Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Maple-Charred Quebec Apples

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-11 · Updated 2026-06-11

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Tender duck breasts are pan-seared to crispy perfection and paired with sweet, maple-glazed apples inspired by Quebec’s famous orchards. This French-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs duck breasts, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 20 min Serves 2 French cuisine 520 cal/serving

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Ingredients

2 (6 oz each) duck breasts
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 medium Quebec apples, sliced
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 fresh thyme sprigs

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Instructions

Step 1: Pat 2 duck breasts dry and score the skin in a crosshatch pattern. Season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place duck breasts skin-side down and cook for 6-7 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crisp. Flip and cook for another 4 minutes until medium rare. Remove duck and let rest.
Step 3: In the same skillet, add 1 tbsp unsalted butter and 2 sliced Quebec apples. Sauté apples for 4 minutes until slightly softened.
Step 4: Drizzle 2 tbsp maple syrup over the apples, add 2 fresh thyme sprigs, and cook for another 2 minutes until apples are caramelized and glazed.
Step 5: Slice duck breasts thinly and serve atop the maple-charred apples, spooning any pan juices over the top.