting, I created a pan sauce with the drippings and broth I’d used in the pressure cooker itself. The meal was all said and done in under an hour, which beats the hours I used to spend fretting about the kitchen trying to get everything just right.
When picking up a bird, look for a small to medium bone-in turkey breast. You don’t want to overfill your pressure cooker, so keep that in mind when shopping. Of course, you could just get a breast, off the bone, if you are only looking to feed two, however, I feel that bone in produces the best flavor and helps to retain moisture.
Also, you will still have a wishbone, which is the only real reason people buy full turkeys, right?
Let’s make this intimate holiday merry and bright.
Ingredients
- 6 - 7 lbs bone-in turkey breast thawed
- 1 onion halved
- 3 garlic cloves smashed
- 1 carrot cut in half
- 2 celery stalks cut in half
- 4 cups chicken broth
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbs fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 tbs fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tbs fresh sage
- 4 tbs butter bonus points for herb butter
For the Gravy
- Reserved cooking liquid from the turkey breast
- 2 tbs butter
- 2 tbs flour
Instructions
- Place the chicken broth in the pressure cooker and add a steamer, open fully over top. Place the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery to the steamer.
- Mix the rosemary and parsley together in a bowl.
- Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Season well with salt and pepper (don't forget to season the cavity). Carefully use your fingers to pull up the skin from the top of the turkey breast and rub with the chopped herbs. Slide 4 pats of butter (about 1 tablespoon each) under the skin and a few of the sage leaves. Place the turkey breast in the pressure cooker.
- Seal the lid and set your pressure cooker to 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to cook the turkey and release the steam naturally.
- Carefully remove the turkey breast from the pressure cooker when the pressure has released. Place the turkey on a baking sheet and put under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the skin. Remove and wrap well to rest.
- Remove the steamer with the cooked vegetables and discard.
Make the Gravy
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and allow to cook for one minute. Ladle about a cup of the cooking liquid into the saucepan, whisking, to create a roux. Add a little more liquid if needed. Once the roux has come together, set your pressure cooker to simmer and add the roux. Allow to cook until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. (If your pressure cooker does not have this option, continue to whisk the cooking liquid into the flour and butter mix and cook until thickened).
- Serve the turkey breast sliced with the gravy on the side.
What if I only have a 3 pound turkey breast? I don’t think I cut the time down, but don’t want it to turn out dry.
Looks amazing, thank you!
I would still cook it for the full time. Boneless?
Don’t you need to add some liquid (chicken broth) to the pressure cooker when you put the turkey in to cook?
Yep Michele. You’ll want to put 4 cups of chicken broth in the pressure cooker before cooking as mentioned in step one. Otherwise, things could get really bad for that turkey breast! ?
Thank you – Not sure how I missed that liquid step. Thank you for this great sounding recipe and your fast reply.
No worries Michele! I hope you enjoy it 😀
This will be my first recipe using a Pressure Cooker. What settings do I use? It sounds delicious!
Am I understanding the recipe correctly that the turkey is cooked by steaming (along with the veggies)?
Regarding, “Remove and wrap well to rest.” what is the purpose of wrapping and what is the turkey to be wrapped with?
Do I use the steamer I use on the stove or did your pressure cooker come with a steamer.
hey Kathy, my pressure cooker is the Fagor all in one – no stove needed. It’s a wonderful little machine! What do you have? Thanks
Does it matter which way you put in the turkey breast … I.e. Breast side up or down. The only way I can fit my turkey breast in the pressure cooker on top of the steamer and close and lock the lid is breast side down. My turkey breast weights 7.44 pounds. When this is done will it come out in one piece for placement under the broiler for browning?
What about cooking boneless??
Hey Jacque, I would apply the same amount or just a minute or two under depending on weight and thickness. Thanks
Hi Kita,
What type of steamer do you use? A basket? A trivet? Thank you!
Hi! I am cooking a 9.5 turkey breast ( bone-in) in my pressure cooker. How much time should I add? You recipe sounds so delicious, I cannot wait to try!