Chinese Five-Spice Duck Skewers
Tender duck breast cubes marinated in a fragrant five-spice blend with soy sauce and honey, grilled on skewers with fresh scallions. This restaurant-quality dish cooks in minutes and makes an impressive appetizer or light main course, with a beautiful char and balanced sweet-savory flavor.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Wait
- 35 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Makes
- 8 skewers (serves 4 as appetizer, 2 as main course)
Steps
Before you start
- If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before you start to prevent burning
- Remove duck from the refrigerator 15 minutes before grilling so it cooks evenly and stays tender
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F/200°C) just before you're ready to thread the skewers
- Pat the duck dry with paper towels before marinating so the marinade adheres better
Mix the marinade
- In a small bowl, whisk together five-spice powder, soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, minced ginger, sesame oil, and rice vinegar.
- Whisk vigorously for about 1 minute until the honey is fully dissolved and the mixture is uniform in color with no visible lumps of spice powder.
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Ready when: Honey is fully dissolved and mixture is uniform in color with no spice lumps
Tip: Whisk vigorously to break up any clumps of five-spice powder so the marinade is smooth
Prepare and marinate duck
- Pat duck breasts dry with paper towels.
- Using a sharp knife, remove the skin if you prefer less fat, or score the skin in a crosshatch pattern if you want it to crisp up on the grill.
- Cut the duck into 1.25-inch (3.2 cm) cubes.
- Place duck cubes in a shallow dish or resealable plastic bag, pour the prepared marinade over, and toss to coat evenly.
- Cover or seal and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Longer marinating develops deeper flavor, but 30 minutes is sufficient for good results.
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Ready when: Duck pieces are evenly coated with marinade
Tip: Don't marinate longer than 2 hours or the soy sauce will over-salt the meat; 30 minutes is the minimum for flavor
Soak wooden skewers
- If using wooden skewers, submerge them in a bowl of water for at least 30 minutes.
- This prevents them from burning on the grill.
- (Metal skewers require no soaking.) You can do this step while the duck is marinating to save time.
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Tip: Start soaking skewers as soon as you put the duck in to marinate—they'll be ready at the same time
Thread duck and scallions
- Remove duck from marinade and set aside on a clean plate; reserve any remaining liquid marinade for basting later.
- Thread duck cubes and scallion pieces alternately onto prepared skewers, starting and ending with a piece of duck.
- Each skewer should hold about 5–6 pieces of duck and 3–4 pieces of scallion.
- Leave about ½ inch (1.3 cm) space between pieces so heat circulates and they cook evenly.
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Ready when: All skewers are evenly loaded with alternating duck and scallion
Tip: Soak wooden skewers in water while the duck is marinating so you don't have to wait before threading
Preheat the grillOven 400°F / 205°C
- Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F/200°C).
- If using a stovetop grill pan, heat it over medium-high heat until a few drops of water sizzle on contact and evaporate within 1 second.
- Once hot, lightly brush the grill grates or pan surface with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
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Ready when: Grill is hot and a few drops of water sizzle and evaporate immediately on contact
Tip: Oil the grates after heating (not before) to prevent the oil from burning off; use a long-handled brush for safety
Grill duck skewersOven 165°F / 75°C
- Carefully place duck skewers on the hot grill or pan.
- Grill without moving for 4–5 minutes, allowing a light char to develop on the bottom and sides.
- Flip the skewers and grill for another 4–5 minutes.
- Check the thickest piece of duck with an instant-read meat thermometer; it should reach 165°F (74°C) at the center.
- If there is reserved marinade, lightly brush the skewers with it during the last minute of cooking for a glossy glaze.
- If the duck is not yet at temperature but is charring, move it to a cooler part of the grill.
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Ready when: Duck is opaque and firm throughout, with light charring on edges and corners; internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C)
Tip: Don't move the skewers until the first side has charred (about 4–5 minutes), or you'll lose the flavorful crust and the meat may stick; use tongs to flip only once
Rest and serve
- Transfer skewers to a serving plate and let rest for 2 minutes to allow juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
- Serve hot, optionally garnished with additional fresh scallion pieces, white sesame seeds, or chili oil.
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Tip: A 2-minute rest keeps the duck juicy and makes the skewers comfortable to eat without burning your mouth
Good to know
Tips
- Duck breast has more fat than chicken, so it won't dry out as easily when cooked to 165°F (74°C)—the meat will stay juicy. Use a meat thermometer to take the guesswork out of doneness.
- If you don't have five-spice powder on hand, you can bloom individual spices in the marinade (star anise, cinnamon, clove, fennel, Sichuan pepper) for a more complex and fresher flavor.
- For a deeper, more caramelized char on the duck, grill over direct heat for the first side, then move to a cooler zone of the grill for the second side so the inside cooks through without the outside burning.
- These skewers are excellent as part of a Chinese appetizer platter alongside steamed dumplings, spring rolls, and pickled vegetables. They also work beautifully as a light main course served with jasmine rice and stir-fried bok choy.
Make ahead
The marinade can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Duck can be marinated up to 2 hours ahead—longer marinating over-salts the meat. Wooden skewers can be soaked up to 1 hour ahead and kept in water until ready to use.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: Not recommended; refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking. Refrigerator: Store cooked skewers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 375°F oven for 5 minutes until warmed through, or reheat on a hot grill or grill pan for 2 minutes per side. Freezer: Raw marinated duck can be frozen for up to 1 month (thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking). Cooked skewers are not recommended for freezing, as the scallion texture degrades.
Substitutions
- Five-spice powder → Homemade five-spice blend: 1 tsp star anise, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground clove, ¼ tsp ground fennel seed, and ¼ tsp ground Sichuan pepper. Mix these individual spices together and add to the marinade; you'll get a fresher, more complex flavor
- Duck breast, skin removed or scored → Chicken breast (reduce grill time to 6–8 minutes total), pork tenderloin, or large shrimp (3–4 minutes per side). Chicken will cook faster and be leaner; pork has similar fat content; shrimp will be tender but delicate
- Honey → Maple syrup, agave nectar, or packed brown sugar. Use the same amount as honey; maple syrup adds a different sweetness; brown sugar will not dissolve as smoothly
- Scallions → Red onion chunks (for sweetness and structure) or bell pepper (red, yellow, or green for color and mild sweetness). Onion takes about the same time to cook; bell pepper adds sweetness and color but may soften more
- Rice vinegar → Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. Use the same amount; apple cider vinegar adds slight sweetness; white wine vinegar is more neutral
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