Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cajun Apple & Onion
Quick-seared duck breast with crispy skin, served over sweet-tart apples and caramelized onions spiked with Cajun spice. Restaurant-level dish that comes together in under 25 minutes.
- Total time
- 24 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 420
- Protein
- 32g
Ingredients
- 2 breasts (about 6 oz each) duck breast, skin-on
- 2 tsp Cajun seasoning blend
- 2 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
- 1 large yellow onion
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp hot sauce (Frank's RedHot or Louisiana-style)
- 2 tbsp brown butter
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs
Instructions
- 1
Pat duck breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with Cajun seasoning and salt.
- 2
Place duck skin-side down in a cold skillet over medium heat. Cook without moving for 8 minutes until skin is golden and crispy.
- 3
Flip duck breasts, add 1 thyme sprig to the pan, and sear flesh-side 2–3 minutes until medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board to rest.
- 4
In the same skillet, add diced onion and apple. Sauté over medium-high for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden.
- 5
Add brown butter, smoked paprika, hot sauce, and remaining thyme. Toss to coat and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- 6
Slice duck breast against the grain into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange on a plate and spoon apple-onion mixture alongside. Serve warm.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch cast iron or stainless steel skillet
- sharp knife for slicing
- cutting board
- paper towels
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