Make these tender roasted Cornish hens infused with lemon, garlic, and herbs for incredible flavor. It’s an easy dinner party recipe resulting in crispy skin, juicy meat, and elegant presentation. Who wouldn’t love that?
There’s something about the simplicity of oven roasted Cornish hens that are timeless. These little hens are perfect as individual portions for a festive dinner party, holidays, or special occasions when you don’t want to worry about cooking larger cuts of meats all day.
Ingredients
- ▢ 4 Cornish Game Hens
- ▢ 1 – 2 tbsp oil olive or neutral cooking oil
- ▢ 1 – 2 tbsp Italian spices or Girl Carnivore Chick Fest poultry blend.
- ▢ 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ▢ 2 Lemons sliced into halves or quarters
- ▢ 1 Onion roughly chopped into wedges
- ▢ 3 Celery stalks chopped
- ▢ 2 heads of Garlic
- ▢ fresh parsley sage and rosemary
- ▢ 1/2 cup White wine
- ▢ Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Prep the Game Hens
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
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Remove the 4 Cornish Game Hens from their package and pat them dry inside and out.
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Rub the Cornish hens all over with 1 – 2 tbsp oil and sprinkle with a liberal coating of the 1 – 2 tbsp Italian spices and 1 tsp Kosher salt, making sure to season inside the cavity and under the skin as well.
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Secure the legs by tying them together with butcher’s twine.
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Place the 2 Lemons, 1 Onion, and 3 Celery stalks in a roasting pan or cast iron skillet.
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Carefully cut the top of the 2 heads of Garlic off, exposing the bulbs.
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Rub the garlic with oil and nestle into the vegetables along with the fresh parsley, sage, and rosemary.
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Add the 1/2 cup White wine to the bottom of the pan and nestle the game hens atop the veggies.
Roast the Cornish Hens
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Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for about 1 hour, uncovered, until the skin gets golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest part of the breast.
Rest and Serve
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Carefully transfer the roast hens to a cutting board and tent with foil.
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Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
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Serve one bird per person on a large dinner plate with a sprinkle of salt and Pinch of freshly ground black pepper and the roasted veggies alongside.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 988kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 78g | Fat: 67g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 30g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 455mg | Sodium: 863mg | Potassium: 1228mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 533IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 4mg