This Cornish hen recipe is destined to be your new special-occasion favorite. Impressively elegant, packed with flavor, yet surprisingly simple to make!
Don’t let the fancy name fool you, making Cornish game hens is surprisingly easy. This recipe will get you that perfectly tender, flavorful meat in just over an hour. It’s all thanks to a bold marinade made with lots of fresh garlic, a splash of bright citrus, and warming spices like allspice, paprika, and nutmeg.
This simple recipe is perfect for a romantic night in, a small gathering with friends, or a holiday centerpiece. Who doesn’t love their own personal roasted chicken?! Give each person their own, or split them in half and serve on a big platter over Lebanese rice or couscous to soak up all those delicious juices.
Table of Contents
What is a Cornish Hen?
Cornish game hens are simply little chickens! The term used to refer to a particular type of pure breed chicken that was harvested young. Today, they’re just a miniature version of regular chickens. The flavor of roasted chicken and Cornish hen is very similar. So why seek them out?
- They feel like a festive treat: Because of their small size, each person gets their own bird with a nice mix of white meat and dark.
- Slightly more tender: Because they are harvested younger, Cornish hens’ meat tends to be more tender than larger chickens.
- Easy to pack on the flavor: Because of their surface area, Cornish hens readily absorb flavor from marinades and spice rubs.
Ingredients for this Recipe
You can find Cornish hens at most major grocery stores, especially in the frozen section. Simply thaw them in your refrigerator before making this recipe. Here’s what else you’ll need:
- Garlic is a major player in this marinade. Peel but don’t bother to chop the cloves; the food processor will do the work for you.
- Spices: A mixture of paprika , allspice, dried thyme, and nutmeg give the game hens a deep, warming flavor and beautiful aroma. Salt and pepper enhance the other flavors.
- Extra virgin olive oil carries the flavor of the spices and garlic and helps coat the Cornish hens. I use our rich and fresh tasting Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil for this recipe.
- Fresh lemon or lime juice acts as a tenderizer and adds a pop of brightness to balance the savory flavors.
- Cornish hens: You’ll need four Cornish hens for this recipe. They’re often sold frozen in packages of one or two. Try to get four of a similar size so they cook at the same speed.
- Vegetables: Celery and a onion, roughly chopped and stuffed inside the Cornish hens, help flavor the birds as they cook and ensure they don’t dry out.
- Chicken broth provides flavor and moisture for roasted Cornish hens. I recommend basting the hens with the broth to help keep them juicy. Use homemade chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium broth.
How to Cook Cornish Hens
For the deepest flavor, marinate overnight, though even while the oven preheats adds plenty of flavor. Here are the steps:
Marinate the Game Hens
- Get ready. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425°F.
- Make the Spiced Garlic Marinade. In a food processor, combine 15-20 peeled garlic cloves, 2 1/2 teaspoons paprika (hot or sweet), 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice, 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and the juice of 1 lemon or lime (save the rind for the stuffing). Season with one or two good pinches of salt. Pulse to combine, then process into a pulpy mixture. It doesn’t need to be completely smooth.
- Prepare the hens. Apply the marinade generously to the outside and in the cavity of 4 Cornish hens. Lift the skin of the breast and apply some of the marinade underneath.
Grill, Stuff, and Roast
- Grill or sear the hens. Heat a lightly-oiled cast iron grill pan or skillet over medium-high. Add the game hens, in batches if necessary, and grill or sear on all sides until they have grill marks or a nice golden brown color, a few minutes per side. Set them aside momentarily to cool.
- Stuff the hens. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the juice of one lime or lemon onto the birds. Stuff each one with the spent lemon or lime halves, including those reserved from the marinade. Add 1 chopped onion and 2 chopped celery stalks as well.
- Add chicken broth. Place the hens, breast side down, in a large cast iron skillet or roasting pan. Gently pour in 2 cups chicken broth from the side of the skillet, taking care not to wash the marinade off of the hens.
- Bake the hens. Bake, basting the hens every 15 minutes with the broth, until they are nicely browned and cooked through, about 60 to 75 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover loosely with foil for 15 minutes to rest before serving.
What to Serve with Roasted Cornish Hens
Here’s a festive holiday menu, with the Cornish hens as a centerpiece. If you’re serving lots of sides and small plates, you may want to halve the hens before serving:
- Drinks: Kick off the evening with a Pomegranate Martini or Negroni
- Fall and winter salads: Beet and Goat Cheese Salad or Fennel and Orange Salad
- Roasted vegetables: Simple Roasted Carrots or Radishes
- Grains: Lebanese Rice or even Mushroom Risotto for an extra indulgent meal
- Desserts: For an equally wow-worthy finale, try Limoncello Cake!
More Holiday Roasts
Meat and Poultry
Kleftiko-Style Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
Meat and Poultry
Easy Oven Roasted Chicken
Meat and Poultry
Easy Dry Brined Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
Meat and Poultry
Roast Turkey Breast with Garlic and Herbs
Browse all Mediterranean recipes.
Visit Our Shop.
Ingredients
For the Spiced Garlic Marinade
- 15-20 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 2 1/2 teaspoons paprika (hot or sweet)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon or lime, juiced (save the rind for stuffing the hens)
- Kosher salt
For the Cornish Hens
- 4 Cornish hens (about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds each)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
- 1 lemon or lime, halved
- 2 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Get ready. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425°F.
- Make the Spiced Garlic Marinade. In a food processor, combine all of the marinade ingredients, seasoning with one to two good pinches of salt. Pulse to combine, then process into a pulpy mixture. It doesn’t need to be completely smooth.
