The 10 BEST Cornish Hen Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Should I cover my Cornish hens when baking? ›

Roast, uncovered, basting frequently with butter for 1 hour (if hen weighs over 1lb 2oz, roast 1 hour and 15 minutes) or until internal temperature on instant read thermometer reaches 180°F when inserted into inner thigh.

Because of their small size, Cornish hens are perfect as a serving for one person or split in half when served with some delicious sides. I love pairing this easy roasted Cornish hen recipe with my Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes; Italian Oven Roasted Vegetables; or Brussels sprouts...

Remove giblet bag from cavity and reserve for making sauces, etc. Heavily brining or marinating product is unnecessary as Cornish birds are small and meat is quite succulent. Source: “The Big Thaw — Safe Defrosting Methods for Consumers,” USDA.

Frozen game hens should be allowed sufficient time to thaw in the refrigerator before cooking—this can take up to a day. You can also place the hen in a cold water bath; although this results in a shorter thawing time than refrigeration, it does require more attention.

Place hens in a roasting pan, breast sides up. Place 2 thyme sprigs and 1 lemon half in cavity of each hen. Loosen skin from breast, and place remaining thyme and the parsley underneath.

You can also keep some of the pan drippings and reheat the chicken in a skillet with the drippings to prevent it from drying out.

Half an hour before you plan to cook, bring the chickens to room temperature. Using butcher's twine, tie the chicken legs together at the ankles. Cover the wing tips with aluminum foil to prevent burning.

Because they are butchered young, some find the taste of Cornish Game Hen to be more tender compared to regular chicken. Cornish game hens are fairly lean, with half of a hen (120 grams or about 4 ounces), meat only, providing 139 calories, 24 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fat.

Cornish Hens are just baby chickens but they taste completely different. They present really well when serving and cook in a short period of time. I like serving them for dinner parties or for the holidays. Typically 1/2 a Cornish hen is enough for one person but someone with a good appetite could eat a whole one.

Should Cornish hens be cooked on a rack? ›

Place hens on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast hens in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue roasting until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes.

Lay a wire rack in the bottom of a big roasting pan and place 6 Cornish game hens on it. If you don't have a wire rack that fits the pan, bunch up a few pieces of aluminum foil and place these on the bottom of the pan. You can easily cut this recipe in half or a third if you only want to make 2 or 3 hens.

If you've never tried Cornish hens and are wondering about the flavors, they have a slightly stronger, more gamey taste than chicken but are not as flavorful as a quail. The taste is light and savory, especially when well seasoned. Each hen will make two servings, giving each person a half a bird.

A cooked Cornish hen that is wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or tinfoil will stay fresh in the fridge for about three to four days, or it can be frozen for up to six months.

An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes before slicing.

Half an hour before you plan to cook, bring the chickens to room temperature. Using butcher's twine, tie the chicken legs together at the ankles. Cover the wing tips with aluminum foil to prevent burning.

Roasting Cornish hens on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet also helps elevate the birds so that the thighs cook as quickly as the breasts. Cornish hens are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh and their juices run clear.

Stick a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh. If the juices run clear, it's done. If the juices are a little pink, cook it a little longer and try again.