Cornish Hen

Tender, juicy and one of the best cornish hen recipes ever. Baked cornish hen in oven with marinade of garlic, honey and spices. This cornish game hen is so good!

Cornish Hen Recipe

What is a cornish hen?

In the United States, cornish game hen (USDA approved name) is also called rock cornish hen. It’s a type of small chicken, produced from a cross between the Cornish and White Plymouth Rock chicken breeds.

They are small, young and immature hens, with an average weight of less than 2 lbs each. The meat is tender, juicy, and much better than turkey and even chicken.

This crispy roasted and baked cornish hen is perfect for holidays. It’s also great for dinner tonight!

Cornish Game Hen

They are widely available in the frozen food section or poultry section of food stores and supermarkets.

They are vacuum-packed in a small plastic wrapped package. They are also labeled as Rock Cornish Game Hen.

They are sold without giblets, so cooking cornish hens are quick and easy.

How to Cook Cornish Hen?

The easiest way to cook is to bake it in the oven.

My baked recipe calls for the following marinade ingredients:

• Garlic
• Butter or extra virgin olive oil
• Honey
• Sambal oelek
• Salt

First, thaw the hen to room temperature. Make sure you pat dry the entire hen with paper towels, including inside the cavity.

Next, marinate it with garlic, butter (or extra virgin olive oil), honey and sambal oelek. If you don’t have sambal oelek, you can use any dry spices such as chili powder or smoked paprika.

You can also use any hot sauce such as Tabasco, Louisiana hot sauce, Sriracha or anything you have on hand.

Bake in the oven at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). How long to cook cornish hens? For this recipe, it takes 60 minutes to cook it in the oven.

This recipe yields crispy skin, with juicy, moist, tender and flavorful meat. It’s the best!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Better than Chicken?

These hens are younger than chickens, so they have less calories as well as less fat. This also makes them more lean.

Can I Use an Air Fryer for this Recipe?

Yes, you can.

You can air-fry it in an air fryer and have crispy skin.

How many calories Per Serving?

This recipe has 243 calories per serving.

What to Serve with this Recipe?

This recipe is best served as the main dish. For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

Yield: 2 People

Tender, juicy and the best cornish hen recipes ever. Baked cornish hen in oven with marinade of garlic, honey and spices. This cornish game hen is so good!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cornish hen
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 toothpicks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 tablespoon sambal oelek
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).
2. Rinse and pat dry the cornish hen with paper towels. Make sure the cavity is dry. Add the garlic inside the cavity. Close the cavity by using 3 toothpicks.

   

3. In a small bowl, add the olive oil (butter), honey, sambal oelek and salt together. Stir to mix well. Brush the mixture on the skin evenly.

   

4. Place it on a roasting pan and bake for 30 minutes or until the skin becomes crispy and nicely browned. You may cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil to avoid burning.
5. Turn the hen over and bake the other side for another 30 minutes. You may brush the juice seeping out on the skin. Remove from the oven and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Notes

If you add 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder to the marinade if you like to give the cornish hen a bit more color.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

2 people
Amount Per Serving Calories 243Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 92mgSodium 609mgCarbohydrates 5gFiber 0gSugar 4gProtein 15g

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