Best Cornish Hen Recipes

ORANGE GLAZED CORNISH HEN

Steps:

• Mix olive oil, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice, garlic, salt, and black pepper together in a large resealable bag. Add hens, seal bag, and coat hens with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, flipping the bag 1 or 2 times to redistribute marinade.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Mix orange juice, soy sauce, honey, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, onion, ginger, and black pepper together in a bowl.
• Remove hens from marinade and transfer to a roasting pan, discarding leftover marinade.
• Roast hens in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. Brush hens with orange glaze and roast for 5 more minutes. Flip hens, brush with more glaze, and roast until meat is no longer pink in the center, about 5 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

AIR FRYER CORNISH HEN

Steps:

• Preheat an air fryer to 390 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Pat Cornish hen dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on all sides.
• Place hen in the basket of the air fryer and cook for 15 minutes. Spray the top of the hen with nonstick cooking spray and cook for 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Transfer the hen to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Carve and serve.

ORANGE GLAZED LOVE (CORNISH) HEN

Steps:

• Put all the sauce ingredients into a saucepan. Over medium heat bring it to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer for 1/2 hour. At the same time mix the marinade together, and rub it all the over hens. Marinate for at least 1 hour. Roast hens in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 25 minutes, and then brush with sauce. Finish the hens on a preheated grill for another 7 minutes, turning and brushing with more sauce to glaze.

HICKORY SMOKED CORNISH GAME HEN

Steps:

• Whisk together the dry rub, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Season the washed and dried game hens with the rub and arrange on a sheet tray. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, add butter to melt. Once melted, add the shallots and saute until tender. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the chicken broth and orange juice. Bring to a simmer and let reduce down to 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. It will easily coat the back of a spoon and be slightly syrupy. Once reduced add the apple cider vinegar and hot sauce. Taste for seasoning.
• Prepare your grill/smoker for indirect heat with charcoal and hickory chips. Maintain your temperature at 275 degrees F.
• Arrange the game hens on the grill and cover. Smoke for 40 minutes. Remove the cover and brush the hens with the glaze, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies. Cover the grill and smoke for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the hens from the grill, to a serving platter and let rest, covered with foil for 15 minutes before serving.

HOISIN-GLAZED CORNISH HEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a very deep pot, bring enough oil to fill the pot by 2/3 of the way. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F.
• Add the hen slowly to the oil and fry for 8 to 10 minutes on each side until golden brown and have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
• Remove the hen from the oil and drain on a paper towel.
• Whisk together in a large bowl, the hoisin, honey, red pepper flakes, and the scallions. Brush mixture over the cooked hen on both sides and reserve the extra sauce for dipping.
• Place in oven for about 7 minutes. Take out. Flip over and brush reserved hoisin sauce on flipped side. Place in oven for another 7 minutes.

CORNISH HEN WITH TART CHERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine sea salt, black pepper, thyme, garlic powder, rosemary, and paprika in a bowl. Place hens on a baking sheet and evenly brush with 5 tablespoons butter. Rub hens with spice mixture.
• Bake hens in preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 1/2 hours, basting every 1/2 hour with white wine. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).
• Mix cherries, red wine, orange juice, and brown sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in 2 tablespoons butter, and cook until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour into the sauce; whisk until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle cherry sauce over cooked hens.

CROCK POT ROSEMARY CORNISH GAME HEN

Steps:

• 1. Sprinkle bottom of Crock Pot with half the salt and pepper. Then drizzle 1 Tbsp olive oil over the bottom of the pot. Rough chop the onion and spread over the bottom of the pot.
• 2. Place frozen Cornish game hen on top of the onions. Drizzle the remaining Tbsp of olive oil on the bird. Rough chop the garlic and place half on top of the bird and the rest, let fall in the pot. Season the bird with salt, pepper, and garlic & onion seasoning. Top the bird with dried or fresh rosemary.
• 3. Add a 1/4 cup of water or white wine to the pot. Cook on low heat setting for 6 hours or until the legs begin to fall away from body.
• 4. To serve, cut the bird down the middle. Optional: Carefully remove the hen from the slow cooker and transfer to a small baking dish. Place in a 450 degree oven just until skin is crispy and golden brown.
• 5. Cook 2 hens at a time for a larger family dinner or substitute a whole chicken. Just make sure to increase the cooking time to allow for the larger bird.

CORNISH GAME HEN: SPATCHCOCK HEN

Steps:

• Preheat a panini press on high.
• Place the game hen breast side down on a cutting board. Using scissors or poultry shears, cut from the neck to the tailbone to remove the backbone. Once you remove the backbone you will be able to see the inside of the bird. Make a small slit in the cartilage at the base of the breastbone to reveal the keel bone. Grab the bird with both hands on the ribs and open up like a book, facing down towards the cutting board. Remove the keel bone. Cut small slits in the skin of the bird behind the legs and tuck the drumsticks into them in order to hold them in place. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Spray the bottom of the panini press with the nonstick cooking spray. Place the bird, skin side up onto the press, pray the skin side with non-stick cooking spray and close the lid. Top the press with a 10-pound weight and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the skin is golden brown.
• Allow to rest 3 minutes before serving.

