Roasted Cornish Hens Recipe
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Cook Time
45 mins
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Total Time
50 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
748 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Roasted Cornish Hens Recipe
Description
This recipe uses four Cornish game hens rubbed with softened butter and seasoned with salt, pepper, Italian herb blend, thyme, rosemary, and sage. Lemons and onion slices, along with garlic cloves and fresh rosemary sprigs, are placed inside the cavities and arranged in the roasting pan. The initial high-temperature roasting starts the browning and renders fat, while lowering the oven temperature for further cooking ensures even doneness without drying.
The hens roast until their internal temperature reaches 170°F, ensuring fully cooked, tender meat and crispy skin. After roasting, they are tented with foil to rest and complete cooking through carryover heat. Serving encourages diners to carve the hens themselves, adding an element of engagement at the meal.
The combination of fresh herbs and aromatics with butter creates a balanced herbaceous and savory flavor with a tender texture and appealing presentation.
Ingredients
- 4 cornish game hen
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 lemon sliced into rounds, plural
- 1 onion sliced into thin rounds, or shallot
- 2-4 thyme rosemary, and sage, some minced, some whole, sprigs
- 4 rosemary to stuff in hens, sprigs, fresh
- 1 tbsp italian herb seasoning blend
- 1 tbsp butter softened
- 20 cloves garlic
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- Pat chickens completely dry.
- Rub chickens with 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Lightly season chickens with salt, pepper, and the minced herbs.
- Place slices from 1 lemon, 4 garlic cloves, and the whole herbs in cavity of each hen.
- Arrange slices from 1 lemon, sliced rounds of shallot or onion, and the remaining 4 garlic cloves in baking dish, roasting pan without rack, or dutch oven.
- Roast for 25 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
- Continue roasting about 25 minutes longer, or until hens are golden brown and juices run clear - and chicken's internal temperature is 170 degrees.
- Remove hens from oven when they reach 170 degrees with an instant-read digital thermometer.
- Tent hens with aluminum foil as hens carryover cook, do not carve for at least 10 minutes.
- Serve individual chickens on diners' plates, and encourage them to carve table-side for a fun dinner!
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 748 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cornish hen | |
| Calories | 748kcal | 37% |
| Carbohydrates | 14g | 5% |
| Protein | 59g | 118% |
| Fat | 50g | 77% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 31g | 182% |
| Cholesterol | 344mg | 115% |
| Sodium | 363mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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