My Cornish hen recipe makes a wonderfully juicy, golden-brown hen rubbed with savory spices and baked over a mattress of lemon and herbs. Roast onions in the identical pan and serve the hen over rice for a “fancy with out making an attempt” dinner!
For those who’ve by no means cooked it earlier than, I believe you’re going to search out in the present day’s Cornish hen recipe very useful! Roasting a Cornish hen isn’t a lot completely different from cooking a roast rooster. Cornish sport hen is de facto only a smaller, extra tender, delicately flavored kind of rooster (and never a sport fowl in any respect, truly).
Whereas I usually make air fryer Cornish hen, for these of you with out air fryers, that is my unique oven-roasted model. With a couple of easy seasonings, recent lemon, and herbs, you possibly can put together an ideal Cornish hen to serve at your subsequent particular dinner.
What Makes This Cornish Hen Recipe Particular
- Further tender. Cornish hen is the poultry equal of lamb: tender, juicy, and wealthy in taste. I’ll generally put together it instead of a rack of lamb for Easter.
- Excellent for a small crowd. One hen can comfortably feed 1-2 folks, so I like making this recipe when we’ve firm. It’s spectacular on a plate, however really easy to cook dinner within the oven. The home smells superb, too!
- Adaptable. This recipe is the proper launching level for any variations you possibly can consider. Swap the spices, soak the hens in brine, or change the herbs to your liking.
Components Wanted to Make This Recipe
Right here’s a brief buying record for this roasted Cornish hen recipe. Discuss with the recipe card beneath for the total ingredient quantities.
- Cornish Hens – One hen is sufficient for 2 servings. You’ll discover them within the frozen poultry part of main grocery shops or on-line. If utilizing frozen Cornish hens, thaw them totally and pat them dry.
- Butter – Thinly sliced to tuck beneath the hen’s pores and skin. I take advantage of this method with the compound butter for my Thanksgiving turkey, too, and it by no means fails to yield a flavorful, juicy fowl.
- Recent Herbs and Lemon – Rosemary and thyme sprigs, plus lemon slices, to infuse the meat with taste.
- Onion and Garlic – Reduce the onion into quarters and smash the garlic cloves with the aspect of a knife. White or yellow onions are greatest for roasting.
- Olive Oil – To drizzle over the hens and veggies earlier than baking.
- Spices – I make a variation of my rooster seasoning from salt, pepper, Italian herbs, paprika, garlic powder, and pink pepper flakes. You’ll be able to omit the chili flakes in case you’re delicate to spice.
Suggestions for Cooking Cornish Hen
- Brown the pores and skin. For those who’d like a darker, crispier pores and skin on the Cornish hens, change the oven to broil for a few minutes as soon as they’re achieved baking. Simply don’t overlook about them, broiling meals can go from brown to burnt rapidly!
- Take a look at for doneness. Cornish hen is cooked when the inner temperature hits 165ºF on the thickest a part of the fowl. Use an instant-read thermometer to examine.
- Extra taste. Just like the way you’d put together a turkey, you possibly can fill the small cavity contained in the hens with further herbs, lemon slices, and garlic.
What to Serve With Cornish Hen
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Prep. Preheat your oven to 450ºF. Place the rosemary, thyme, onion, garlic, and lemon slices on a baking sheet in a single layer and put aside.
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Put together the Cornish hen. Pat the Cornish hens dry with paper towels. Carry the pores and skin of the Cornish hens with a finger and thoroughly place 2 slices of butter below the pores and skin of every hen. I place one slice proper over every breast.
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Make the spice rub. Mix the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, and pink pepper flakes in a bowl. Season the Cornish hens with the spice rub.
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Get able to roast. Place the Cornish hens over the lemon slices and aromatics on the baking sheet, and drizzle every little thing with olive oil. Twist the wings to tuck below the fowl, and you could possibly additionally tie the legs with twine, however that is non-compulsory.
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Roast. Cut back the oven temperature to 400˚F and bake the Cornish hens for 55-60 minutes, or till the inner temperature of every hen reaches 165ºF.
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Allow them to relaxation, then serve. Take away the hens from the oven and allow them to relaxation for 10 to fifteen minutes earlier than serving. Serve with some further lemon wedges on the aspect.
- Make certain your baking pan is extensive sufficient: If the Cornish hens are touching, the pores and skin won’t get crispy.
- Test that they’re achieved: The Cornish hens are totally baked when the inside temperature of the thickest half reaches 165F.
- Get extra coloration: For those who desire darker pores and skin on the hens, broil them for an additional couple of minutes on the finish.
- Add herbs: For further taste, you possibly can fill the cavity of the hens with herbs and garlic.
Serving: 6ounces | Energy: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 40g | Fats: 38g | Saturated Fats: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 7g | Monounsaturated Fats: 17g | Trans Fats: 0.1g | Ldl cholesterol: 237mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 674mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 918IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 3mg
Dietary data is an estimate and supplied as courtesy. Values might differ in accordance with the substances and instruments used. Please use your most well-liked dietary calculator for extra detailed data.
Tips on how to Roast Cornish Hen
Use a large baking pan that may match each Cornish hens with house between them. In the event that they’re crowded on the baking sheet, the pores and skin received’t crisp up.
- Put together the Cornish hen. Pat the hen dry with paper towels (this manner, the spice rub adheres). Then, rigorously elevate the pores and skin along with your fingers, and slice two pats of butter beneath, one on all sides.
- Make the spice rub. Subsequent, mix the seasonings and rub them evenly over the hen.
- Get able to roast. Organize the rosemary, thyme, onion, garlic, and lemon slices on a baking pan. I wish to make a small mattress of lemon slices and herbs, and place the hen on high. Afterward, drizzle every little thing with olive oil.
- Roast. Roast the Cornish hen at 450ºF for 55-60 minutes. The hen is finished when the inner temperature reaches 165ºF.
- Serve. Earlier than serving, relaxation the hen outdoors of the oven for 20 minutes. Then, serve the Cornish hen with further herbs and lemon on the aspect, and luxuriate in.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerate. I wish to carve any leftover Cornish hen and switch the meat to an hermetic container to maintain within the fridge for 3-4 days. Toss it right into a salad instead of rooster for a straightforward lunch!
- Reheat. To reheat, heat it within the oven or microwave. Sprinkle it with somewhat water so it doesn’t dry out.
- Freeze. You’ll be able to freeze the cooked Cornish hen for as much as 2 months, wrapped tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap. Thaw within the fridge earlier than reheating.
