Air fryer duck legs are crisp and juicy, and perfect for a delicious dinner any night of the week. This easy recipe includes a flavorful orange juice and red wine marinade, and is simple to prepare in under an hour – from start to finish!
Give your poultry routine some pep with deliciously rich and flavorful air fryer duck legs! They are remarkably easy to make with a handful of simple ingredients and cook in only 20 minutes. Try my other delicious and easy air fryer duck breast recipe.
The marinade includes a savory and bright combination of red wine, orange juice, Worcestershire and soy sauce. You can even make it ahead and marinade the duck legs for up to a full 24 hours before air frying!
This dish is comforting and rustic, but still has a refined restaurant-quality taste. So it is terrific for special occasions or casual dinners! Any night of the week is perfect to enjoy a tender, crispy and juicy fried duck leg with your favorite side dishes.
Recipe ingredients
Duck legs. Fresh or thawed. Plus salt and pepper to taste.
For the marinade you need:
Red wine. Tenderizes the duck leg meat so that it is fork tender and moist.
Worcestershire sauce. Adds deeply savory and delicious umami flavors.
Soy sauce. Gives the marinade a great bit of saltiness that balances the sweet and savory tastes.
Orange. Sweet and bright orange juice is a classic flavor to pair with duck.
How to make air fryer duck legs
Start with defrosting you duck legs. Leave the bird in the fridge overnight or just on the counter for a few hours. Combine marinade ingredients in the medium size bowl or in the ziplock bag. For marinade i used orange juice,red wine, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce
If using ziplock bag, just add duck legs right in there, to the marinade (add leftover orange there too if you want) and keep the bag in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. The best if you can marinade legs overnight, they will absorb more delicious flavor.
Dry legs with paper towels. Prick the skin all the over with toothpicks or any other sharp objects. Its important because we need that extra fat to come out through the holes and not get locked in under the skin. It will prevent skin from getting crispy. Sprinkle duck with salt and pepper.
Preheat air fryer to 290 degrees Fahrenheit. Place duck legs in air fryer and cook as instructed in the recipe card below. For a nice presentation chop green onions and cover cooked duck legs with it. It will add nice color and a beautiful crunch.
Where to buy duck legs
Fresh duck is often a bit difficult to find at most grocery stores. But sometimes frozen legs are readily available! I typically find them at larger stores like Winco or Costcao.
I also suggest that you visit a local butcher for fresh or frozen duck leg options.
What does duck taste like
Duck meat is similar to dark meat chicken in texture, but with a more rich and luscious flavor from the extra bit of fattiness.
In fact, it is more comparable to red meat in terms of texture and taste… Duck meat is preferable to have a pink medium-rare to medium cook (versus chicken, which you must cook well until no longer pink).
Frequently asked questions
Are duck legs healthy to eat?
Duck is a rather healthy meat! It is a fantastic source of protein and is packed with essential minerals like iron and B vitamins.
And yes, it is even healthier than chicken! Duck has vitamin D, which is not in chicken, plus higher amounts of other nutrients like vitamin E and folate.
Can you eat duck if it’s pink in the middle?
Yes you can eat duck legs if they are slightly pink. But be sure to check that the internal temperature still reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
What temperature do you cook duck legs?
The air fryer is set to 290 degrees Fahrenheit in this recipe. When it is done the duck leg meat should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
How do you make duck skin extra crispy?
The marinade will help keep the juices inside the meat and also keep the skin lightly moist. This helps to ensure the skin will crisp up rather than char in the high heat of an air fryer.
Prick the duck skin a few times as well before frying. This allows excess moisture to escape rather than “steam” the legs.
How long does duck take in the air fryer?
They fry crispy in a quick 20 minutes. Most of that time the duck legs are skin side down in the basket, then flip for the last few minutes to get a nice even golden color all around.
Can you air fry duck from frozen?
Certainly! If you have a chance I recommend marinading the frozen legs overnight, and they likely will thaw by the time you are ready to cook. However, frozen duck legs can be marinaded for a quick 30 minutes then air fried while still frozen.
Increase cook time from 20 minutes to 30 to 40 minutes.
Variations
Make air fryer duck legs spic by adding a pinch of cayene pepper along with salt and black pepper. Also you can add couple teaspoons of spicy chilly sauce in tho the marinade.
Storage
Store leftover in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make sure that the container is closed tightly otherwise legs will dry out. Reheat in the microwave or air fryer right before serving.
Side dishes for air fryer duck legs
Any kind of salad will be delicious with the duck. Try to use arugula or spinach in your salad, along with cherry tomatoes and fresh cucumbers.
Mashed potatoes is my all time favorite side dish for any poultry meals. Rice or roasted vegetables will be a great side as well.
Expert tips
- Use your own measurements when it comes to salt and pepper if desired.
- Only use a good red dry wine, the kind you would enjoy drinking out of glass.
- The more green onions the better! Add chopped green onions to the final dish.
- Do not overcook duck legs. When overcooked they become dry and tough. Like any other poultry, duck should be cooked until its internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
You may also like…
- Duck fajitas
- Air fryer baby corn
- Air fryer flounder
- Crockpot chicken Francese
- Baked Italian turkey steaks
- Slow cooker turkey necks
- Ninja Foodi steamed shrimp
Yield: 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Air fryer duck legs are crisp and juicy, and perfect for a delicious dinner any night of the week. This easy recipe includes a flavorful orange juice and red wine marinade, and is simple to prepare in under an hour - from start to finish!
Ingredients
- 2 duck legs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Marinade
- ⅓ cup red wine
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 orange
Instructions
- Pour all marinade ingredients in the zip lock bag. Place legs in the marinade. Store in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (better overnight)
- Preheat air fryer to 290 degrees. Meanwhile prick duck skin with toothpicks or any other sharp objects. Cover with salt and pepper.
- Cook for 15 minutes and than for 5 more minutes at 400 degrees.
Notes
- Use your own measurements when it comes to salt and pepper if desired.
- Only use a good red dry wine, the kind you would enjoy drinking out of glass.
- The more green onions the better! Add chopped green onions to the final dish.
- Do not overcook duck legs. When overcooked they become dry and tough. Like any other poultry, duck should be cooked until its internal temperature reaches at least 156 degrees Fahrenheit.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 280Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 1683mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 26g
