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Cornish hens are so versatile and utterly delicious. These little birds can easily take on your favorite whole chicken recipe in a fraction of the time. Perfect for that WOW factor at a dinner party!
So this past Sunday I did a freezer cleanout and I happened to find these 2 lovelies. I had been craving roasted chicken but didn’t want to make a whole big bird.
That’s where cornish game hens come into play. they look like mini chickens well that’s because they actually are mini chickens. They can weigh between 1-2 pounds but the average is about 1.4 pounds.
How to cook Cornish Game Hens
Cornish game hens cook pretty much identical to how you would make a whole chicken. Now I make one killer roasted chicken (both stuffed and unstuffed) so when it came to making these I went with an herbed compound butter rub.
I’ve never seen them fresh so mine are always found in the freezer section.
I thaw them in the fridge for 1-2 days. Never thaw poultry on the counter or at room temperature.
- Thaw the game hens and clean out the gizzards (they typically are in a little bag). You can save them and make gravy or add it to a stuffing. Totally your choice.
- Pat the birds dry and make your compound butter. (See below)
- Separate the skin from the breast meat and put the compound butter in there. Smush it down and help spread it out. What’s going to happen is that when the bird roasts, that butter, and all the herbs are actually going to infuse into the meat and not only make it juicier BUT add such incredible flavor!
- Add oil, salt, and pepper and bake!
How to make Compound Butter
I wrote up an entire post here on how to make it. Check out THIS post!
- For this recipe, I just took room temperature unsalted butter and added my herbs and aromatics to it – garlic and my favorite herbs.
- Combine the ingredients into a smooth mixture. At this point, you can roll into a log and refrigerate for serving later OR use it as I did in this recipe.
Cooking Times of Cornish Game Hens
As mentioned above the average size is about 1.4 pounds each. For hens larger than 1.4 pounds, you’ll want to increase the baking time to 50-60 minutes when the temperature is reduced to 350F.
You’ll still cook it the same amount of time at 450F but when it’s reduced to 350F, that’s when you’ll want to bump up the cooking time.
That being said, the BEST (and safest) way to determine that they are done is to check the birds in the thickest part of it (not touching a bone) with a meat thermometer. It should read 165F.
What to serve with Cornish Game Hens
Honestly, pretty much anything.
Roasted Cornish Hens
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1.25 hours
- Category: Poultry
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: American
Cornish hens are so versatile and utterly delicious. These The Ultimate Roasted Cornish Game Hens can easily take on your favorite whole chicken recipe in a fraction of the time. Perfect for that WOW factor at a dinner party!
Ingredients
- 6 Rock Cornish Hens, thawed (~1.4 lb each) *See note
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 Tbl fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 Tbl Kosher salt
- 1 Tbl fresh ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F. Remove birds from wrapping, remove gizzards (inside stuff) and pat dry inside and out. Place a cooling rack on a baking pan. Place them breast-side up on the cooling rack inside of the pan.
- In a bowl combine the butter, garlic, rosemary, thyme to make a soft, but spreadable herbed butter. Carefully separate the skin from the breast. Spread about 2 Tbl of the butter between the skin and breast of each bird. Smooth skin back down to cover the meat. Rub the olive oil all over the birds and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
- Roast at 450F for 20 minutes. the reduce the heat to 350F. Continue roasting about 40 more minutes or when the thickest part of the meat reaches 165F. Baste occasionally with pan juices. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
If your hens are larger than 1.4 lbs each you’ll want to increase the cooking time when the temperature is reduced to 350F to about 50-60 minutes.
The most important thing is to check the temp!
Keywords: how to cook cornish hen, best cornish game hen recipe, #cornishgamehen
Absolutely delicious!! This is always my “go to” recipe for Cornish game hen. Excellent every single time! Sometimes I’ve added a cut up lemon or orange inside the hen, but honestly it doesn’t even need it. I always love tossing in some chopped up sweet potato below the rack. Thank you so much for this recipe, Lori!
★★★★★
So happy you love these so much Jacqui! Thank you!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
How would you make these in a nesco roasting pan?
I’m not super familiar with those pans though I suspect you’d preheat it and then add it to a greased rack or pan. I would also advise making sure that it’s raised up and not sitting on the bottom of the pan. I’d refer to the manual it came with for more information about cooking poultry in it.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Is there any way that I can check the hen without a thermometer?
How can I check for done if I don’t have a thermometer?
Hi Allen,
The most accurate way is with a thermometer. I highly suggest saving up to buy one. You can find them pretty inexpensive (even under $5). There are a few “eye” signs you can judge by but I always trust a thermometer.
1. When the skin is pierced, the juices will run clear and the meat is pink.
2. Move the legs. If they move easily at the joints it is done.
However you risk either the bird being overcooked or undercooked by doing those “eye” test. Definitely invest in a thermometer.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
My question was how long when cooking two at time
Hi Sal,
The time would be the same irrelevant of the quantity. Just ensure that the internal temp is 165 F.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
It is perfectly safe to thaw out of the refrigerator under a stream of cold water. This is how its done in restaurants. FYI. Fun Recipe!!
HOWEVER, there are VERY STRICT guidelines to follow per the USDA.
“This method is faster than refrigerator thawing but requires more attention. The food must be in a leak-proof package or plastic bag. If the bag leaks, bacteria from the air or surrounding environment could be introduced into the food. Also, the meat tissue may absorb water, resulting in a watery product.
The bag should be submerged in cold tap water, changing the water every 30 minutes so it continues to thaw. Small packages of meat, poultry or seafood — about a pound — may thaw in an hour or less. A 3-to 4-pound package may take 2 to 3 hours. For whole turkeys, estimate about 30 minutes per pound. If thawed completely, the food must be cooked immediately.”
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/the-big-thaw-safe-defrosting-methods-for-consumers/CT_Index#2