Roasted Cornish Hens
Now, more than ever, families are looking for ways to make traditional holiday meals healthier, but still tasty. Fortunately, this roasted cornish hen recipe provides a healthy alternative that is just as delicious as the traditional turkey dinner. This versatile meal goes great with any side dish or even on its own when you're looking for a light meal after the holidays.
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 2 cornish hens about 3 pounds each
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 carrot cut into 1” pieces
- 1 stalk celery cut into 1” pieces
- 2 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
- 2 sprigs rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Pat the cornish hens dry with a paper towel and place them in a large rimmed baking dish or roasting pan.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, dried thyme, onion powder, paprika, and black pepper.
- Drizzle the oil mixture over the cornish hens and rub it all over, making sure to coat the hens on all sides.
- Fill the cavity of each hen with two quarters of onion, half of the carrot, half of the celery, one clove of garlic, and one sprig of rosemary.
- Tie the legs with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the bird— this will prevent them from burning in the oven.
- Roast the hens uncovered for 50-55 minutes or until an instant read thermometer registers 160F.
- Baste the hens with juices from the pan after 25 minutes.
- Remove the hens from the oven and carefully cover the pan with aluminum foil.
- Rest the hens for 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature registers 165F.
- Serve the cornish hens whole or carved with a garnish of fresh herbs or flakey sea salt.
- Enjoy warm.
- Store any leftover hen in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Notes
Serving Notes
- Cornish hens can be served with an array of sides such as mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, grilled asparagus, and salad!
- For a one-pan meal, add your favorite root vegetables to the pan with the cornish hens and roast following the recipe. Some of my favorites are: carrots (peeled and cut into 1” slices), baby potatoes (halved), shallots (peeled), onion (quartered), and garlic (peeled).
- I highly recommend using an instant-read thermometer to monitor the cooking of the hens! Undercooking could result in food-borne illness while overcooking will result in dry hens.
- Olive oil helps lock in moisture and create brown and crispy skin.
- I’m making a homemade spice rub with salt, garlic powder, thyme, onion powder, paprika, and black pepper. Feel free to substitute 2 tablespoons of your favorite spice rub.
- Filling the cavity of the hen with onion, garlic, carrot celery, and rosemary helps flavor the meat from the inside out but it is completely optional! You could also swap fresh thyme, sage, shallot, or leek if you prefer. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand.