Roasted Cornish Hens Recipe – Baked to crispy perfection, these oven-roasted Cornish hens make an excellent main course for a festive occasion such as the Holidays. With only a handful of ingredients, the roasted Cornish hens come out from the oven crisp and juicy, with a delightful grape sauce that pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
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Ingredients list for the roasted cornish hen recipe
- 2 whole Cornish hens (about 1 1/2 lb each)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 lb fresh grapes
- 1/2 cup grape juice
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, more if necessary
- 1 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
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Roasted cornish hen recipe
Much like a roast chicken, this Cornish hen recipe makes a fancy dinner perfect for the holidays. The grape sauce is made with fresh grapes, grape juice, apple cider vinegar, and chicken stock. The ingredients list is pretty short, but the result is a restaurant-quality main course packed with flavors that your guests will remember for a long time!
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
What are Cornish Hens?
Cornish hens are a popular breed of chickens from Cornwall, England. They weigh about 2 pounds, half the weight of a regular chicken, and have leaner meat and less fat. Cornish hens’ meat is incredibly tender and often preferable to larger birds because of the effortless preparation and shorter cooking time. Because of their smaller size, Cornish hens are perfect for one person or cut in half for two. You can often find frozen cornish hens near the frozen turkeys and chickens in your grocery store.
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Directions
1. To make the roasted cornish hens: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190ºC). Pat the hens dry with paper towels and generously season with salt and pepper inside and out.
2. In a large skillet with a bit of oil, brown the cornish hens on all sides for 5 to 10 minutes. Let them take some color, then set them aside.
3. Deglaze the same skillet with apple cider vinegar, grape juice, and chicken broth, then bring to a simmer. Add grapes and cook for a couple of minutes until the sauce reduces and the grapes blister.
4. Place the cornish hens in the roasting pan, arrange the grapes, and pour sauce over. make sure to have at least 1 cup of liquid in the baking pan. Add more chicken broth if necessary.
5. Transfer the roasting pan to the preheated oven and roast for 50 to 60 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers at 165°F (74ºC).
6. Remove the roasted cornish hens from the oven and let them rest for 15 minutes. Garnish with the grapes and additional thyme, and serve over mashed potatoes and green beans. Enjoy! ❤️
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Tips for the roasted cornish hen recipe
- We keep the roasting temperature to medium heat because we have the cornish hens color in the pan before roasting.
- Feel free to stuff the cornish hens with more herbs if you like.
- Try our homemade chicken rub or this popular turkey rub recipe if you like a more robust flavor.
- You can turn on your broiler for 2 minutes toward the end of cooking time to crisp the skin. But keep an eye on it!
- For the best result, don’t forget to rub salt and pepper inside the cavity.
- Allow the Cornish hens to rest for 20 minutes before serving. When they are done, remove the hens from the oven and cover them loosely with aluminum foil for 15 minutes. Resting helps the juices redistribute evenly into the meat, producing succulent, juicy meat.
- You can easily double the recipe if you have a larger crowd.
How to thaw cornish hens quickly
Cornish hens are mostly sold frozen and come in packages of one or two. Because of their size, Cornish hens thaw pretty quickly: Thaw them overnight in your refrigerator. You can also thaw Cornish hens in cold water, changing the water regularly, as long as your cook them right after.
How to serve the roasted cornish hens
We like to serve roasted cornish hens with mashed potatoes and green beans. Rice and couscous also make great sides. To make a lovely presentation, cut the roasted cornish hens in half lengthwise with a large, sharp knife and arrange the cornish hens, cut side down, on serving plates.
How to keep roasted cornish hens leftovers?
You can keep roasted cornish hens leftovers in the baking dish covered with foil in your refrigerator for two days. Reheat covered in the oven with a little water in the bottom of the pan to loosen the sauce.
More roasted poultry and chicken recipes
- 25 Best Easy Chicken Recipes for Entertaining
- Roasted Lemon Garlic Butter Spatchcock Chicken
- Tuscan Baked Chicken
- Mayonnaise Roasted Whole Chicken
- Roasted Chicken with Garlic Herb Butter
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