Roasted Cornish Hens - Immaculate Bites

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Perfectly tender and juicy, savory with bold flavor, roasted Cornish hens are sure to become the new family favorite! This flavorful dish, packed with fresh herbs and seasonings, is simply unforgettable. Plus, they offer a great presentation.

Roasted Cornish hen with beautiful whole carrots and fingerling potatoes

I love a delicious roast chicken dinner, but sometimes, I’m in the mood for something different. Roast Cornish hens have become my go-to dish to add excitement to my menu options.

They’re simple and easy enough to make for a weeknight family dinner, but fancy enough for that special occasion or date night at home. With a prep time of just 20 minutes, roasted Cornish hen can fit into even the busiest schedule. In addition, thanks to their small, manageable size, messy carving, and uneven cooking are things of the past!

Roasted Cornish hen deliver a gorgeous date night dinner

What Exactly Is a Cornish Hen?

Cornish hen (also known as Rock Cornish game hen) is a British chicken breed produced in the US from a cross of the Plymouth Rock and the Cornish chicken. The name hen is a slight misnomer since the birds we buy at the store are both male and female. Although the flavor is similar to that of a regular chicken, Cornish hens are smaller, weighing in at under two pounds (900 grams).

How to Roast Cornish Hens

Season – Rinse with water, then pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Garlic Butter – Carefully loosen the skin and rub with garlic herb butter. Plain butter also works. Lightly spray or coat the skin of hens with olive oil, then season with Italian and Creole seasoning. (Photos 1-2)
Season – Open the cavity of the hens and stuff with herbs, bay leaves, onion, garlic, and lemon. (Photo 3)
Tuck the wings under the hens and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. (Optional)
Roast – Arrange the extra herbs, garlic, lemon, and onions around the hens in a roasting pan. Roast for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven. (Photo 4)
Basting Liquid – While the hens are roasting, whisk the chicken stock, white wine, and lemon juice. Set aside.

Optionally, you can use an injector instead of a baster

Baste – After 20-25 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177℃), and baste with the chicken stock mixture. Continue roasting for another 25-30 minutes (juices will run clear, and the thermometer reaches 165°F (74℃) inserted in the thickest part of the thigh). Instead of basting, you could inject hens with chicken mixture every 10 minutes. (Photos 5-6)
Rest – Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes. Transfer fully cooked hens to a carving board, cut, and serve.
Serve with roasted fingerling potatoes and honey-glazed baby carrots.

Freshly roasted tiny chickens for a fun date night dinner

Recipe Tips and Notes

If you don’t have a bottle of white wine in your pantry, try substituting it with apple juice or ginger ale. Or add extra chicken broth to the recipe. A splash of apple cider vinegar might replace the umami that the wine gives you.
For a quick homemade Italian seasoning, mix ¼ teaspoon each of dried thyme, rosemary, basil, and oregano, and you’re good to go!
The smaller birds enjoy less cooking time than regular chicken, so keep your eye on them to avoid overcooking them.
Butterflying the hens is also an easy option that lets them roast faster.
Want to save energy and avoid heating up the house with the oven? While you won’t get that crispy skin, you can make a Cornish hen in a roaster oven.

What Goes With Roasted Cornish Hens

For side dishes, roasted fingerling potatoes and honey-glazed carrots are perfect accompaniments. And if you’re entertaining, why not cap off the evening with a pecan pie? Talk about comfort food!

Serving up a ridiculously delicious meal with chicken, fingerling potatoes, and carrots

More Fabulous Chicken Recipes You’ll Love

By Imma

Watch How to Make It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”T4pVn5zl” upload-date=”2020-10-15T02:38:22.000Z” name=”Roast Cornish Hens” description=”Roast Cornish Hens – juicy, flavorful, and fall-off-the-bone tender roasted cornish game hens packed with fresh herbs and seasonings. Simply split the hen in half and you’ll have two servings of elegant dinner without the messy carving. Perfect for date nights or special occasions!” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]

This roasted Cornish hens recipe was originally published in April 2020 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 55 minutes

Total: 1 hour 15 minutes

American

Rinse the Cornish hens with water, then pat them dry with paper towels. Generously coat with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 450°F (232℃). The high temperature at the beginning will crisp the skin—line the bottom of a baking pan, cast iron, or roasting pan with foil.
Use your index finger to carefully loosen the skin on top of the hens and rub them underneath the skin with garlic herb butter. Plain butter also works.
Lightly spray or coat the skin of hens with olive or cooking oil, then season with Italian and Creole seasoning.
Open up the cavity of the hens and stuff each one with the herbs, bay leaves, onion, garlic, and lemon. Just think of all those flavors infusing into the meat!
Tuck the wings under the hens and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. That helps the hens roast evenly and present well. Not doing this won’t affect the taste if you don’t have twine or time.
Place the hens in a roasting pan and place extra herbs, garlic, lemon, and onions around them. Roast for 20-25 minutes.
While the hen is roasting, whisk the chicken stock, white wine, and lemon juice. Set aside.
After the hens have roasted for 20-25 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177℃).
Baste the hen with the chicken stock mixture. Continue roasting for about 25-30 minutes or until juices run clear or an instant-read thermometer reaches 165°F (75℃). Make sure the thermometer doesn’t touch the bone.
Optionally, you could use a marinade injector to inject hens with chicken mixture every 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes. Transfer fully cooked hens to a carving board and cut each one in half. Place them skin-side up on a plate.

No garlic butter? That’s okay because plain butter works fine.
Cooking Cornish game hens is relatively easy. Remember, they cook faster than regular chickens due to their smaller size. Keep your eye on the oven, so they don’t overcook!
Some prefer butterflying the hens to get that nice, crispy skin or grilling them after marinating. But I find that the regular basting and the garlic butter under the skin get the flavors into every inch of the meat while keeping it moist and juicy.
Use your fingers to apply the garlic butter and work quickly. If the bird is still cold, the butter solidifies quickly and is difficult to spread.
What’s the best way to tell if Cornish game hens are done? A digital instant-read thermometer is a solid investment for any kitchen. They’re easy to use and the best way to ensure perfectly cooked meat at every meal!
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

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