Published November 17, 2023.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Cornish Hen Recipe is coated in a garlic and herb rub and roasted until golden brown for the perfect main entrée for any occasion. I love the simplicity of preparing these and their beautiful flavors.
Cornish hens are essentially small young chickens, and we tend to eat a lot of chicken in our house. If you have a similar family, try my Chicken Cacciatore or Chicken Paprikash.
Cornish Hen
Cornish hens, also known as Cornish game hens, cross between a Cornish and white rock chicken. They are younger chickens, usually 4 to 6 weeks old, and weigh around 1 to 2 ½ pounds. They are small enough to feed 1 person after all the meat is carved from the bones.
These Cornish hens are best roasted at high temperatures in the oven for flavor and ease. There are many ways to enhance the flavor of these by stuffing them or coating them in a dry rub seasoning. I like to serve these for small-gathering holidays or special events when I don’t want to cook a whole turkey.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cornish Hens – You will need two frozen-thawed or fresh Cornish game hens. Each one roughly weighs 1.25 to 1.5 pounds. You will not use the giblets in this recipe if they happen to come with them.
- Oil – Olive or avocado oil works best for this.
- Herbs – I use a combination of fresh rosemary and thyme. You can substitute with dry rosemary and thyme 1 for 1. Feel free to use all thyme or all rosemary.
- Seasonings – Coarse salt, fresh cracked pepper, and paprika were used to help flavor the hens. You can use regular, sweet, or smoked paprika.
- Garlic – A few finely minced cloves are used in the rub to help enhance the flavor of the hens.
- Lemon – I used some lemon zest in the seasoning and herb rub.
How to Make a Cornish Hen
Pat the hens dry inside the cavity and on the outside with paper towels. Set them aside.
Mix the garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, paprika, salt, pepper, and oil in a medium-sized bowl until combined.
Evenly divide the garlic and herb rub between the hens and coat them on all sides and in the cavity.
Tuck the wings behind the hen and tie the drums together using butcher’s twine.
Transfer them to a roasting pan on a rack, and using a spatula, scrape all the remaining herb and garlic oil rub onto the top of the hens.
Bake in the oven on a lower rack at 425° for 50-60 minutes or until the thickest part of the breast reads 163° to 165°.
Remove the game hens and rest for 2 to 3 minutes.
Cut the hens in half along with the spice, or serve them whole with optional garnishes of lemons, fresh rosemary, and thyme. Try serving this with my Roasted Red Potatoes and Green Beans Almondine.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead:This recipe is best when eaten as soon as it’s done cooking. However, keep this warm in a pan covered in the oven at low temperatures (<200°) for up to 30 minutes before serving.
How to Store:Cover the Cornish hens in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will freeze well-covered for up to 3 months. Thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator or until thawed before using.
How to Reheat:Place the Cornish game hens in a pan with ½ cup of water. Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until hot.
Chef Notes + Tips
- Toboostthe flavor, use the brine in mybest-fried chicken recipe.
- You cancustomize these Cornish hens by adding a zesty rub like in myBBQ Rub, Southwest Rub, orCajun Rub.
- Remember toremove the butcher’s twine from the game hens before serving.
- Add one roughly chopped yellow onion, 2 roughly chopped carrots, and 2 roughly chopped celery ribs to the roasting pot with the hens to make it more aromatic.
More Chicken Recipes
Video
Save
Cornish Hen Recipe
5 from 16 votes
This Cornish Hen Recipe is coated in a garlic and herb rub and roasted until golden brown for the perfect main entrée for any occasion.
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Ingredients
- 2 thawed Cornish Hens
- 1 finely grated garlic clove
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon regular paprika
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°.
Pat the hens dry inside the cavity and on the outside with paper towels. Set them aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, paprika, salt, pepper, and oil until combined.
Evenly divide the garlic and herb rub between the hens and coat them on all sides and in the cavity.
Tuck the wings behind the hen and tie the drums together using butcher’s twine.
Transfer them to a roasting pan on a rack, and using a spatula scrape all the remaining herb and garlic oil rub onto the top of the hens.
Bake in the oven on a lower rack at 425° for 50-60 minutes or until the thickest part of the breast reads 163° to 165°.
Remove the game hens and rest for 2 to 3 minutes.
Cut the hens in half along with the spice, or serve them whole with optional garnishes of lemons, fresh rosemary, and thyme.
