For a lot of people, myself included, the month of January is dedicated to healthy eating, wiping the slate clean and starting the year fresh. Salad is usually the meal of choice, light, healthy and packed full of nutrition, but often rather dull. I love coming up with recipes for salads that are healthy, but also full of flavor and protein rich, so I’m not left feeling deprived or hungry an hour later.
This duck and mango salad is SO GOOD. First off, I have to come clean and admit duck isn’t a protein I often cook with (often meaning never). It is an incredibly easy poultry to prepare, and this shredded duck is practically fool proof. The meat becomes melt in your mouth tender and dripping with the fragrant sauce, which has hints of ginger, chilli and spice.
This salad has a wonderful combination of flavours and textures. Crisp cucumber, juicy pomegranate seeds, sweet and fruity mango, slightly bitter coriander and refreshing daikon, all topped off with rich shredded duck. This is a salad I could eat over and over again and would happily serve to guests without feeling ashamed. Whether you are trying to eat healthier or just looking for a delicious recipe, this salad ticks every box.
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Ingredients
For the Duck
- 4 duck breasts
- 1 cup orange juice
- zest of 1 orange
- 2 tbsp Chinese 5 spice
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 chilli diced
For the Salad
- 4 cups butter lettuce
- half a cucumber cut into match stick sized pieces
- 1 mango peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 cup mooli daikon radish, cut into match sticks
- 1/4 cup coriander chopped
- 1 chili thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150 degrees (300 degrees Fahrenheit)
- In a bowl stir together the orange juice, orange zest, chinese 5 spice, ginger, cinnamon and chilli.
- Remove the fat from the duck breasts and place them in a baking dish. Pour the mixture over the duck breasts and bake in the oven for 90 minutes, turning the breasts over half way through cooking.
- While the duck is cooking prepare the salad. In a bowl combine the butter lettuce, cucumber, mango, pomegranate seeds, daikon radish and chilli.
- After 90 minutes, remove the duck from the oven and allow to cool slightly before shredding using a fork.
- Skim the fat from the top of the sauce in the baking dish. Place the shredded duck in a bowl and spoon some of the liquid the duck was cooked in over top. Add the duck to the salad and toss, adding in 1-2 spoonfuls of the sauce. Enjoy!
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
Delicious and perfect as is! We made it with leftover roast duck and it was fantastic.