Making a smaller meal this holiday season? Choose an alternative to a turkey at the center of the table and make duck, quail, chicken, or guinea hen. No matter how many people are gathered we have recipes to make the meal a memorable one – at the holidays or even a weeknight dinner.

1. Poussins au Riesling

This elegant recipe for two involves braising young chicken with white wine, mushrooms, and bacon. It’s a supremely comforting dish and is based on Coq au Riesling. Serve one bird per person, and add another as needed to serve your gathering. Mashed Yukon golds and a nice salad make it a meal.

2. Oven-Braised Guinea Hen

In this easy recipe that serves 2 – 3 people, richly flavorful guinea hen is braised with herbs, root vegetables, and fortified stock. A quick blast of heat at the end of cooking crisps the skin. It’s like a special occasion roasted chicken.

3. Black Truffle Roasted Chicken

Here’s a luxurious twist on a simple roast chicken – and our favorite way to prepare turkey. Just apply the principle to one of our whole chickens to serve 3-4 people. To make this magic, our black truffle butter and fresh black truffle slices (optional, but delicious!) are layered under the skin creating an ultra-juicy bird that’s full of truffle flavor.

4. Easy Roast Whole Duck

There’s something special about roasting a whole duck. Take the time to score the skin in this easy recipe – it will help to render fat and crisp the skin nicely. We used our signature Rohan™ duck for this simple recipe that allows all the naturally rich ducky flavor to shine. Add your own aromatics or spices to customize. A whole duck should serve 3 – 4.

5. Roast Quail with Apples & Pecans

This roasted quail recipe with cornbread can be enjoyed year-round, but we like it in the fall with tart apple to play into seasonal flavors. Our semi-boneless quail are easy to stuff and will cook up quickly. We usually recommend one per person as an appetizer, but if quail is your main course, double that.

Shop our wide range of poultry at dartagnan.com for game birds, duck, organic, and Green Circle™ chicken, pheasant, and more – for the holiday and every day meals.