This turkey pot pie is a family favorite and using the Instant Pot makes it so quick and easy. It's also a great way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey!
Making a homemade turkey pot pie can take hours, but using an Instant Pot and a frozen puff pastry topping makes this turkey pot pie recipe an easy weeknight meal. Best of all you can cook the turkey and prepare the filling all in the same pot so clean up is a breeze.
Ingredients
- 1½ pound split bone-in turkey breast
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1-2 stalks celery
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 1 10 oz. bag frozen mixed vegetables
- olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 3 Tablespoons flour
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
- 1 egg
How to cook turkey in an Instant Pot
Note: This recipe was developed on a 6Qt Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus.
Cooking turkey in an Instant Pot is one of my favorite ways to make turkey. It keeps the meat so moist and tender. And you can cook a split bone-in turkey breast in around 20-25 minutes, about half the time it would take to roast! It's a great option for a small Thanksgiving dinner too.
To cook the turkey, set the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Coat the turkey with olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper, and ½ teaspoon of poultry seasoning.
Sear the turkey, skin side down, for 1-2 minutes until the skin is golden brown. Flip the turkey over and turn off the Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of chicken broth then seal and lock the lid. Set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure and cook for 10 minutes.
Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick vent any remaining pressure before opening the lid.
Remove the turkey from the Instant Pot. Discard the skin and cut the meat from the bone, then roughly dice the turkey and set aside. Pour the broth into a bowl or cup and set aside to use for the pot pie filling later.
How to make turkey pot pie in the Instant Pot
To make the pot pie filling, set the Instant Pot to sauté and melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Cook your celery and onion for 3-4 minutes until softened then add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Stir in the flour and cook until light golden brown, around 2 minutes. Add the reserved broth from cooking the turkey and the remaining broth and milk. Stir constantly for around 1-2 minutes until the mixture comes to a simmer. Season with the remaining salt and pepper and 1 teaspoon of dried thyme. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
Turn off the Instant Pot and add in the frozen vegetables and the cooked turkey.
How to cook the puff pastry topping
I love to use puff pastry as the topping for my turkey pot pie instead of a traditional pie crust. It's so flaky and buttery and delicious! I use Pepperidge Farm frozen puff pastry sheets that are available in most supermarkets. You'll need to set the frozen puff pastry out to thaw for about 20-30 minutes before using, so I take it out while the turkey is cooking.
To cook the pastry, preheat your oven to 425ºF and transfer the turkey pot pie filling to a 8 or 9 inch square baking dish. Roll out the sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface to fit your dish, then set the pastry on top. Using a sharp knife pierce the pastry in the center to make steam vents.
Make an egg wash by beating 1 egg with 1-2 tablespoons of water. Then brush the egg wash on top of the pastry.
Set the baking dish on a foil lined sheet pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown. Allow the turkey pot pie to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Can I use leftover turkey?
Yes! This pot pie recipe is perfect for using up leftover turkey after Thanksgiving or Christmas. This will also cut the cooking time almost in half! You will need around a pound of cooked turkey.
Can I use chicken instead?
Absolutely , you can also use chicken for this recipe if you prefer. Substitute 2 bone in chicken breasts and cook as directed. Or you can use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken.
What vegetables to use in pot pie?
Peas and carrots are most often used in pot pie recipes. But, I like to use a blend of peas, carrots, corn, and green beans to get a little more variety. Diced potatoes are another great choice. And I like to add in sautéed mushrooms sometimes too.
Can I use a different topping?
You can use a traditional pie crust in place of the puff pastry if you prefer. To keep this a quick and easy weeknight meal I would recommend using a store bought crust. The filling is already cooked through so you'll just need to cook the crust according to the package directions.
Biscuits are another great option for the topping. You can use refrigerated or frozen biscuits to top the pot pie and cook them according to the package instructions.
Instant Pot Turkey Pot Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ pound turkey breast
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 3 Tablespoons flour
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1-2 stalks celery diced
- 1-2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 1 10 oz. bag frozen mixed vegetables peas, carrots, corn, and green beans
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 frozen puff pastry
- 1 large egg
- 1-2 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté. Coat the turkey with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil then season with 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of poultry seasoning, and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Sear the turkey, skin side down, for 1-2 minutes then flip and turn off the pot.
- Add 1 cup of chicken broth to the pot then seal the lid and cook on manual high pressure for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes then quick vent the remaining pressure.
- While the turkey is cooking preheat your oven to 425°F and set the frozen puff pastry out to thaw.
- Remove the turkey from the pot and pour the broth into a bowl or cup and set aside. Remove the skin and bone from the turkey and dice the meat.
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté. Once it's preheated melt 3 Tablespoons of butter, then sauté the diced onion and celery for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Then stir in the flour and cook for around 2 minutes,stirring frequently, until lightly browned.
- Add the reserved broth along with the additional cup of broth and milk. Stir frequently for 1-2 minute until simmering. Season with the remaining salt, pepper, and thyme, then cook for 2-3 minutes more until thickened. Turn off the Instant Pot and add the frozen vegetables and the diced turkey meat.
- Pour the filling mixture into a 8 or 9 inch square baking dish and top with the puff pastry. Using a sharp knife, pierce the pastry in the center to make vent holes to allow steam to escape while baking.
- Make an egg wash by beating the egg with 1-2 Tablespoons of water, then brush the top of the pastry with the egg wash.
- Set the baking dish on a foil lined sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Let cool for around 10 minutes before serving.
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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