Give the Cornish hens a little massage with olive oil. That helps them get crispy beautiful brown Goodgame Café – Cooking Games skin. Season them, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Put them into a roasting pan large enough to accommodate the hens side by side. With blood oranges, fennel, rhubarb and potatoes perfectly roasted alongside the crispy skinned game hens, this spring dinner is packed with flavor. Bake uncovered at 425˚F for 45 minutes or until instant read thermometer registers 160˚F when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breast.
It would be laughable if you tried to serve just a hen breast or drumstick to one person. They share almost the same flavor as regular chicken no matter what part of the chicken you have. The above recipe is just one way to cook Cornish hen. The reason why they have a smaller body is because Cornish hens are only consumed when they are immature and young. The bird is usually slaughtered when it is around 4-6 weeks old and weighs just under 2 pounds.
- If you have slightly bigger hens, you may need to add additional cook time.
- I have another grilled cornish hens recipe here that is absolutely finger licking.
- I would definitely at least make gravy – you could easily do this with the drippings.
Open rib cage and use a heavy knife to score down the sternum. This will help pop out the breast bone and flatten chicken. Season inside the chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper. Add cooking wine and chicken broth to the bottom of the roasting pan. Bake for 1 hour, basting each hen every 20 minutes. Sprinkle tops with more salt and pepper.
Servings
Tear the meat into smaller pieces. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt together. Using a fork, mash the reserved cooked vegetables.
Due to their small size , Cornish game hens make a beautiful presentation and can be served as an individual main course. Or, split each hen in half, and serve it alongside roasted veggies. These Cornish game hens are a cross between Cornish and White Plymouth Rock chickens. Once they make their way to the butcher, they weigh in at less than two pounds and they have developed relatively large breasts in just a short period of time.
Serving ideas
If you’re totally committed to the full spread, too, I’ve pulled together some of my most popular Thanksgiving recipes and paired them down to feed two. You can find the full menu on Thanksgiving for Two. Roasted Cornish Hens with Stuffing make Thanksgivings extra special.
How do you thaw a frozen game hen?
If baked potatoes aren’t on your list of favorites, you can use sweet potatoes instead. Russet potatoes – Choose medium-sized potatoes so they will cook evenly, making sure they are scrubbed and dried. You can use baby potatoes if that’s all you have on hand. I’m Mike Vrobel, a dad who cooks dinner every night. I’m an enthusiastic home cook, and I write about pressure cooking, rotisserie grilling, and other food topics that grab my attention.