Cooking duck at home really couldn’t be simpler. It just takes a bit of patience to render the skin into golden crispiness. Chopped fan-favorite items like pineapple, avocado and jicama get tossed together in a quick, bright salsa that perfectly balances the richness of the duck.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- Four 6- to 8-ounce boneless duck breasts with skin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
- 1/2 pineapple, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
- 1/2 medium jicama, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
- 1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 Fresno chile, seeded (optional) and chopped
- Juice of 2 limes
- 2 firm-ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
Instructions
- Score the skin on each duck breast in a crosshatch pattern with a small, sharp knife. Flip over and sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper and the chile powder over the meat sides of the breasts.
- Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the duck, skin-side down, and cook until the fat begins to render, about 2 minutes, then lower the heat to medium. Continue cooking, uncovered and without turning, until the fat has rendered and the skin is golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. (Spoon the excess rendered fat from the pan into a heatproof bowl as needed during cooking.) Flip the duck breasts and continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers 135 degrees F for medium rare, about 5 minutes more. Transfer the duck to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the pineapple, jicama, cilantro, chile and lime juice in a large bowl, stirring well to combine. Gently fold in the avocado and season to taste with salt.
- Thinly slice the duck breasts crosswise and serve with the pineapple salsa on the side.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 376 |
| Total Fat | 20 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 30 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 13 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Protein | 25 g |
| Cholesterol | 83 mg |
| Sodium | 1310 mg |