Cornish Hens

Roasted Cornish Hens, the often overlooked cousins to chicken, add a touch of elegance and flavor to the dinner table. In this recipe, we'll explore the art of preparing these little birds, infusing them with simple herbs and spices, and baking them to perfection.

Add a sophisticated twist to a weeknight dinner with these delicious, easy to make, Roasted Cornish Hens. Create a memorable dinner experience that will leave a lasting impression and make a delightful meal for two.

Cornish hens are essentially just small chickens. They are actually a special breed of chicken that are slaughtered when they are approximately one to two pounds. Cornish hens are more tender than full grown chickens and have a have a different, more robust flavor. The also have a different texture and are generally more expensive per pound than standard chickens.

Cornish hens are so tender when cooked that the meat typically falls off the bone. The great part is that Roasted Cornish Hens can be ready in under an hour.

Roasted Cornish hens are perfect for a special occasion or just an elegant weeknight dinner for two.

This was inspired by my recipe for Smoked Brined Turkey.

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• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Variations
• Storage
• Top Tip
• Related
• Pairing
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Ingredients

• Cornish hens
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Paprika
• Yellow onion

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

As with chickens, there are many ways to cook Cornish hens including roasting, grilling, slow cooking and braising. This recipe is about roasting. These birds are small and will cook much faster than a standard chicken, which makes it a little easier to get the skin nice and crispy.

Where to Buy Cornish Hens

These little birds are easy to find at most grocery stores and butcher shops year round. Since they are not big sellers, don't expect to find them fresh. Most markets carry frozen Cornish hens which work just fine.

A Word About Wood-Fired Ovens

The video for this recipe shows roasting these little birds in a cast iron skillet in a wood-fired oven. While a wood-fired oven is not necessary to make this dish, it certainly is a lot of fun. In addition to making awesome pizza, a wood-fired oven can also be used to grill, bake and roast.

When making pizza, the floor of a wood-fired oven is around 850˚F and the top can be well over 1,000˚F. The logs at the back of the oven create a rolling fire that climbs the back wall and top of the oven and acts like a broiler. These temperatures work well for pizza, but not so well for delicate little Cornish hens. Once the oven is warm, let it cool down to about 450˚F before loading it up with the hens. A wood-fired oven takes a long time to heat up and a longer time to cool down. It will stay hot long enough to cook these little guys.

Variations

To change the spices, try making a paste of garlic, thyme, rosemary and olive oil and rubbing that mixture on the front and back of each hen. Place a slice of lemon and a slice of onion inside the cavity before baking.

Storage

Leftover Cornish hens can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

These succulent little birds, infused with aromatic herbs and spices, are hard to resist. As you savor each juicy bite, think about serving Cornish hens more often. They are a great substitute for chicken.

Related

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Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with this recipe.

📖 Recipe