Broiled Duck Breasts with Orange Chipotle Sauce
Succulent duck breasts are broiled to perfection and served with a rich, spicy-sweet orange chipotle sauce made with fresh citrus juices, maple syrup, and aromatic spices. This elegant dish combines the rich flavor of duck with bright citrus and smoky heat.
Ingredients
- •2½ cups fresh orange juice
- •¼ cup fresh lime juice
- •3 tablespoons maple syrup
- •1 tablespoon chipotle chiles in adobo
- •1 piece cinnamon stick
- •2 whole cloves
- •1 teaspoon salt
- •3 pounds duck breasts
- •1½ teaspoons salt
- •½ teaspoon black pepper
- •1 piece instant-read thermometer
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Boil all sauce ingredients in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, skimming foam occasionally, until syrupy and reduced to about 1 cup, 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand while duck broils.
40 min
- 2.
Remove rack of a broiler pan, then add 1 cup water to broiler pan and replace rack. Preheat broiler with pan 5 to 6 inches from heat.
5 min
- 3.
Pat duck breasts dry and score skin at 1-inch intervals with a sharp knife (do not cut into meat), then sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Broil duck breasts, skin sides down, 4 minutes for Long Island duck or 8 minutes for Muscovy, then turn over and broil until thermometer inserted horizontally into center of a breast registers 130°F (see cooks' note, below), 8 to 10 minutes more for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes. Add any juices accumulated on cutting board to sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
23 min
- 4.
Holding a sharp knife at a 45-degree angle, cut each duck breast into thin slices and serve with sauce.
5 min