Duck enchiladas recipe
Tender pulled duck, roasted and coated in a smoky chipotle-orange sauce, is wrapped in tortillas and topped with cheese for an amazing twist on a Mexican classic. The dish combines the rich flavours of French duck a l'Orange with the bold spice of Mexican chipotle, creating a unique and comforting meal.
Ingredients
- 2 x duck legs
- or pre-cooked duck legs and cook as per instructions
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon of ground chipotle flakes or a ½ tablespoon of a chipotle sauce condiment
- 1 teaspoon of smoked salt flakes
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 4-6 small flour or corn tortillas 15 cm (6 in) in diameter
- 4-6 teaspoon of cream cheese
- 40 g / ¼ cup of grated Monterey Jack or red Leicester cheese
Sauce
- 1 red onion finely diced
- 1 clove of garlic crushed
- ½ a tablespoon of Grand Marnier or Cognac
- 80 ml or 1⁄3 cup of fresh orange juice
- 25 ml or 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice
- 80 ml or 1⁄3 cup of red wine
- 250 ml or 1 cup of chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon of chipotle chilli paste or half for a milder spice
- Garnish with a few fine shreds of orange peel fresh coriander and lime wedges
Instructions
- Place the duck legs on a baking tray and prick the flesh all over with a fork. Sprinkle over the salt, pepper, smoked paprika and chipotle chilli flakes and rub into each leg. (Or brush over the chipotle sauce if using a sauce.)
- Place the legs into a preheated 160℃ fan / 180℃ oven and bake for 90 minutes
- Start the sauce by frying the onion in some olive oil for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with the Grand Marnier or Cognac until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Add the orange juice, lime juice and red wine, turn up the heat and reduce for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and chipotle chilli paste and simmer for a further 8-10 minutes until a thick tomato sauce consistency is achieved.
- Remove the duck meat from the bones and shred using two forks, place in a bowl. Discard the bones.
- Add one ladle of sauce into the meat and stir to fully coat the meat.
- Spoon equal amounts of the shredded duck meat in the centre of each tortilla and fold in half or roll and place onto a baking dish.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and dot with spoonfuls of cream cheese and scatter the grated cheese. Place into a pre-heated oven at 180℃ fan / 200℃/392°F and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese has gratinated.
- Garnish with coriander/cilantro, orange peel and lime wedges and serve.
Notes
Save time with pre-cooked duck legs
Pre-cooked duck legs are typically roasted in under 30 minutes, making them a quick and easy choice for this duck enchiladas recipe.
How to store
Store any leftover duck enchiladas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 10-15 minutes, or until hot throughout. You can also freeze the assembled enchiladas before baking, then bake from frozen for 30-35 minutes.
To make for more people
To serve more people, simply increase the number of duck legs and tortillas accordingly. Adjust the sauce ingredients based on the amount of meat you are preparing and ensure each tortilla is generously filled. If baking in larger batches, you may need to use multiple baking trays to accommodate all the enchiladas.