Spiced Pan-Roasted Duck Breasts with Roasted Carrots
Juicy duck breasts are coated in a fragrant spice blend, pan-seared to golden perfection, and finished in the oven alongside sweet roasted carrots.
- Prep15 min
- Cook45 min
- Total1h
- DifficultyMedium
- Servings8
This recipe turns a simple duck breast into an elegant dish with minimal effort. The spice mix—coriander, cumin, cinnamon, and star anise—creates a warm, aromatic crust that pairs beautifully with the rich meat.
Roasting the carrots at the same time makes for a complete meal: they become tender and caramelized, balancing the savory duck. The entire dish comes together in about an hour, perfect for a special dinner.
Ingredients
Servings
Converted amounts are rounded.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. On two large rimmed baking sheets, toss the halved carrots with the olive oil, the finely crushed coriander seeds, and the ground cumin. Season with salt and pepper, then roast for about 25 minutes, until crisp-tender. Keep warm; leave the oven on.
- In a skillet, toast the remaining coriander seeds, cinnamon, star anise, and cumin seeds over moderate heat, shaking the skillet, until fragrant—about 2 minutes. Transfer the spices to a grinder, let cool, then grind to a powder.
- Season the duck breasts with salt and pepper and rub all over with the ground spice mix. Heat a large cast-iron skillet. Place the duck in the skillet, skin side down. Cook over moderate heat, spooning off the rendered fat, until the skin is golden and just crisp—about 7 minutes. Turn the duck skin side up.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the duck for about 7 minutes, until medium-rare within. Remove the duck breasts to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice crosswise and serve with the warm roasted carrots.
💡 Tips
- For the crispiest skin, pat the duck breasts dry before seasoning.
- Use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle for the toasted spices.
- Let the duck rest before slicing to keep the juices inside.
Inspired by a recipe from Food & Wine