Easy Cornish Hens Recipe

Are you looking for an alternative to turkey this Thanksgiving? Try our Easy Cornish Hens recipe, well-seasoned and easy to make. Plus, it’s less hassle than making a huge turkey. 

Easy Cornish Hens Recipe

Like a lot of folks, I used to be intimidated by the thought of preparing Cornish Hens. Not anymore. Now I love them, and here is why. First, it is all about the perfect portion. Cornish hens for me, translate into less waste. Who wants to cook a whole chicken or gigantic turkey then struggle to figure out what to do with all of the leftovers? Second. Cornish Hens are not the fancy-pants dish you think it is. Mainly because pound for pound, they are often a more economical purchase than other poultry meats. And finally, they are delicious. The following recipe guarantees a moist and well-seasoned outcome. Enjoy!

What You Need To Make Our Easy Cornish Hens:

Cornish Hens. We love Cornish hens because they are like individual-sized servings of chicken, even though they are technically not chicken, but the taste is similar. Typically, each hen weighs around 1-2 pounds. Typically, the wife and I will split one, but our teenage boys will eat a whole Cornish hen in one sitting. 

Olive Oil. Garlic & Butter. After the Cornish hens are patted dry, I like to apply a mixture of melted unsalted butter, olive oil, and lots of minced garlic. 

Onions. Lemons. Sage & Rosemary.  I also love adding additional layers of flavor by resting the Cornish hens on a bed of onion, lemons, sage, and rosemary. Protip. Add even more flavor by stuffing the hens with onions, lemons, garlic, sage, and rosemary. 

Seasoning Mix. Our seasoning mix includes Old Bay seasoning, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, sea salt, freshly cracked black peppercorns.

Ingredients needed for Cornish Hens

• 3 Cornish Hens
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 large cloves of garlic minced
• 2 lemons sliced
• 1 large onion cut into quarters and separate the quarters into individual slices of onion
• 10-12 fresh sage leaves
• 6-8 Sprigs of fresh Rosemary
• 2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
• 2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon lemon pepper
• 1 teaspoon sea salt or Kosher salt

Directions: 

1. Thaw and pat the Cornish hens dry with a paper towel.
2. Place the onions, sliced lemons, and half of the sage and rosemary into the roasting pan or Dutch oven. 
3. Brush the hens with the melted butter, olive oil, minced garlic.
4. Rub the hens thoroughly with the dry rub mixture.
5. Arrange the Cornish hens into the roasting pan or Dutch oven, place the remaining sage leaves, sprigs of rosemary, and sliced lemon in-between the Cornish hens. 
6. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 ° F until an instant-read thermometer reads inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 ° F, and the juices run clear. (Cooking time: 45 minutes to an hour) 
7. When finished baking, remove the pan from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes. 
8. Serve.

Should I roast Cornish hens covered or uncovered

For the best results, roast the Cornish hens breast-side up in a shallow roasting pan or cast-iron Dutch oven. Bast frequently using a combination of minced garlic, olive oil, and melted unsalted butter. When roasting, the Cornish hens weighing about a 1-pound, roast for 50-60 minutes. For larger Cornish hens, add 15-minutes or cook until an instant-read thermometer reaches no less than 180°F.

How long can you store Cornish hens?

If you are storing Cornish hens, they will last 3 days. However, when stored correctly in the freezer, Cornish hens can last 5-8 months. 

How to thaw Cornish hens

Place frozen Cornish hens in a bowl. Or if you’re defrosting more than two or more, arrange packaged hens on a sheet pan, make sure they are not touching, place them into the fridge. The hens will thaw in 1 or 2 days. For same-day thawing, place each packaged hen in a bowl of cold water, change the water often, about every half-hour.

How to reheat Cornish Hens

Preheat 350° F. In a large cast-iron skillet, pour one cup of chicken broth or stock into a shallow pan, place the Cornish hens breast-side down into the liquid. Place the hens into the oven and heat for 15-20 minutes. 

Recipes that pair well with Cornish Hens

One dish we enjoy with our hens is our recipe for creamy collard greens with bacon. Potato dishes also pair well with Cornish Hens. Here are a few potato dishes to try: Cheesy Spinach Mashed Double Potatoes, Smashed Cheesy Sweet Potatoes, or Creamy Potato Recipe With Alfredo Sauce. 

Easy Cornish Hens Recipe

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Ingredients

• 3 Cornish Hens
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 large cloves of garlic minced
• 2 lemons sliced
• 1 large onion cut into quarters and separate the quarters into individual slices of onion
• 10-12 fresh sage leaves
• 6-8 Sprigs of fresh Rosemary
• 2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
• 2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon lemon pepper
• 1 teaspoon sea salt or Kosher salt

Instructions

1. Thaw and pat the Cornish hens dry with a paper towel.
2. Place the onions, sliced lemons, and half of the sage and rosemary into the roasting pan or Dutch oven. 
3. Brush the hens with the melted butter, olive oil, minced garlic.
4. Rub the hens thoroughly with the dry rub mixture.
5. Arrange the Cornish hens into the roasting pan or Dutch oven, place the remaining sage leaves, sprigs of rosemary, and sliced lemon in-between the Cornish hens. 
6. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 ° F until an instant-read thermometer reads inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 ° F, and the juices run clear. (Cooking time: 45 minutes to an hour) 
7. When finished baking, remove the pan from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes. 
8. Serve.

How to cook stuffed Cornish Hens

You can try cooking your Cornish Hens by stuffing the cavities full of fresh herbs and butter. We’re sharing one of the ways we’ve made this Cornish Hens recipe for previous holiday dinners. 

Ingredients: 

Directions on cooking stuffed cornish hens

Stuffed Cornish Hens Recipe

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour

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Ingredients

• 4-6 Cornish Hens
• 2 Meyer Lemons
• 1/2 Cup of Melted Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter
• 2 Bunches of fresh Sage
• 6-8 Sprigs of fresh Rosemary
• 6-8 Sprigs of fresh Thyme
• 2 Tbsp of fresh cracked Black Pepper
• 1 Tbsp of Lemon Pepper
• 1 Tbsp of Kosher salt
• 1 Cup of White Wine

Instructions

1. Once the Cornish Hens are thawed and rinsed thoroughly pat them dry with a paper towel.
2. Place Cornish Hens is a large roasting pan bottom down. Divide fresh herbs and stuff hen cavities.
3. Then add two parts of butter to each cavity. Place any leftover herbs beneath hens.
4. Slice Meyer lemons in half and squeeze juice into a small bowl. There should be enough lemon juice so that each hen cavity gets a tablespoon each.
5. Melt remaining butter and brush over each hen until butter is used up.
6. Mix Black Pepper, Lemon Pepper, and Kosher salt in a small bowl and sprinkle over hens evenly until seasoning is all gone.
7. Pour 1 cup of white wine into the bottom of the pan but do not pour wine over hens (you'll rinse off the seasoning if you do).
8. Make sure hens have plenty of space between them. Let stand for 30 minutes.
9. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 until an instant-read thermometer reads inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the juices run clear.
10. When finished baking, remove the pan from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes.
11. Serve.

More holiday dinners to try:

Cajun Cornish Hen Jambalaya Recipe

Lamb Over Potatoes With Kale

Garlic & Mint Grilled Aussie Lamb Chops

90+ Dinner Chicken Recipes

50+ of the Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Croissant Cornbread Dressing with Chicken

Published 11/2014 | Updated 11/2020