Cornish Game Hen Recipe

Roasted Cornish Game Hens

4.7

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2 Reviews

Here's how to cook Cornish game hens.

John Somerall

Updated on November 2, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Cornish Game Hen — Photo: Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Active Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 15 mins

Yield:

4 servings

These Cornish hens are flavor-packed with aromatic herbs, fresh lemons, and garlic. Coated in a lemon-garlic-herb purée and stuffed with garlic and lemon wedges, the hens are neatly trussed and then roasted on top of a bed of fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs. Drizzle them with the butter-fortified pan juices just before serving, we like them with roasted or mashed potatoes and/or a salad tossed with a mustard vinaigrette.

Frequently asked questions

Is Cornish game hen the same as chicken?

Cornish hens are a smaller, young breed of chicken that are typically sold at around two pounds. Chickens, by comparison, are full-sized and typically weigh four to six pounds at the butcher’s counter.

How do you prepare Cornish game hen?

Cornish hens are most often roasted like chicken with olive oil, herbs such as rosemary and thyme, and aromatics. You can roast Cornish game hens whole or spatchcock them for a quicker-cooking preparation that yields even more crispy, flavorful skin.

What does Cornish hen taste like?

Cornish hens are similar to chicken but have a lighter, more delicate flavor. The meat is incredibly tender and succulent, making it prime for roasting or air frying.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Once you dress the hens with the lemon-herb mixture, let them rest at room temperature for an hour to marinate. Not only will this make the meat more flavorful, it will make it more tender. Otherwise, putting cold meat into a hot oven or rotisserie will cause the muscles to tense up, resulting in a tougher, chewier bite.

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Ingredients

5 medium lemons, divided
1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves, chopped, plus 10 (4-inch) sprigs
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped, plus 10 (4-inch) sprigs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
20 garlic cloves, smashed, divided
2 (1 1/2- to 2-pound) fresh or frozen Cornish hens (thawed, if frozen), giblets removed
2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Directions

Squeeze 1 lemon to yield 2 tablespoons juice; discard seeds and squeezed rind. Cut 1 lemon into 6 wedges. Cut remaining 3 lemons in half crosswise. Set aside.
Place lemon juice, chopped rosemary, chopped thyme, oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and 10 garlic cloves in a food processor; process until garlic is finely chopped and mixture is blended, stopping to scrape down sides as needed, about 2 minutes. Rub mixture evenly over Cornish hens and inside the cavities. Fill each cavity with 3 lemon wedges and 5 garlic cloves. Truss each hen with kitchen twine by tying together the legs and tightly wrapping twine around each hen to securely hold wings to breasts. Arrange rosemary sprigs and thyme sprigs in an even layer in a large roasting pan. Place hens and lemon halves on top of herb sprigs. Let rest at room temperature, uncovered, for 1 hour
While hens rest, preheat oven to 425°F. Cover roasting pan with aluminum foil. Roast for 25 minutes. Remove hens from oven. Remove and discard foil; add broth to roasting pan. Continue roasting hens uncovered until skin is deep golden brown and a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of meat registers 165°F, 25 to 35 minutes longer. Remove from oven; let hens rest in pan at room temperature 5 minutes. Transfer hens and lemon halves to a cutting board; let rest 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour remaining mixture in roasting pan through a fine mesh strainer into a small saucepan; discard solids. Bring juices in saucepan to a low boil over medium. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter, one piece at a time, until well combined. Season to taste with salt.
Carefully cut each hen in half lengthwise. Serve with roasted lemon halves and pan sauce.