It can sometimes take days to completely thaw a turkey, but today we are sharing how you can cook a completely frozen turkey in your Instant Pot in 1-2 hours (depending on the size of your turkey!).
We have already shared how to cook a Thanksgiving turkey, but maybe you don’t need a whole turkey or don’t need to feed a ton of people! This instant pot turkey breast recipe will be one of your all-time favorite instant pot recipes. The natural turkey drippings at the bottom of the pot mixed with fresh herbs will be the best part of your Thanksgiving. This is a great way to make a great recipe that will impress everyone who eats!
There are so many different ways to cook turkey but my favorite way is using an instant pot pressure cooker. I use my instant pot for easy recipes all the time and this is the easiest way for me to make a delicious meal fit for Thanksgiving. This is especially helpful if this is your first time or second time cooking a delicious turkey. This will satisfy a small crowd and leave you smiling!
The pressure cooking makes the boneless turkey breast extremely tender and gives the turkey crispy skin. The turkey dinner will be an easy recipe for you to make for years to come. If you have leftover turkey breast you can easily store it in an airtight container or even throw it in the freezer, in freezer bags. When it’s time to cook Thanksgiving dinner this year, it’ll be so low-stress because you’ll have this recipe card saved. Serve it with cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, turkey gravy, and any other Thanksgiving food you love. Then you can eat turkey sandwiches for the next few days with the leftovers (if you have any)! This is one of the most delicious recipes you’ll make this Thanksgiving.
Ingredients needed to cook a frozen turkey in the Instant Pot:
- 1 (4-10 pound) turkey breast (plan on about a pound per guest)
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 (15 ounce) can chicken broth
- seasonings of choice: salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, garlic powder
How to cook a frozen turkey in the Instant Pot:
Place trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
Cut the netting and packaging off of the turkey.
Remove the gravy packet (if there is one).
If you are struggling to get the gravy packet out of the turkey because it’s frozen, you can run it under hot water to loosen it enough to pull it out. However, keep in mind that you will need to disinfect your sink after as a general rule of thumb.
Place the frozen turkey in the Instant Pot.
Rub (or brush) melted butter on all sides of the turkey.
Seasoning the turkey with all the seasonings, trying to cover as much of the surface of the turkey as possible.
Pour chicken broth in the bottom of the Instant Pot, being sure to not pour the chicken broth directly on top of the turkey and wash the seasonings off.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot, push the MANUAL button, and set the timer depending on how big your turkey is.
Here is a breakdown of how long to cook a frozen turkey in the Instant Pot:
- 3-4 lbs: 65 mins
- 4-5 lbs: 70 min
- 5-6 lbs: 75 mins
- 6-7 lbs: 80 mins
- 7-8 lbs: 85 mins
- 8-9 lbs: 90 mins
- 9-10 lbs: 95 mins
- 10-11 lbs: 100 mins
Let the pressure naturally release for 20 minutes, then move the valve to VENTING and release any remaining pressure.
Remove turkey and let rest for about 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Use drippings in pot to make a delicious homemade gravy (get our recipe here!).
Looking for more freezer meals just like this? Click here for our top 100 Instant Pot Freezer Meals!
Watch How We Cook a Frozen Turkey HERE:
Need more ideas on how to cook your turkey?
- Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Turkey
- Easy Marinated Turkey Breast
- How to cook a turkey in a Convection Oven
- Slow Cooker Turkey and Stuffing
Be sure to check out all the other ways that we cook our Thanksgiving turkey, including the Air Fryer!
If you are planning Thanksgiving dinner, be sure to check out all of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes:
- 30 Minute Dinner Rolls
- Grandma’s Thanksgiving Stuffing
- Green Bean Casserole
- Slow Cooker Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- How To Make Turkey Gravy From Scratch
- Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
- Strawberry Jello Fluff Salad
- Easy Sweet Cornbread
- Simple Pumpkin Pie
- Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Fluffy Cranberry Salad
- Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
- The BEST Candied Yams without Corn Syrup
- Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
- EASY Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
If you have leftover turkey, be sure to try our Turkey Cranberry Wraps and Turkey Corn Chowder!
How To Cook a Frozen Turkey in the Instant Pot Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 pound turkey breast (anywhere from 3-11 pounds will work; plan on 1 pound per person)
- ¼ cup butter melted
- seasonings, to taste salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder
- 15 ounces chicken broth
Instructions
- Place trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Cut the netting and packaging off of the turkey. Remove the gravy packet (if there is one).
- Place the frozen turkey in the Instant Pot.
- Rub (or brush) melted butter on all sides of the turkey.
- Top the turkey with all the seasonings, trying to cover as much of the surface of the turkey as possible.
- Pour chicken broth in the bottom of the Instant Pot, being careful to not pour it directly on the turkey and wash all the seasonings off (you could also pour the chicken broth in before you place the turkey inside the Instant Pot).
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, push the MANUAL button, and set the timer for 1 hour and 25 minutes (more or less depending on how big your turkey is – see notes for details).
- When cooking is finished, allow for a natural release for 20 minutes. Move valve to VENTING and release any remaining pressure.
- Remove turkey and let rest for about 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
- If desired, use drippings to make a gravy (see notes below).
- If you want a crispier skin, place the turkey in an oven-safe pan and broil in the oven for 1-3 minutes until it reaches the crisp you desire.
Video
Notes
4-5 lbs: 70 min
5-6 lbs: 75 mins
6-7 lbs: 80 mins
7-8 lbs: 85 mins
8-9 lbs: 90 mins
9-10 lbs: 95 mins
10-11 lbs: 100 mins You can cook up to a 7 lb turkey in a 6 quart Instant Pot and up to a 10 lb turkey in an 8 quart Instant Pot. Here is our recipe for homemade turkey gravy: https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/how-to-make-turkey-gravy-from-scratch/
Nutrition
Equipment
- Instant Pot (or Pressure Cooker)
- basting brush (optional)
Recipe Details
This post was included in our 4 EASY Instant Pot Thanksgiving Recipes video – for more inexpensive and delicious recipes like this one, click here to check it out!
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