Servings
Font
Back
4.9 from 471 votes

Roasted Cornish Hens Recipe

Delicious tender juicy Cornish game hens packed with flavor. Perfect for a holiday dinner, keto and low-carb diet friendly, and easy enough for even beginner cooks!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 748 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 4 cornish game hens
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 lemons sliced into rounds
  • 1 onion or shallot sliced into thin rounds
  • 2-4 sprigs thyme rosemary, and sage, some minced, some whole
  • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary to stuff in hens
  • 1 tbsp italian herb seasoning blend
  • 1 tbsp butter softened
  • 20 cloves garlic

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 450F.
  2. Pat chickens completely dry.
  3. Rub chickens with 1 tablespoon of butter.
  4. Lightly season chickens with salt, pepper, and the minced herbs.
  5. Place slices from 1 lemon, 4 garlic cloves, and the whole herbs in cavity of each hen.
  6. 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.
  7. Roast for 25 minutes.
  8. Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
  9. Continue roasting about 25 minutes longer, or until hens are golden brown and juices run clear - and chicken's internal temperature is 170 degrees.
  10. Remove hens from oven when they reach 170 degrees with an instant-read digital thermometer.
  11. Tent hens with aluminum foil as hens carryover cook, do not carve for at least 10 minutes.
  12. Serve individual chickens on diners' plates, and encourage them to carve table-side for a fun dinner!

Nutrition Information

Serving 1cornish hen Calories 748kcal (37%) Carbohydrates 14g (5%) Protein 59g (118%) Fat 50g (77%) Saturated Fat 15g (75%) Polyunsaturated Fat 31g Cholesterol 344mg (115%) Sodium 363mg (15%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 3g (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 748

% 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.