Duck a l’Orange

1. Lay the duck breast flat on a cutting board, and with a sharp knife, score just the skin in a diamond pattern. You will want 1 inch diamonds. Be sure to not cut so deep that you puncture the flesh. Season the breasts on both sides with salt and pepper and set aside for a couple minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
3. Set a saucepan on the stove and pour in 1/4 cup of regular granulated sugar. Turn the heat on medium-high and let the sugar melt, without stirring, for about 5 minutes, or until it turns a beautiful amber color.
4. Once the sugar is melted and has turned into caramel, take the pan off the heat for a minute and slowly and carefully pour in the chicken stock, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, onion, and a dash of salt and pepper. It might seem like the caramel hardens, but it will melt into the other liquids when you put it back on the heat. Put the pan back over medium-low heat. Stir everything together and let it reduce for about 25 minutes.
5. Place an oven-safe medium skillet on the stove top over medium-high heat and pour in a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, place the duck breast in the pan skin side down. Do not touch the duck for about 6-7 minutes! Let the fat render out and let the skin get super crispy. This is the key to really good duck breast! Once the skin is crispy, flip the duck breast and sear for another 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, put the pan in the oven for 10 minutes (or until the internal temperature is 165°F). If you don’t have an oven safe pan, move the duck breasts onto a foil lined rimmed cookie sheet and put that into the oven.
6. After 10 minutes, take the duck out of the oven and let it rest for at least 5 minutes. Slice the duck breasts, plate, pour some of the sauce over the top and enjoy!