Festive Duck Stew with Chestnuts, Cranberries and Prosciutto

This Festive Duck Chestnut Stew is a hearty, elegant dish that perfectly captures the warmth of the holiday season. Made with tender duck, savoury prosciutto, sweet cranberries, and nutty roasted chestnuts, it’s a rustic yet luxurious meal that will make your Christmas or winter table shine.

Hello everyone. I hope you are doing well.

If you’re craving something rich, comforting, and truly seasonal, this Festive Duck Chestnut Stew might be just the dish. It’s layered with flavours – smoky prosciutto, tangy cranberries, and earthy chestnuts – all simmered with tender duck in a savoury, aromatic broth. So, let’s dive into this festive duck chestnut stew.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Deep, festive flavours: Sweet-tart cranberries, smoky prosciutto, and savoury duck create a perfectly balanced holiday dish.
• Elegant yet cozy: A sophisticated main that feels comforting and special enough for Christmas entertaining.
• Rich texture: Tender meat, buttery chestnuts, and juicy cranberries for contrast.
• Perfect for gatherings: Easy to prepare ahead – flavours develop even better overnight.

Flavour and Texture Profile

This festive duck chestnut stew brings together a beautiful mix of flavours – savoury, sweet, and subtly smoky. The duck becomes tender as it simmers, while the cranberries lend gentle tartness and the chestnuts add richness. Prosciutto deepens the flavour base with a touch of salt and warmth, making this a holiday dish worth savouring slowly.

Ingredients You’ll Need for This Festive Duck Chestnut Stew

Before you begin, gather your ingredients – this stew is all about layering flavours, and each element adds something special.

• Duck meat: I used Duck breasts (skin-on), but you can use duck legs or thighs for the best tenderness and flavour.
• Duck fat: Adds depth and richness (or olive oil if preferred).
• Onion and garlic: Build the aromatic base.
• Carrots and parsnips: Provide sweetness and heartiness.
• Chestnuts: Use cooked, peeled (vacuum-packed) chestnuts for ease.
• Prosciutto: Adds a smoky, savoury note.
• Cranberries: A mix of dried and fresh cranberries for brightness and texture.
• Herbs and spices: Rosemary, thyme, nutmeg, and smoked paprika bring festive warmth.
• Salt and black pepper: For simple, classic seasoning.
• Broth or water: Adjust to your preferred consistency; chicken or vegetable both work well.

How to Make Festive Duck Chestnut Stew

Making this festive duck chestnut stew is straightforward – it just takes a little time for the flavours to come together beautifully.

Pan-Seared Duck:
Pat the duck dry and score the skin. Season with salt and pepper. Place skin-side down in a cold skillet and cook over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, then another 6–8 until golden and crisp. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Rest, then slice. Reserve 2 tablespoons of rendered duck fat.

Christmas Duck Stew:
In a Dutch oven, heat duck fat and sauté onions and garlic for 5 minutes. Add carrots and parsnips, cooking another 5 minutes. Stir in chestnuts, prosciutto, and cranberries. Add herbs, smoked paprika, chipotle, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Pour in 3–4 cups broth – just enough to cover. Add the duck slices and simmer 10–12 minutes until tender. Stir in fresh cranberries and cook 3–5 minutes more until they begin to burst. Let rest 30 minutes before serving for the flavours to deepen.

More Delicious Festive Mains Recipes

Are you looking for more festive mains like this Festive Duck Chestnut Stew? Be sure to check more recipes below:

• Christmas Venison Stew
• Christmas Venison Stew
• Festive Chestnut Sausage Pasta with Brandy and Pancetta
• Christmas Veal Meatballs (With a Luscious Cranberry Glaze)
• Festive Mini Nut Roast with Chestnuts, Rosemary and Cranberries

I’d love for you to try this Festive Duck Stew with Chestnuts, Cranberries and Prosciutto. If you give it a go, please share your results in the comments, message me on Instagram, or post your photos with the hashtag #havocinthekitchen. I look forward to seeing your creations and hearing your thoughts!

Cheers!

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Festive Duck Stew with Chestnuts, Cranberries and Prosciutto

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Christmas, Festive Mains, Mains and Comfort Dishes

Servings

6-8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time (duck)

15

minutes

Cooking time (stew)

40

minutes

Festive Duck Chestnut Stew with cranberries, prosciutto, and chestnuts is rich, hearty, and full of holiday flavour – perfect for Christmas.

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Ingredients

• Pan-Seared Duck:

• 2 large duck breasts skin on, about 1 and 1/2 lb. (600 gr.) total

• salt and black pepper

• Christmas Duck Stew:

• 1 large onion (about 1 and 1/2 cup sliced)

• 3-5 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tbsp. rendered duck fat (or olive oil if prefer)

• 1 large carrot (about 1 and 1/2 cup sliced)

• 2 medium parsnips (about 1 and 1/2 cup sliced)

• 200-250 gr. cooked shelled chestnuts (I used vacuum-packed)

• 3-4 prosciutto slices, about 50-60 gr., cut into small pieces

• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

• 1/3 to 1/2 cup fresh cranberries

• 1 tbsp. minced fresh rosemary

• 1 tbsp. minced fresh thyme

• 1/2 tbsp. dried Italian seasonings

• 1 tbsp. smoked paprika

• 1/4 tsp. chipotle powder

• 1/2 whole nutmeg, freshly grated

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 3 to 4 cups of broth (Chicken or vegetable), water or the combination of broth and water

Directions

• Pan-Seared Duck:
• Pat dry the duck breasts with a paper towel.
• Score the duck skin with sharp knife, making sure to not cut into the flesh. Season the duck breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Place the breasts skin side down onto a large, cold skillet or pan. Place the skillet over medium heat and do not move the duck breasts until for the first 4-5 minutes. When the breasts start to sizzle, continue cooking until the skin is browned, crisp, and has rendered most of its fat, for another 6 to 8 minutes. Avoid moving the breasts too often.
• Turn the breasts and cook until for another 2 minutes or so. It’s not a problem if the breasts remain a bit undercooked as they will be cooked in the stew for a little time too. Set aside and let it rest while you make the stew. Do not forget to reserve the rendered fat, For this recipe you will need just a lit bit, but you can use it for other dishes. Once the duck is rested and slightly cooled, slice it.
• Christmas Duck Stew:
• In a large pot (or preferably Dutch oven) add 2 tbsp. of duck fat and cook the onions with garlic over low-medium heat, until aromatic, for about 5 minutes.
• Add the carrots and parsnips and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes.
• Stir in the chestnuts, prosciutto, and cranberries. Cook for 5 minutes.
• Season with herbs and seasonings. Be careful with salt as prosciutto is salty; it’s better to adjust salt once the stew is ready. Ideally, you should season with a little of salt each ingredients / step when cooking. Aim 1/2 teaspoon total and add more if necessary. Cook the seasoned vegetables for another 2 minutes.
• Add the broth or water (or both), between 3 and 4 cups, just to barely cover the ingredients. You can add more later, if needed. Add the sliced duck breasts. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for another 10 to 12 minutes or until the vegetables are almost soft. Check and adjust the seasonings.
• When the vegetables are almost ready, fold in the fresh cranberries and cook for 3-5 minutes, just until the berries start bursting. Off heat. Let the stew rest, covered, for about 30 minutes before serving. You can make the stew 1-2 days ahead of serving, and it will be only better the next day! Enjoy!