How to Cook Cornish Game Hens

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: April 10, 2021 References Tested

Cornish games hens are the perfect main dish for a dinner party. Their small size means you can pack them full of flavors, such as lemon, garlic, and rosemary. The hens cook faster than a full-sized chicken and you'll be able to offer your guests their own individual hen. Try roasting the hens in the oven to get moist, tender meat or throw them on the grill to get their skin extra crispy.

Ingredients

Oven-Roasted Cornish Game Hens

6 Cornish game hens
1 cup (240 ml) of lemon juice
3/4 cup (170 g) of unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon (2 g) of paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons (1.5 g) of dried thyme, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons (6 g) of seasoned salt, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons (3.8 g) of garlic powder, divided
1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) of salt
1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) of ground black pepper

Makes 6 Cornish game hens

Grilled Cornish Game Hens

4 Cornish game hens
1 tablespoon (18 g) of kosher salt
1 teaspoon (2 g) of ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (3.5 g) of finely chopped rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon (15 ml) of lemon juice
1 tablespoon (6 g) of lemon zest
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil

Makes 4 Cornish game hens

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making Oven-Roasted Cornish Game Hens

1
Preheat the oven to 375 °F (191 °C) and put the hens in a roasting pan. Lay a wire rack in the bottom of a big roasting pan and place 6 Cornish game hens on it. If you don't have a wire rack that fits the pan, bunch up a few pieces of aluminum foil and place these on the bottom of the pan.^{[1]
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- You can easily cut this recipe in half or a third if you only want to make 2 or 3 hens. Keep in mind that the cooking time won't change.
2
Whisk the juice, butter, paprika, and some of the spices in a small bowl. Pour 1 cup (240 ml) of lemon juice into a bowl and add 3/4 cup (170 g) of melted butter along with 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) of paprika. Then, whisk in 1 teaspoon (1 g) of the dried thyme, 1 teaspoon (5 g) of the seasoned salt, and 1 teaspoon (3 g) of the garlic powder to make a smooth sauce.^{[2]
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- If you'd like to use fresh herbs, loosen the skin near the hens' breasts and push about 6 fresh sage leaves the skin of each hen.
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3
Pour half of the sauce over the hens. The excess sauce will fall through the wire rack into the bottom of the pan. Set the remaining sauce that's in the bowl aside so you can baste the hens as they roast.^{[3]
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- If you prefer, brush the hens with half of the sauce instead of pouring it over the hens. Brushing the hens will give you more control.
4
Mix the rest of the spices in another bowl and scatter them over the hens. Get out a small bowl and put the remaining 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 g) of dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) of seasoned salt, 1/4 teaspoon (0.8 g) of garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) of ground black pepper into it. Stir the spices until they're combined and then sprinkle them evenly over the hens.^{[4]
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- You can also fill the hens with your favorite bread or rice stuffing.
5
Bake the hens for 1 hour and baste them at the halfway point. Put the roasting pan in the preheated oven and bake the hens for 30 minutes with the lid off. Then, dip a basting brush into the reserved sauce and brush it over the hens. Cook the hens for 30 more minutes.^{[5]
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- The hens should become golden brown once they've finished cooking.
- For even crispier skin, brush the hens frequently during the last 30 minutes of roasting time.
Slow cooker variation: For a hands-off roasting method, cut the recipe down to a third and put 2 Cornish game hens into a slow cooker. Cook the hens on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for about 4 hours.
6
Remove the hens once they reach 165 °F (74 °C). Once you think the hens have finished cooking, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of a hen's thigh. The temperature should read at least 165 °F (74 °C) before you take the hens out of the oven.^{[6]
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- Stuffed Cornish game hens may take an extra 20 to 30 minutes to roast.
- If you stuffed the hens, you'll also need to check the stuffing temperature to see if it's reached 165 °F (74 °C) as well.
7
Cover the hens and rest them for 5 minutes before serving. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil over the hens in the roasting pan and let them sit for 5 minutes. The juices will redistribute within the meat and the hens will finish cooking. While you wait, consider dishing up sides to serve with the hens, such as roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, or cornbread.^{[7]
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- Store the leftover Cornish game hens in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Making Grilled Cornish Game Hens

