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Duck Breast with Orange Sauce

Learn how to make duck breast with orange sauce, a quick and easy traditional recipe with tender duck and a rich, warming orange sauce.
Recipe Duck Breast with Orange Sauce
  • Difficulty Easy
  • Preparation 15 minutes
  • Cooking 15 minutes
  • Servings for 4 people

Have you ever wanted to bring an elegant main course to the table that wins your guests over from the first bite? Pan-seared duck breast with orange sauce is the perfect answer if you’re looking for an easy, refined recipe that still impresses with the flavors and aromas of special occasions. This duck with orange sauce recipe lets you turn a few ingredients into a true gourmet dish: the tender meat with orange is the star of a harmony of flavors in which the sweetness and liveliness of the orange sauce for meat meet the bold character of duck breast.

Let us guide you through cooking duck breast in a skillet, for meat that stays juicy inside with slightly crisp skin, perfect for the citrusy note of the sauce. Thanks to a few simple tricks, which we’ll reveal step by step, you’ll serve a modern, impressive main course, also ideal for a family dinner or to celebrate special moments. And if you’d like to try a different cooking method, make oven-roasted duck breast for an equally tempting variation.

Do you love pairing meat with citrus? Besides this dish, find inspiration in the classic Duck with Orange Sauce, the Duck Breast with Balsamic Vinegar and, if you prefer white meat, the Chicken Breast with Orange Sauce and the fresh Skillet Orange Chicken. If you’d like to be bold with fish, we suggest the delicate Sole with Orange.

Now is the time to let the wonderful aroma of this recipe win you over: follow along to find out how to serve duck breast with orange sauce that will truly surprise and satisfy everyone.

Ingredients for 4 people

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Method

  1. To make the Duck Breast with Orange Sauce, lay the breasts skin side up on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, score the meat diagonally at intervals of half a centimeter (about 1/4 inch) to form a kind of grid.
  2. Wash the oranges well and use a citrus zester or a vegetable peeler to cut the zest into julienne strips. Heat some water in a small saucepan. When it boils, add the orange zest and cook for a few minutes. Meanwhile, squeeze one orange into a small bowl to get as much juice as possible. You can use a citrus juicer if you like. Cut the other orange into slices, taking care to remove all the white pith.
  3. Heat a medium nonstick skillet, and when it’s hot, lay the duck breasts in it skin side down. Cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat, then turn the breasts over, prick them with the tines of a fork and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove them from the skillet, season with salt and pepper and place them in a baking dish. Put them in a hot oven that has been turned off for about 10 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, take the skillet you cooked the duck in and set the fat from the meat aside. Cook the orange juice, orange slices, liqueur and zest in the skillet. When the liquid has reduced by about half, add the strained cooking fat and reduce a little more. Finally, add the butter straight from the fridge and stir until it melts completely. Take the duck breasts, cut them into thin slices, plate them and drizzle with the orange sauce. Serve your Duck Breast with Orange Sauce. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

If you love orange but don’t have duck on hand, you can replace it with chicken and make Chicken Breast with Orange Sauce.

Tips

To cut the Duck Breast with Orange Sauce into thin slices, you can use meat tongs.

Storage

You can keep Duck Breast with Orange Sauce in the fridge for one day in an airtight container.

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