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Tender and juicy, these Duck Bites with Honey Orange Glaze are bite sized pieces of duck, coated in flour and seasonings, and fried until crispy!
Serve them as an appetizer or as a main dish with fried rice.
Fried duck bites are a quick and easy way to cook duck. It’s also one of the tastiest! They’re tender in the middle, crispy on the outside and coated with a delicious honey orange glaze.
If you’re a fan of duck paired with orange, you’ll also want to try this roasted duck with orange sauce and this sous vide duck breast with orange glaze.
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Why this recipe works
- It’s a quick and easy recipe! You only need about 30 minutes to make both the duck bites and the orange glaze.
- You can serve these duck bites as an appetizer or you can pair them with coconut jasmine rice for a filling dinner!
- The sweet and spicy honey orange glaze helps cut through the rich flavor of the fried duck.
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Ingredients
For a full list of ingredients and quantities used, check out the recipe card at the end of this post.
You’ll need 1-2 pounds of duck legs for this recipe, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces. You can use duck breast if you prefer.
To coat the duck pieces, the recipe calls for 1 cup of flour. This is seasoned with a simple mix of allspice, salt and pepper. For the best flavor, use freshly ground allspice.
You’ll need oil for frying the duck bites. This can be peanut, canola or vegetable oil.
For the honey orange glaze, the recipe calls for honey, orange juice, brandy, Thai chili, garlic and star anise.
For the best flavor, I recommend using freshly squeezed orange juice instead of bottled juice.
The brandy pairs nicely with the orange. If you don’t have brandy, you can try substituting with whisky, rum or wine.
If you’re not a fan of spicy, you can leave out the Thai chili or reduce the amount.
Star anise has a mild licorice flavor and pairs well with the orange flavor of the glaze.
Step by step instructions
Heat about 2 inches of oil to 350F degrees in a high sided cast iron skillet or Dutch oven.
Mix the flour, allspice, salt and pepper in a bowl.
Dip the duck pieces in the flour mixture and fry in the oil for 3-5 minutes, until browned and crispy.
Remove the duck and drain on a paper towel lined plate.
Place the fried duck pieces in a bowl and pour the glaze on top. Toss to fully coat the duck bites.
Serve hot.
How to make honey orange glaze
Heat the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring regularly to prevent burning.
Cook for 3-5 minutes, until slightly thickened (should start to stick to the back of a spoon). **Add additional orange juice or brandy if it’s too thick.
Expert tips
- Use a pot or high-sided skillet when frying the duck bites. You want something high enough to fit the oil and duck bites.
- You’ll want just about 2-inches of oil in the bottom of your pan or pot for frying. There's no need to fill the pan or pot with oil.
- The oil should be at a medium heat of about 350F degrees. I recommend using a candy or deep frying thermometer to check the temperature.
- When using oil on the stovetop to fry food, don’t leave the hot pot of oil unattended.
- For even cooking, make sure the duck is cut into even pieces - about 1 ½ inches. Larger pieces will take longer to cook.
- Depending on the size of your pot or pan you may need to fry the duck bites in batches so they brown evenly.
- Be careful not to overcook the duck bites as they’ll turn out tough, dry and chewy.
- If you’d like to forgo the orange glaze, you can enjoy these duck bites on their own or serve them with remoulade sauce for dipping.
Common questions
Breast is the meatiest part of the duck, so I think it’s the best cut for this recipe. If you choose to go with legs or thighs, you’ll just need more to get the equivalent amount of meat.
Since duck is considered red meat, it can be cooked so it's still pink inside. Many people prefer their duck cooked medium or medium rare, with a touch of pink inside.
Yes, but you’ll need to defrost it first before cutting it into pieces and frying it.
They are best enjoyed hot and fresh, you can make them a day in advance. Just fry the duck bites and make the glaze, then store separately in the fridge. Reheat both separately and then combine before serving.
Storage and reheating
Leftover duck bites will last in the fridge for 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container.
You can also freeze them for up to a month.
To reheat, place the duck bites in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and heat in the oven at 350F degrees for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Be careful not to reheat for too long as they will dry out.
If the duck bites are frozen, let them thaw in the fridge first before reheating.
More duck recipes
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Recipe
Duck Bites with Honey Orange Glaze
Ingredients
Honey Orange Glaze:
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons orange juice
- ¼ cup brandy
- 1 Thai chili
- 1 garlic clove smashed
- 1 star anise
Instructions
- Heat about 2 inches of oil to 350F degrees in a high sided cast iron skillet or Dutch oven.
- Mix the flour, allspice, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Dip the duck pieces in the flour mixture and fry in the oil for 3-5 minutes, until browned and crispy.
- Remove the duck and drain on a paper towel lined plate.
- Place the fried duck pieces in a bowl and pour the glaze on top. Toss to fully coat the duck bites.
- Serve hot.
Honey Orange Glaze:
- Heat the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring regularly to prevent burning.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes, until slightly thickened (should start to stick to the back of a spoon). Add additional orange juice or brandy if too thick.
Expert Tips:
- Use a pot or high-sided skillet when frying the duck bites. You want something high enough to fit the oil and duck bites.
- You’ll want just about 2-inches of oil in the bottom of your pan or pot for frying the duck bites. There's no need to fill the pan or pot with oil.
- The oil should be at a medium heat of about 350F degrees. I recommend using a candy or deep frying thermometer to check the temperature.
- When using oil on the stovetop to fry food, don’t leave the hot pot of oil unattended.
- For even cooking, make sure the duck breast is cut into even pieces - about 1 ½ inches. Larger pieces will take longer to cook.
- Depending on the size of your pot or pan you may need to fry the duck bites in batches so they brown evenly.
- Be careful not to overcook the duck bites as they’ll turn out tough, dry and chewy.
- If you’d like to forgo the orange glaze, you can enjoy these duck bites on their own or serve them with remoulade sauce for dipping.
Nutrition
Tiff
So easy to make if you're ok with frying. I don't always fry, but when I do I;ll for sure be making these again!!
Danielle
Same here 🙂
Helen
Yum! I can see why you guys ate them so quickly. They were pretty addictive.
Danielle
Soooo addictive!