baked cornish hens

This Baked Cornish Hens recipe is surprisingly easy to make. Roasted to golden perfection, they have crispy skin that gives way to juicy, tender meat with every delightful bite. Serve these for weeknight dinners, Thanksgiving, or as an addition to any holiday spread.

Baked Cornish Hens

Cornish hens

olive oil

garlic powder

smoked paprika

thyme

rosemary

poultry seasoning

salt and pepper

chicken broth

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Drizzle the olive oil over the Cornish hens and sprinkle the spices throughout. Rub the spices onto both sides. Ensure the hens are fully coated and add additional spices if necessary.

Place the seasoned Cornish hens in a roasting pan or a baking dish.

Pour the chicken broth or water into the roasting pan to provide moisture during baking. This will help keep the hens tender and juicy. Be careful to pour it around the Cornish Hens so you don't disturb the spices on the skin.

Bake the Cornish hens for about 45 to 60 minutes, or however long it takes for them to reach an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Use a meat thermometer.

Once done, remove the hens from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute and results in tender, succulent meat.

Roasted Cornish Hens are small and roast into an easy fancy dinner that&#039;s both wholesome and delicious.

Roasted Cornish Hens

cornish hens (about 1.5 pounds each)

Italian seasoning

salt

pepper

Preheat the oven to 400º F. Combine dry seasoning ingredients in a small bowl. Rub each hen with olive oil, then sprinkle with the seasoning mix. Season or salt the insides as well. See note below for additional seasoning options.

Place the hens on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet or pan, then place in the oven. If baking with vegetables, see the notes section below.

Bake for 45–55 minutes, or just until the centers reach 165º. Then skin should be browned and crisp as well.

Remove from the oven and let sit at room temp for 5–10 minutes before serving.

Nice, easy recipe. Produced lots of flavor and crispy skin. Very adaptable, as well. Thanks!

Thank you for the delicious and easy recipe! The Cornish hens were fabulous, and I received many compliments. I will make this recipe again. It's an easy dish for entertainment. The roasted potatoes and the broccolini helped me achieve an attractive presentation.  Merci beaucoup!

Thanks for the amazing details about roasted-cornish-hens.

Thank you for a great recipe. It’s super nice and complete and helpful.

So yummy! recipe Thanks for sharing this blog with us I hope it will help me and others so please post more blogs like this.

At my old school, they would serve this almost every year at the students' graduation and I loved it!! I can't believe I never thought to make it myself. Thanks so much for the recipe!!

You had me at "almost prep time." Cornish hens have always been a little intimidating to me, however you make it seem pretty simple!

This recipe is so easy to make and so delicious. A great recipe for entertaining too!

Thank you so much for sharing this amazing roasted cornish hens recipe! Will surely have this again! It's really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!

Glad to find this recipe because I just bought some cornish hens for a birthday dinner. These are really so easy to make and I love the presentation.

Chile, why wrestle with a whole turkey when these mini birds do the same job without all the drama? Cornish hens are my go-to when I want dinner that feels dressed up but doesn’t leave me sweating over the oven. You’ll get that crispy skin, juicy inside, and all the “wow” factor at the table, without waiting hours. Coming from someone who’s been cooking Southern classics since I could hold a skillet, just know this recipe works and your hens won’t ever come out dry or bland.

Baked Cornish Hens Recipe

Drizzle olive oil all over the Cornish hens, then sprinkle your spice mix like you mean it. Rub it in on both sides. Nobody likes a bland bird. Add a little more seasoning if you think they need it.

Place your seasoned hens in a roasting pan or baking dish, giving them a little breathing room so they roast instead of steam.

Pour chicken broth or water into the bottom of the pan (around the hens, not on top of them) to keep them juicy while they cook. Don’t mess up that pretty seasoning rub.

Roast the hens for 45–60 minutes, or until a meat thermometer hits 165°F in the thickest part. Skin should be golden and crisp, meat tender and juicy.

Take them out and let them chill for a few minutes before cutting in. That quick rest lets the juices settle so every bite is flavorful and moist.

Best Cornish Hens I have ever prepared. Turned out great!

These turned out so juicy! Thank you for the recipe.

Top 3 baked cornish hens recipes from across the web

The most viewed baked cornish hens recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Baked Cornish Hens

Roasted Cornish Hens

Baked Cornish Hens Recipe

Top 3 baked cornish hens recipes from across the web

The most viewed baked cornish hens recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Baked Cornish Hens

Roasted Cornish Hens

Baked Cornish Hens Recipe

The most viewed baked cornish hens recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine