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Prepared duck breasts in an iron skillet, topped with orange segments, orange zest julienne and thyme

Classic Duck Breast a l'Orange Recipe

Shilpi & Etienne | between2kitchens
A flavourful combination of roasted duck breasts, zesty oranges and the classic sauce bigarade, all in one dish. Duck a l'orange is the perfect family meal at Christmas time.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine French
Servings 4 people
Calories 364 kcal

Equipment

  • small pot
  • heavy bottom pan
  • juicer

Ingredients
 
 

For the Duck

  • 4 duck breasts
  • 2 oranges
  • 3 sprig thyme
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • salt, pepper, olive oil

For the Sauce

  • 300 g chicken jus or demi glace
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • 25 ml grand marnier

Instructions
 

For the Duck

  • Score the skin of the duck breast and season with salt and pepper.
    Scored duck breast with sharp knife on wooden chopping board
  • Heat up a pan and add a drizzle of olive oil. Place the duck breasts with the skin side down in the pan.
    Two Duck breasts skin down in hot pan
  • Cook the duck breasts for 5 minutes and turn around.
    Pan fried duck breasts turned in a hot pan
  • Lower the heat and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the thyme sprig and butter and keep spooning the foaming butter over the duck skin for another 2 minutes.
    Pan fried duck breasts in an iron skillet with butter and thyme
  • Remove the ducks from the pan and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Serve whole or cut in half.

For the Sauce Bigarade

  • Using a peeler, peel the oranges. Try to keep the peels as thin as possible. With a sharp knife remove the pith (the white part) and cut into julienne (thin stripes).
    Picture showing how to julienne the orange zest with a sharp knife on a wooden chopping board
  • Place the orange julienne in a small pot and cover with cold water. Bring slowly to a boil and strain. Cool down the orange julienne under cold running water.
  • Peel the remaining oranges with a sharp knife and remove the orange segments.
  • Cut the oranges in half and squeeze the juice. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze as well.
    Juicing half a lemon
  • In a heavy pot add the sugar and cover with a small amount of water. Boil until the sugar starts caramelising.
    Sugar and water caramalising in the pot
  • Add carefully the grand manier making sure none of the hot sugar is coming on your hand.
  • Add the lemon and orange juice. Bring to a boil.
  • Add the chicken jus and reduce the heat to a simmer once the sauce has boiled. Cook for another 10 minutes and strain.
  • Add the blanched orange julienne to the sauce.
  • Slice the duck breasts in half and garnish with the orange segments. Serve the sauce bigarade on the side.
    Orange segments on pan fried duck breasts while butter basting

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Classic Duck Breast a l'Orange Recipe
Amount Per Serving (180 g)
Calories 364 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Cholesterol 175mg58%
Sodium 138mg6%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 15g17%
Protein 46g92%
Vitamin A 321IU6%
Vitamin C 64mg78%
Calcium 52mg5%
Iron 11mg61%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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