ROASTED CORNISH GAME HEN WITH MUSTARD GLAZE

Steps:

• Remove the backbone from the hen with poultry shears or a sharp knife, place the hen, skin side up, on a work surface, and press down the breastbone to flatten the hen.
• In an ovenproof skillet roast the hen, skin side up, in a preheated 450°F oven for 10 minutes.
• While the hen is roasting, in a small bowl whisk together the oil, the mustard, rosemary, the garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove the hen from the oven, spread the mustard mixture over the skin, and roast the hen for 15 minutes.
• Transfer the hen to a preheated broiler and broil it about 4 inches from the heat for 2-3 minutes. Now put the mustard seed in with the mustard mixture and broil for 2-3 more minutes(this is so the mustard seeds won't burn).
• Transfer the hen to a platter and keep it warm.
• To the skillet add the wine and boil the mixture over high heat until it is reduced by half. Add the broth, boil the mixture for 1 minute, scraping up and brown bits, and add any juices that have accumulated on the platter. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve onto 2 plates. Cut the hen in half with a sharp knife, and arrange each half on top of the sauce.
• Serve and enjoy!

SPATCHCOCKED CORNISH HEN WITH MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the garlic powder, pimenton, rosemary and lemon zest in a small bowl. Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a small pan until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Combine the toasted seeds with the other spices and grind in a spice grinder.
• Season the game hen with salt and crushed red pepper.
• Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Sear the hen, skin-side down, adjusting the heat as necessary. Place the brick on top of the hen and cook until evenly browned. Remove the brick and flip the hen. Rub some of the spice mixture onto the skin side. Flip the hen over and rub some of the spice mixture onto the back side. Roast in the oven, skin-side down, for 15 minutes. Flip the hen skin-side up and continue to roast until the skin is crispy and the internal temperature is 165 degrees F, about 15 minutes more. Let rest.
• Serve drizzled with olive oil, with Mashed Potatoes on the side.
• Place the potatoes and garlic in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and heavily season the cooking water with salt. Turn down the heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender; drain. Pass the potatoes through a food mill into a bowl.
• Meanwhile, bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add 1/4 cup of the heated cream and the cold butter to the potatoes and stir vigorously. Add more cream and butter as needed. Season with salt.

CORNISH GAME HEN WITH RASPBERRY-RED WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500°F. Sprinkle hen halves with thyme, salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add hen halves, skin side down, and cook until brown, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer hen halves to baking sheet (do not clean skillet). Roast until juices run clear when thigh is pierced, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet. Add shallots and sauté over medium heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Add broth, wine, raspberries, 2 teaspoons sugar and allspice. Boil until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon, scraping up browned bits and crushing raspberries, about 12 minutes. Strain wine sauce into small bowl. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper; add more sugar, if desired. Serve hen halves with sauce.

ORANGE CORNISH HEN FOR TWO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Season hen with salt and black pepper; place in a roasting pan.
• Roast hen in the preheated oven until partially cooked, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Mix orange juice concentrate, honey, and ketchup in a saucepan; bring to a boil and cook until syrup consistency, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Baste hen with orange glaze; continue roasting, basting every ten minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone reads 180 degrees F (82 degrees C), 35 to 40 more minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

CROCKPOT CORNISH GAME HEN

Steps:

• 1. Mix seasonings, BBQ sauce and honey mustard. Place frozen cornish game hen(s) in crockpot or slow cooker. Brush BBQ mixture over all game hen. Cook on low for about 4 - 5 hours, or until tender. Brush with more BBQ sauce at the end of cooking. This is enough sauce for 2 game hens, if you choose to cook that many. Place under oven broiler for a few minutes, if desired. Variations: Use only salt and pepper on game hen; cover well with lemon pepper; use cajun seasoning and cover game hen well. Use your own favorite seasonings.

SPATCHCOCKED AND ROASTED CORNISH GAME HEN WITH GREEN MOJO AND MASHED CITRUS SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• For the Cornish game hen: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet.
• Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, a few minutes. Grind in a spice grinder. Combine half of the ground spices, the garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Reserve the remaining ground spices.
• Pat the hen dry with paper towels and season all over with the spice mixture. Drizzle with olive oil and place, skin-side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Roast until cooked through, 35 to 45 minutes. Cut the hen in half.
• For the green mojo: Combine the olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, serrano and the reserved ground cumin and coriander in a high-powered blender. Blend until bright green and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the sauce over the hen and serve with Mashed Citrus Sweet Potatoes.
• Place the sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover by 1 inch with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and season with salt. Turn down the heat and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the potatoes, then add them back to the pot to dry. Mash the potatoes in the pan. Add the chicken stock, honey, thyme, lemon zest and juice and orange zest and juice. Add more chicken stock if needed. Season with salt and pepper.

