Baked Cornish Hens

This Baked Cornish Hens recipe is surprisingly simple to make. Roasted to golden perfection, they’ve crispy pores and skin that offers technique to juicy, tender meat with each pleasant chew. Serve these for weeknight dinners, Thanksgiving, or as an addition to any vacation unfold.

What Are Cornish Hens

They’re a small kind of hen that originated in Cornwall, England. Most Cornish hens are a younger feminine hen that weighs round 1-2 kilos and is about 4-6 weeks outdated when processed to eat.

Cornish hens are recognized for his or her tender, flavorful meat. Due to their small dimension, these are good for particular person servings, making them good for elegant dinners, vacation feasts, or romantic meals for 2.

Cornish hens have a taste just like that of normal chickens however with some slight variations because of their smaller dimension and tenderness. Some individuals describe the style of Cornish hens as having a refined sweetness, particularly when cooked correctly.

Spices

The spice mix consists of garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, floor thyme, floor rosemary, salt, and pepper. You too can use your favourite store-bought hen rub.

One other nice mix is Creole seasoning together with smoked paprika. Listed here are extra solutions:

Lemon Pepper

Retailer-Purchased Rooster Rub

Sage

Cajun Seasoning

Easy methods to Make Baked Cornish Hens

Detailed measurements and full directions will be discovered within the recipe card on the backside of this submit.

Drizzle olive oil over the Cornish hens and sprinkle the spices all through.

Place the seasoned Cornish hens in a roasting pan or a baking dish.

Pour hen broth or water into the roasting pan to supply moisture throughout baking.

Bake.

Cool earlier than serving.

raw seasoned Cornish hens on a sheet pan

Temperature

I like to recommend 425 levels. Roasting Cornish hens at 425 levels permits for a comparatively fast cooking time, which will help be sure that the hens prepare dinner evenly and retain their moisture. The upper warmth additionally promotes browning and caramelization, enhancing the general taste of the dish.

Prepare dinner Time/How Lengthy to Bake

Bake the Cornish hens for about 45 to 60 minutes, or nonetheless lengthy it takes for them to succeed in an inner temperature reaches 165 levels.

Easy methods to Inform When They Are Finished Roasting

To make sure the Cornish hens are absolutely cooked and fit for human consumption, it is best to use a meat thermometer to verify their inner temperature. See notes above.

Stuffing

I don’t sometimes stuff these. They’re so small and with this Cornbread Dressing recipe there is no such thing as a want.

Once you stuff the hens with a filling, the warmth should penetrate the cavity and prepare dinner the stuffing completely, along with cooking the hens themselves.

Because the stuffing absorbs a number of the warmth, it could possibly act as an insulator, slowing down the cooking course of for each the hens and the stuffing. Which means that the general baking time might be longer than when cooking unstuffed hens.

In the event you determine to stuff the Cornish hens, it’s important to take additional care with meals security. All the time use a cooked stuffing combination somewhat than uncooked, as cooking uncooked stuffing contained in the hens could not permit it to succeed in a secure temperature throughout the beneficial baking time.

a roasted Cornish hen on a white plate with mac and cheese and broccoli

Easy methods to Retailer

You may retailer them absolutely cooked within the fridge coated and sealed for 3-4 days.

Easy methods to Reheat

You may reheat leftovers within the oven or air fryer at 350 levels till heat.

Freezer Suggestions

You may freeze the dish tightly coated and sealed for 2-3 months. Defrost in a single day within the fridge.

Pair With These Recipes

Yam CasseroleFried Inexperienced TomatoesShe Crab SoupMashed Potatoes with CheeseSlow Cooker Crockpot Oxtails

Extra Cornish Hen Recipes

Gradual Cooker Cornish HensAir Fryer Cornish Hens Smoked Cornish Hens

Drizzle these in Yellow Gravy or make gravy utilizing the Cornish hens’ drippings and this Gravy From Drippings recipe.

Prep Time 15

Complete Time 1 15

Preheat oven to 425 levels.

Drizzle the olive oil over the Cornish hens and sprinkle the spices all through. Rub the spices onto each side. Make sure the hens are absolutely coated and add further spices if mandatory.

Place the seasoned Cornish hens in a roasting pan or a baking dish.

Pour the hen broth or water into the roasting pan to supply moisture throughout baking. This can assist hold the hens tender and juicy. Watch out to pour it across the Cornish Hens so that you don’t disturb the spices on the pores and skin.

Bake the Cornish hens for about 45 to 60 minutes, or nonetheless lengthy it takes for them to succeed in an inner temperature reaches 165 levels. Use a meat thermometer.

As soon as executed, take away the hens from the oven and allow them to relaxation for a couple of minutes earlier than serving. This enables the juices to redistribute and ends in tender, succulent meat.

You may double or half the recipe to prepare dinner further Cornish hens if you want.
Be happy to make use of your favourite hen rub or retailer purchased rub to season the hens.

Serving: 4oz | Energy: 220kcal | Protein: 19g | Fats: 16g