Notes
Make-Ahead:This recipe is best when eaten as soon as it’s done cooking. However, keep this warm in a pan covered in the oven at low temperatures (<200°) for up to 30 minutes before serving.
How to Store:Cover the Cornish hens in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will freeze well-covered for up to 3 months. Thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator or until thawed before using.
How to Reheat: Place the Cornish game hens in a pan with ½ cup of water. Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until hot.
Toboostthe flavor, use the brine in mybest-fried chicken recipe.
You cancustomize these Cornish hens by adding a zesty rub like in myBBQ Rub, Southwest Rub, orCajun Rub.
Remember toremove the butcher’s twine from the game hens before serving.
Add one roughly chopped yellow onion, 2 roughly chopped carrots, and 2 roughly chopped celery ribs to the roasting pot with the hens to make it more aromatic.
Nutrition
Calories: 578kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 39gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 227mgSodium: 1301mgPotassium: 556mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 540IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 2mg
Course: entree, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Chef Billy Parisi
Elevate Your Every Day Cooking
Get Chef Billy’s go-to tips that transform “blah” into “brilliant” plus weekly newsletter!
Add a comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
27 comments
- Sandy Miller
Made this last night and it was delicious. Very crispy but moist and tender. Just perfect. Thank you chef. Are you related to Tony and Rob Parisi?
- Reply
- Ramon Valenzuela
What’s are complimentary sides for these hens??
- Reply
Rice, potatoes, fresh veg, honestly whatever you’d like. I’m not a big stickler on only certain sides need to be with certain main proteins. I think there are many things that would go great with this.
- Reply
- Cathy Fitzhugh
I am very impressed with this recipe, I love it and wouldn’t change a thing except I didn’t have thyme so I used basil instead really wonderful, thank you so much for sharing.
- Reply
- Linda J Bacha
This was delicious. Followed your recipe exactly right down to storage and reheating leftovers. Your directions made it very easy for me. Enjoyed it immensely.
- Reply
- Irene
I made the Cornish hens and they were delish!!!
- Reply
excellent!
- Reply
- Kathy J. Getek
See AlsoHow to Roast Cornish HensI typically spatchco*ck my game hens. Will use the recipe but cut down the roasting time. Your recipes are just incredible. I give it a 5 star because I’ve yet to be disappointed.
- Reply
- Marilyn Hyman
Made this for Christmas dinner and it was delicious! Garlic rub was easy and full of flavor. I used dried herbs since I didn’t have fresh. Very easy to make and leftovers were also good warmed up the next day!
- Reply
- Ilona Doyle
I made the Cornish hens for Thanksgiving. It was so delicious and perfect for just me and two of my sons. I got rave reviews! Thanks to you for showing how ramp up simple dinner.
- Reply
- Virginia
Made this recipe because it was simple and perfect for small gatherings. Results were fabulous, tasty and still had leftovers. Most of all easy clean up. Thank you for this great Thanksgiving dinner idea.
- Reply
- Cindy Panek
Made this last week for the first time. We loved it! It was flavorful, juicy, and pretty easy. Used the recipe just as written and wouldn’t change a thing.
Thanks Chef!- Reply
- sue 😁
Thank you Chef tasty 🤤
- Reply
- Linda Wells
My bf and i had cornish hens for Thanksgiving. Thanks to Billy’s recipe, they were vooked to perfection
- Reply
- Joyce Weisberg
Recipe for the String Beans?
- Reply
click the link in the post.
- Reply
- Donna A Pollock
Great recipe and what an idea for small gatherings like for 2 or make a few of them and make meals for other people who are just one person or a shut in or alone. I do this a lot Thanks for the top Chef, I would have never thought of these…..
- Reply
- Paul Ruggio
Delicious
- Reply
- Chef Billy Parisi
Thanks!
- Reply
- sue😋
Thank you Chef Billy so tasty
- Reply
- Chef Billy Parisi
Appreciate you trying this!
- Reply
- sue😋
Thank you tasty recipe Chef Billy
- Reply
- Chef Billy Parisi
Thanks!
- Reply
- sue😋
Thank you tasty recipe Chef Billy😋😁👋
- Reply
- Chef Billy Parisi
Thanks!
- Reply
- sue 😋
Thank you tasty recipe ChefBilly 😁👋😋
- Reply
- Chef Billy Parisi
Appreciate you trying this!
- Reply
