Arroz de Pato (Portuguese Duck Rice with Chouriço)
Why this recipe works
- Deep duck flavour: Simmering the duck with onion, carrot, garlic and bay creates a stock that seasons the rice from the inside out.
- Classic baked finish: Part-cooking the rice in stock before baking helps it absorb flavour while still setting neatly in the dish.
- Crisp chouriço topping: Thin slices of chouriço render and brown in the oven, adding smoky richness and a lightly crisp contrast to the rice.
Get the most out of this recipe
Timing notes
- Rest before serving: Let the baked rice stand for 10 minutes so the grains settle and the dish spoons out cleanly.
- Mostly inactive cooking: The recipe takes time because the duck needs to simmer until tender, but the hands-on work is relatively limited.
Ingredient notes
- Use skin-on duck legs: Duck legs give the stock body and enough richness for the rice, while the meat becomes easy to shred after simmering.
- Choose a smoky sausage: Portuguese chouriço is the natural choice, but a firm cured chorizo can also give a crisp, savoury topping.
- Rinse the rice: Rinsing long-grain rice removes excess surface starch, helping the finished dish stay defined rather than heavy.
Make-ahead tips
- Cook the duck ahead: The duck can be simmered, shredded and chilled with the strained stock before assembling the rice.
- Reheat gently: Reheat covered in a 180°C (355°F) oven until piping hot, then uncover briefly to re-crisp the chouriço.
- Freeze in portions: Cool completely before freezing; defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating for the best texture.
Common mistakes
- Using too much or too little stock: Check the strained stock before cooking the rice; adjust with a little water or reduce briefly so the rice bakes evenly.
- Skipping the partial cook: The rice should begin to swell on the hob but still feel firm before it goes into the baking dish.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Duck and stock
Rice and topping
Instructions
- Pat the duck legs dry and season all over with the salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, then brown the duck legs skin-side down for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, until well coloured. Lift the duck out to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the onion, carrot and garlic to the pot. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until softened and lightly golden. Return the duck to the pot and add the bay leaves and water.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for 60 to 70 minutes until the duck is very tender and pulls away from the bone. Skim off excess fat from the surface as needed to keep the stock clean. Transfer the duck to a tray to cool slightly.
- Strain the stock into a bowl, pressing the vegetables to extract flavour, then discard the solids and bay leaves. You should have about 900 ml to 1 l stock; if you have less, top up with a little water, and if you have more, simmer briefly to reduce. Shred the duck meat, discarding skin and bones.
- Heat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Slice the chorizo into thin rounds. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well.
- Bring 900 ml of the duck stock to a simmer in the pot. Stir in the rice and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the grains have started to swell but are still firm. Fold in the shredded duck, then taste and adjust with a pinch more salt and pepper if needed.
- Tip the rice mixture into a baking dish and level the top. Arrange the chorizo slices over the surface in a single layer. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until the rice is set and the chorizo is lightly crisp at the edges.
- Rest for 10 minutes so the rice firms up and slices neatly. Serve hot, spooning down to the bottom to catch the duck through the rice.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For a cleaner, richer flavour, skim the duck fat from the stock while it simmers; you can save the fat for roasting potatoes another day.
- If the top is browning too quickly before the rice is set, cover the dish loosely with foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking.
Substitutions
- Replace Long-grain white rice with Basmati rice for a slightly more fragrant result; keep the same timings but check the bake 5 minutes early.
- Replace Chorizo sausage with Spanish chorizo for a firmer, drier topping that crisps more readily.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 3 days
- Cool completely, then refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 180°C (355°F) oven, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes until piping hot; uncover for the last 5 minutes to re-crisp the chorizo. Freeze in portions for up to 2 months and defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 4 servings
- Total time: 2h (35min active)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cuisine: Portuguese
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