1
Pat 4 hens dry and cut out the backbones. To make the hens easier to handle, pat them dry using a paper towel. Then, take a pair of kitchen shears or a sharp knife and cut through each hen's breast. Flip the hens over and cut along the backbones so you can remove them.^{[8]
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- If you don't want to grill 4 hens, you can grill as many as you like. Keep in mind that the grilling time won't change although you may need to grill them in batches if you're making a lot.
- Discard or save the backbones to make stock.
2
Flatten each hen and insert a skewer horizontally through the meat. Now that you've removed the backbones, turn each hen over so the breasts are facing up. Press down firmly on the breasts so the hen flattens and spreads out. Then, push a skewer horizontally through a thigh so it goes through the breasts and out through the other thigh.^{[9]
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- To prevent the wings from burning on the grill, you can also tuck the wing tips behind the breasts.
3
Mix the salt, pepper, rosemary, juice, zest, garlic, and oil in a bowl. Get out a small bowl and pour 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil into it. Then, stir in 1 tablespoon (18 g) of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon (2 g) of ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons (3.5 g) of finely chopped rosemary leaves, 1 tablespoon (6 g) of lemon zest, and 3 minced cloves of garlic.^{[10]
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Variation: For an easy barbecue seasoning, mix together:
1 1/2 tablespoons (18 g) of brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt
1 teaspoon (2 g) of smoked paprika
2 teaspoons (4 g) of paprika
1 teaspoon (3 g) of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) of black pepper
4
Rub the seasoning mixture over the hens. Use your fingers to scoop some of the seasoning mix onto each hen and gently rub it into the skin. Each hen should be completely coated with seasoning.
5
Light a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat. If you're using a gas grill, turn half of the burners to high heat. If you're using a charcoal grill, fill half of a chimney with briquettes and light them. Once the briquettes are hot and lightly covered with ash, dump them onto half of the grill.^{[11]
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- Put the lid on the grill and let it heat up for about 5 minutes before you place the hens on the grate.
6
Cook the hens over direct heat for 20 to 30 minutes. Arrange the hens on the preheated grill so the breasts are facing up. Try to place them so they're directly over the burners or briquettes and put the lid on the grill. Leave the hens for 5 minutes and then lift off the lid so you can flip them over. Then, cover and cook them for another 15 to 25 minutes.^{[12]
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- The hens should become crispy brown and lightly charred in spots.
Tip: If the hens are browning too quickly and you think they might burn, carefully move them to the cooler side of the grill to finish cooking.
7
Remove the hens once they reach 165 °F (74 °C). To test if the hens are ready to take off the grill, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of a thigh. If it reads at least 165 °F (74 °C), use tongs to transfer it to a platter.^{[13]
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- If you don't have an instant-read meat thermometer, cut a hen near the thigh and breast to see if the juices run clear.
8
Cover the hens and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. Once you've put all of the hens on a platter, cover them loosely with aluminum foil and leave them to rest. The hens will finish cooking and the juices will redistribute within the meat.^{[14]
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- Consider serving the grilled hens with steamed rice, grilled vegetables, or a garden salad.

Community Q&A
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Question

Do you cover Cornish hens while cooking them?

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If you like, you can cover the hens with foil for part of the baking process to help them cook more evenly. Remove the foil for the last 25 minutes or so of cooking to allow the skin to get crispy and golden-brown.
Question

Should you cook Cornish hens breast up or down?

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Typically, you cook them with the breast up. However, some chefs advise cooking poultry with the breast down to achieve juicier, more tender breast meat.
Question

How do you know when Cornish hens are done?

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The hens are done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads at least 165 °F (74 °C). If you baked the hens, the skin should be golden brown. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, cut into the thigh and check that the juices run clear.