Cornish Game Hens

Cornish Game Hens are small birds coated in a lemony garlic and rosemary mixture, stuffed with more lemon, garlic, and rosemary, and baked over red potatoes and onions. For a full-size chicken, be sure to try my Roasted Chicken.

Cornish Game Hens

Cornish Game Hens are petite birds that are a cross between Cornish and White Plymouth Rock chickens. They are usually between 1-2 pounds and fit easily onto a dinner plate. Most bone-in chicken recipes can be adapted to work for Cornish game hens. The game hens are tender, juicy, and elegant to serve.

Cornish Game Hens Ingredients

This recipe has three parts–the vegetables, Cornish game hens, and the cavity filling.

Vegetables: I went with red potatoes in this recipe and left the skins on. Leaving the skins on the potatoes saves you a lot of time and can add a little nutritional value, as well as some ‘character’. I also added yellow onions to the pan.

Cornish Game Hens: As stated, Cornish game hens have to be between 1-2 pounds  (we used 1 1/2 pound game hens). You can find them at your local grocery store (most oftentimes in the freezer section) or butcher shop. Be sure the game hens are completely thawed before cooking them.

Rub and Cavity Fillings: The outside and inside of each game hen will be coated in a lemon, garlic, and rosemary mixture. These ingredients will also be inserted into the cavities of both game hens. 

Lemon: You will only need one large lemon for this recipe. Cut the lemon in half lengthwise. Juice one half of the lemon (about a tablespoon of lemon juice); cut the other half of the lemon lengthwise into wedges. They need to be thin enough wedges to insert into the cavities of the game hens.

Preparing the Vegetables

Since we are leaving the skins on the potatoes, make sure you wash them really well before cutting them. Quarter each potato and put them into a large oven-safe roasting pan. Then, quarter the onions and place them into the pan with the potatoes. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

How to Make Cornish Game Hens

Once the potatoes and onions are in the pan, place the Cornish game hens on top of the vegetables. Next, in a medium bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice from half a lemon, minced garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture over the outside of the game hens as well as inside the cavities of both hens.

Then, insert the lemon wedges (from the other half of the lemon), fresh rosemary, and garlic cloves into the cavities of the hens. Finally, tuck the wing tips under the hens to prevent burning. Use cooking twine to tie the legs together. (more information below)

Bake the hens for 50-60 minutes, or until a digital thermometer reads a temperature of 165°F and the potatoes are fork-tender. Transfer the hens to a serving platter and tent with aluminum foil for about 10 minutes before carving. Serve warm, garnished with fresh rosemary.

How to Tie Cornish Game Hens

There are a couple of methods to tying cornish game hens. One way is to truss a cornish hen, which is a more secure and specific tying technique than I used here. The method I used was simply tucking the wings under the bird and tying the drumsticks together with cooking twine. This helps ensure even cooking for the best results.