Dinner

Spiced Duck Breasts with Sticky Clementine Sauce Recipe

ByHailey Reed January 26, 2026January 26, 2026

Introduction

Spiced duck breasts with sticky clementine sauce offer a delightful blend of aromatic spices and citrus sweetness. This dish combines tender, flavorful duck with a rich, fruity sauce that’s perfect for an impressive yet simple meal.

A white bowl holds a dish with three thick slices of medium-cooked meat with a pink center and a browned crust, arranged leaning on a smooth, creamy pale yellow mashed potato spread along one side of the bowl. Next to the meat slices, there is a portion of cooked onions mixed with golden-brown roasted pieces of potato, with a shiny glaze on top. The bowl is placed on a white marbled surface, with soft warm lighting in the background. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

2 boneless duck breasts
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
1 small onion, sliced
2 clementines, sliced
1 tsp olive oil
50g dried apricots, chopped
1 tbsp honey
175ml warm chicken stock
Rice or creamy mash, to serve

Instructions

Step 1: Pierce the duck skin all over with a skewer. Mix together the cinnamon, ginger, and ½ tsp fine sea salt, then rub this mixture evenly over the duck breasts. Set aside at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Step 2: Preheat the air fryer to 200°C. Place the sliced onions and clementines in a small casserole dish, toss with olive oil, and cook in the air fryer for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Pat the duck breasts dry with kitchen paper. Place them skin-side up on top of the onion and clementine mixture. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring the onions and clementines halfway through to coat them in the duck fat.
Step 4: Reduce the air fryer temperature to 190°C. In a bowl, stir together the chopped apricots, honey, and warm chicken stock, then pour into the casserole dish. Cook for 5 minutes until the duck skin is crispy.
Step 5: Remove the duck breasts onto a warm plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Continue cooking the sauce for a final 5 minutes to thicken.
Step 6: Serve the duck sliced with the sticky clementine sauce spooned over, accompanied by rice or creamy mash.

Tips & Variations

For extra crisp skin, make sure the duck breasts are dry before cooking.
If you don’t have an air fryer, this recipe works well in a preheated oven at the same temperatures, using an ovenproof dish.
Swap clementines for oranges or mandarins if unavailable.
Add a splash of balsamic vinegar to the sauce for a tangy depth.

Storage

Store leftover duck and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat to avoid drying the meat. It’s best to reheat the sauce separately if possible.