Duck Breasts with Asparagus for Two

4.7 stars, average of 6 ratings

By Martina Slajerova, updated February 4 2024
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Planning a romantic dinner for two? This recipe is perfect for Valentine's Day and just about any other occasion!

You don't have to bake the whole duck to enjoy deliciously juicy and tender meat with the perfect crispy skin. All you need is duck breasts, asparagus, lemon juice, salt and pepper. There's plenty of fat in the duck skin which will render as you cook them so you can then use it to roast the asparagus.

This dinner recipe is ultra low in carbs and really easy to prepare in less than 20 minutes. Instead of asparagus you can serve these with broccoli or creamy Keto Cauliflower Mash.

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0 days, 0 hours, 10 minutes

Hands-on 10 minutes Overall 20 minutes

Serving size 1 breast + asparagus

Allergy information for Duck Breasts with Asparagus for Two

✔ Gluten free

✔ Dairy free

✔ Egg free

✔ Nut free

✔ Nightshade free

✔ Pork free

✔ Avocado free

✔ Coconut free

✔ Fish free

✔ Shellfish free

✔ Beef free

Low FODMAP

Nutritional values (per serving, 1 breast + asparagus)

Net carbs2.7 grams

Protein42 grams

Fat34.4 grams

Calories502 kcal

Calories from carbs 2%, protein 34%, fat 64%

Total carbs5.4 gramsFiber2.7 gramsSugars2.5 gramsSaturated fat11.3 gramsSodium167 mg(7% RDA)Magnesium63 mg(16% RDA)Potassium823 mg(41% EMR)

Ingredients (makes 2 servings)

2 large duck breasts, skin-on (450 g/ 1 lb)
sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 bunch asparagus (250 g/ 8.8 oz)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (15 ml)

Instructions

Prepare the duck breasts. Preheat the oven to 200 °C/ 400 °F (fan assisted), or 220 °C/ 425 °F (conventional). Pat the skin with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Score the skin and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a medium oven-friendly pan over a medium-high heat. Place the duck breasts skin side down into the hot dry pan (no oil needed) and cook on medium-high for about 5 minutes, until the fat is rendered and the skin crisps up and is lightly golden. Turn on the other side and cook for about 30 seconds just to seal the breasts. Turn back on the other side (skin side down) and place the skillet in the oven.
Cook for 6-8 minutes (6 minutes for rare, 7 minutes for medium or 8 minutes for well done). Remove from the oven and place on a chopping board to rest. Increase the temperature in the oven to 220 °C/ 430 °F (fan assisted), or 240 °C/ 465 °F (conventional).
Add the asparagus to the hot skillet with the duck fat and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with lemon juice and toss to combine. Place back in the oven and bake until crisp tender for 5 to 7 minutes.
When the asparagus is ready, slice the duck breasts into thicker slices and serve. Eat immediately while still warm. Optionally, serve with lemon wedges.

Ingredient nutritional breakdown (per serving, 1 breast + asparagus)

Net carbs	Protein	Fat	Calories
Duck breast, raw
0 g	39.2 g	34.2 g	475 kcal
Salt, sea salt
0 g	0 g	0 g	0 kcal
Pepper, black, spices
0.1 g	0 g	0 g	1 kcal
Asparagus, fresh
2.2 g	2.8 g	0.2 g	25 kcal
Lemon juice, fresh
0.4 g	0 g	0 g	1 kcal
Total per serving, 1 breast + asparagus
2.7 g	42 g	34.4 g	502 kcal