Orange Pheasant Breasts
This Orange Pheasant Breasts recipe is ready in about 40 minutes and puts pheasant front and center — no fillers, no shortcuts on flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 skinless pheasant breast fillets
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 tsp flour
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup orange juice (1 orange freshly squeezed)
- 2 tbsp orange marmalade
- 3/4 tsp chicken bouillon cube or paste
- 1 tbsp orange liqueur (optional)
- 1/2 cup green seedless grapes
- 2 oranges (peeled and sectioned)
- 1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds (toasted)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Line an 8x8x2-inch baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, leaving a 1-1/2 inch foil flap or collar sticking out on all sides.
- Place pheasant fillets in a single layer in the pan.
- Melt butter in a saucepan.
- Stir in flour and cinnamon until smooth.
- Blend in orange juice, marmalade, and bouillon.
- Bring to a boil, stirring until thickened.
- Stir in the liqueur.
- Spoon the sauce over the pheasant.
- Tear off a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil 11 inches long.
- Cover the baking pan with this piece, pressing foil down on top of the pheasant (leave a little extra room for heat expansion).
- Workaround the pan, folding the top sheet together with the collar from the lower sheet to make a tight seal.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until meat is tender.
- Remove top sheet, spoon grapes, and orange sections over pheasant and bake, uncovered, for another 5 minutes, or until fruit is heated through.
- Garnish with almonds and serve over hot rice, if desired.
Cook’s Notes
The one thing that’ll save this dish: tent it loosely with foil if the skin starts browning before the inside catches up. Bird breast dries out fast, so a thermometer is worth more here than a timer.
Ingredient Swaps
No pheasant? Most wild fowl or small game swaps in fine here — just adjust cook time up or down slightly since bird breast cooks faster than a whole rabbit or squirrel.
Serving Suggestions
This pairs well with something bright to cut the richness — a simple green salad or a splash of something acidic on the side works better than another heavy side dish.
Storage & Reheating
Keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days in a sealed container. Reheat covered in a low oven (around 300°F) to warm through without drying it out further.
Common Questions
Can I substitute the pheasant in this recipe?
Yes, in most cases — see the Ingredient Swaps note above for specifics on what works best.
How should I store leftovers?
See the Storage & Reheating note above — it varies by cooking method, so check the specific guidance for this dish.
How do I know when it’s fully cooked?
Use a meat thermometer when possible rather than relying on time alone — wild game and fish cook faster than most people expect.