ROAST POUSSIN/CORNISH HEN AND SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• This is my almost regular as clockwork Saturday night supper. I find it enormously easy and relaxing to make since all I do is go downstairs, put everything in the oven, and then go back up to Saturday evening tv in bed until it's ready - and then, frankly, back again.
• If I cook the poussins/ Cornish hens in the same pan as the sweet potatoes, I cut a couple of slices of bread and put 1 underneath each bird in the tin, so as to absorb the juices and stop them from seeping into the sweet potatoes which, in turn, would prevent them from crisping and browning. But more often than not, I dispense with the bread (you can imagine how good it tastes later though) and just get 2 disposable foil roasting trays about the size of brownie tins each and put the poussins/ Cornish hens in one and the sweet potatoes in another and reuinite on the plate with a little watercress and a squirt of lime juice later. I must have English mustard with. I know it's a weakness, but not one I'm willing to renounce.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the birds into a small baking tin or foil tray pouring over 1 tablespoon of oil.
• Cut the unpeeled sweet potatoes into 2 1/2-inch cubes and put them into another smallish tin or foil tray.Pour over the other tablespoon of oil and sprinkle over the spices, and then toss everything together by shaking the tin.
• Cook both the poussins/hens and sweet potatoes in the preheated hot oven for 45 minutes.
• Put each poussin/Cornish hen on a plate, with a tangle of watercress and the sweet potatoes alongside. Sprinkle with Maldon/kosher salt, to taste, and spritz with lime juice and go to it!

CORNISH HEN AND DIRTY RICE SAUSAGE STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large saute pan, heat olive oil. Add onions and green pepper and saute. Add sausage meat and cook for about 5 minutes. Add livers and gizzards and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, thyme and parsley. Combine and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove mixture from the heat and cool thoroughly.
• Combine stuffing with rice. Divide and stuff hens immediately prior to cooking. Tie legs closed. Brush hens with butter and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until hens are cooked and temperature of stuffing is 155 degrees.

CORNISH GAME HEN WITH DOUBLE-CRANBERRY AND THYME SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Blend 2 tablespoons butter, sugar, and 2 teaspoons thyme in small bowl. Sprinkle hen halves with salt and pepper. Spread skin of each with half of butter mixture. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add hen halves, skin side down. Sear until deep brown, about 4 minutes. Turn, skin side up, and sear 1 minute. Remove from heat. Transfer hen halves, skin side up, to small rimmed baking sheet. Reserve skillet (mixture will be dark). Roast hen halves until cooked through and juices run clear when pierced with fork, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, blend remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon flour in small bowl. Add broth, grape juice, cranberry concentrate, and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme to reserved skillet. Boil until sauce is reduced to 3/4 cup, whisking often, about 7 minutes. Whisk in flour mixture and cranberries. Simmer until sauce coats spoon, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer hen halves to plates. Spoon sauce over and serve.

MAHOGANY-GLAZED CORNISH HEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. Place hen in a greased shallow roasting pan, skin side up. Combine butter, ginger and orange zest; rub under skin., In a small bowl, whisk preserves, vinegar, soy sauce and mustard. Reserve half of the mixture for basting. Spoon remaining mixture over hen; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour 1/2 cup chicken broth into pan., Roast 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in thigh reads 180°, adding broth to pan as necessary and basting with remaining glaze halfway through cooking. Serve with pan juices.

GARLIC-ROSEMARY CORNISH HEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. Place hens, breast side up, over lemon and rosemary in an ungreased 11x7-in. baking dish. Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add garlic to pan. Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°. , Pour broth and wine over hen and bake 10-15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in thigh reads 180°, basting twice with pan juices. Remove hen to serving plates and keep warm., Transfer pan juices to a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-7 minutes or until pan juices reach desired consistency. Strain juices and serve with hen.

HONEY MUSTARD CORNISH HEN

Steps:

• 1. Thoroughly wash Cornish game hens. Combine the rest of the ingredients. Place the clean hens in a extra large Ziploc storage bag and pour combined ingredients over the hens. Seal bag and gently massage the bag to ensure that the marinade is well distrubed. Place the bag in a 9 x 13 in pan and place in the refridgerator for 12 - 24 hours. Occasionally turn the bag during the marinading time.
• 2. Turn marinated cornish hens onto a very large rimmed cookie sheet. For easier clean up you may line the cookie sheet with parchment paper. Evenly arrange the hens. Place in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Then turn down the oven to 350 degrees. Continue to roast the hens for approximately l hour.
• 3. Glaze the roasted hens with the following: 1/3 c. liquid honey 1/4 c. melted margarine/butter 1/3 c. dijon mustard Combine all the above very well and spread on top of the roasted hens. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for another 10 - 15 minutes.
• 4. Cover the roasted cornish hens with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 min. Arrange on serving platter. You make tuck around the hens sprigs of curley parsley and thin lemon wedges. Enjoy!