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This dish of flash-seared duck breast dates back to the late 1950s, when French chef André Daguin first prepared a magret like a steak and served it medium-rare. The meat is usually served thinly sliced and still slightly pink on the inside.
The cut of the breast usually comes from the mulard duck, a cross between the Pekin and the Muscovy duck. This breed is raised for foie gras, so its breast meat is thicker and more flavorful than that of other duck breeds. In the mid-1960s, rare duck breast became extremely popular in the United States thanks to Robert Daley, an American journalist who praised Daguin’s specialty in The New York Times.
MOST ICONIC Magret de canard
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This simple Spanish dish known as pollo al ajillo consists of chicken pieces drenched in garlic sauce. The sauce is usually made with white wine, stock, garlic, and herbs such as bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. It can be consumed as the main course or as a tapa.
It is recommended to serve pollo al ajillo with vegetables or mushrooms on the side.
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Frango assado com piri piri, which is often simply referred to as frango assado (roasted chicken), is a Portuguese dish with vague origins. It is usually made with a whole butterflied chicken that can be marinated in a combination of olive oil, seasonings, and crushed piri-piri peppers.
After it is roasted or grilled, the chicken is served with a piri-piri sauce—a mixture of dry or fresh chili peppers and oil, along with other optional ingredients. Portuguese frango assado is closely connected to an African dish that is known as piri-piri (peri-peri) chicken, and it is still not clear where this Portuguese version originated.
MOST ICONIC Frango assado com piri piri
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This French classic is made by slow-roasting duck meat in its own fat. What was once used as a method of preserving meat in times before refrigeration is nowadays enjoyed as a rich and flavorful dish of its own. The meat is typically seasoned with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs and spices such as thyme and bay leaves.
Traditionally, duck confit is cooked in a copper pot over a fire for up to 24 hours, in order for the fat to render and cover the meat. After cooking, while still hot, the meat and the fat are poured into jars and sealed tightly so that the dish can be stored for later use.
MOST ICONIC Confit de canard
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Poulet rôti is a classic French dish that translates to "roast chicken." The preparation involves seasoning a whole chicken with herbs, garlic, and butter before roasting it to perfection. The result is a flavorful, golden-brown chicken with a crispy skin and juicy, tender meat.
This dish is often served with roasted vegetables and potatoes, making it a comforting and satisfying meal. Poulet rôti is a staple in French cuisine, showcasing simple yet exquisite flavors, and very popular Sunday dish.
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Arroz de pato is a traditional dish consisting of a combination of flavorful duck meat and rice. Primarily, the whole duck is cooked in a seasoned stock alongside smoked meat and sausages. Shredded meat is then placed in a clay pot and topped with rice which was cooked in the same broth.
Before baking, the dish is usually topped with sliced sausages or pieces of smoked meat. Arroz de pato is a popular lunch option in many traditional restaurants, and a common main course that is reserved for special occasions.
MOST ICONIC Arroz de pato
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Along with coq au Riesling, coq au vin jaune is another variation on the classic coq au vin. Instead of red wine, coq au vin jaune incorporates yellow or white wine. The best vin jaune is found in the French region of Jura, but any yellow or white wine can be used instead of it.
Light and sweet flavors and various colors make it a great summer dish, although the classic coq au vin is considered a typical winter dish. Morel mushrooms are commonly used in the preparation of coq au vin jaune, giving it a unique flavor and aroma.
Pappardelle all'anatra is a traditional dish that's especially popular in Tuscany. The dish is prepared with a combination of duck meat, garlic, tomatoes, red wine, stock, onions, carrots, celery, olive oil, sage, rosemary, bay leaves, and pappardelle pasta.
The hearty meat sauce is simmered until reduced, and it is then combined with the pappardelle pasta. When served, the dish is traditionally garnished with lashings of grated parmesan.
Serve with
This classic peasant stew hails from the French region of Burgundy. This dish is the perfect showcase for the harmonious coexistence of its two main ingredients – coq, or rooster, and vin, or wine, in this case a bold, rustic red wine.
The rooster is cut into sections and combined with rooster's blood, onions, carrots, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, parsley, mushrooms, salt, pepper, and a hefty dose of red wine. The ingredients are then slowly cooked over low heat until the meat becomes tender.
MOST ICONIC Coq au vin
View moreArroz con pollo is a dish originating from the times when Spain was under the Moorish influence, consisting of chicken, rice, stock, beer, sofrito, and numerous spices such as saffron, cumin, and coriander. It is believed that over the years, arroz con pollo made its way to Latin American countries, where it is still popular.
Today, there are numerous variations of the dish throughout Spain and Latin America.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 59 Western European Poultry Dishes” list until April 15, 2025, 1,610 ratings were recorded, of which 1,307 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.