- Prepare the hens. Apply the marinade generously to the outside and in the cavity of each hen. Lift the skin of the breast and apply some of the marinade underneath.
- Grill or sear the hens. Heat a lightly-oiled cast iron grill pan or skillet over medium-high. Add the hens, in batches if necessary, and grill or sear on all sides until they have grill marks or a nice golden brown color, a few minutes per side. Set them aside momentarily to cool.
- Stuff the hens. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the juice of the remaining lime or lemon onto the hens. Stuff each one with the spent lemon or lime halves, including those reserved from the marinade. Add the chopped onions and celery as well.
- Add chicken broth. Place the hens, breast side down, in a large cast iron skillet or roasting pan. Gently pour in the chicken broth from the side of the skillet, taking care not to wash the marinade off of the hens.
- Roast the game hens. Roast, basting the hens every 15 minutes with the broth, until they are nicely browned and cooked through, about 60 to 75 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover loosely with foil for 15 minutes to rest before serving.
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- Getting ahead: Marinate the hens up to one day before you plan to roast them. Store them in the fridge in a large ziplock bag or airtight container. You can also chop the vegetables ahead of time. The following day, stuff the hens as you wait for the oven to heat.
- Storage: Once cooled, leftover cooked Cornish hens can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to two months.
- Grilled Cornish hens option: You can make these Cornish Hens from start to finish on your grill.
- Grill the hens over direct heat to get those nice grill marks.
- Switch the grill set up for indirect heat and transfer the hens to an aluminum grill pan or a cast iron skillet.
- Add the chicken stock as instructed. Grill the hens over medium, indirect heat until done.
Nutrition
Build Your Own Spice Bundle
Stock your spice cabinet with the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean! Buy 4 or more spices and save 5%. Buy 8 or more spices and save 8%!
*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.
Would this recipe be suitable for a whole chicken? Thank you.
Hi, Lise. Yes, I think this could totally work with a whole chicken. You can use the marinade recipe here, and then check out our Spatchcock Chicken recipe as a cooking guide.
These wings look absolutely amazing. I love the teriyaki flavour but don’t have it too often – I am definitely going to be making these
This was delicious! My teens loved having their own, individual little chickens to eat, lol.
Delicious! That spice rub is magical. I’m definitely making this for my holiday gathering this year!
Yay! Happy holidays!
Excellent recipe and I might add a keeper on this cold rainy night. I even Spatchcocked the Cornish hen. The hens from Costco if anyone has a chance to get are huge and always tender. I roasted a few potatoes, mini bells, red onion and a eggplant. Served with drizzled sauce on the vegetables. That’s what I call comfort food! Thank you for recipe!
Thanks, Cheri!
Can I grill these? It’s too hot to turn on the oven.
Hi, Nansi. I’ve never tried that personally, but I think it would work. We have a Whole Grilled Chicken Recipe you could use as a guide.
Suzy, I’m thinking of making this recipe for Mother’s Day. If I hopscotch game hens, how do I put onion mixture inside?
Thank you.
Hi, Anna! Did you mean “spatchcock” (not “hopscotch”)? If so, the idea of spatchcocking is to cook it flat, so you won’t be able to stuff the hens. Instead, you can add the stuffing ingredients as a bed for the chicken.
Thank you Suzy,
Can they be prepped and rubbed with garlic rub the night before?
Or is it better to do it right before backing?
Thank you,
Anna.
Hi, Anna. I’ve never tried that personally, but I feel like it would work. Just keep them tightly covered in the fridge.
Waaaaayyyy too much garlic!!!! Not a single member of my family was able to even eat the bird!!! I recommend 1/4 of the amount listed as it was so garlicky that we secreted the smell for days!
Well that was unnecessary. Just because you don’t enjoy garlic does not mean the recipe is bad. Adjust it to your own tastes. Learn to be versatile in the kitchen, make it taste how you want it to.
Gracias x la ayuda, me es muy util…
Why does the nutrition analysis account for some many carbs/sugars? I don’t see anything in the ingredients list that would account for that. Some onion and celery, but the rest is spices. I am diabetic and want to make this recipe but the NA scares me off. Thanks for any guidance.
HI Suzy! This recipe sounds delicious and has inspired us to do a Mediterranean themed Thanksgiving next week! I’d like to make a vegetable orzo to go with this, and was wondering if it would be possible to stuff the cornish hen with that dish? I’m assuming if I bake the orzo for an hour inside the hen, the pasta and veggies would get mushy. Do you think I could bake the hen for 30 minutes, take it out, let it cool a bit, then stuff it and bake it another 30 minutes? Or do you think pausing cooking would dry out the hen? Do you have any pro tips to accomplish what I’m imagining?
Hi Crystal! So glad to hear it. I typically do not use orzo in stuffing for the reasons you mentioned, but you could try the idea of stuffing the hen at a later point as you described. By the way, I love this cornish hen with a side of orzo salad like this one: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/orzo-salad/
Can I add the spice rub ahead of time to the Cornish hen and store in the fridge?
You mean to marinate for a time? Yes, you can do that a few hours ahead of time.
Delicious! Made this for dinner tonight. Spatchcocked one Cornish hen, made the rub. Since I couldn’t stuff it, I sautéed veggies in the same pan that I seared the bird. Deglazed with about a cup of Sauvignon blanc, set the hen on top and baked at 425 for 35 minutes. It’s a keeper. Thank you!
Sounds delicious, Nancy!!!
How much salt in the rub?. The recipe does not specify.
Just a few pinches, or whatever suits you taste!
If you spatchcock the hen, is it possible to stuff it still?
I would say the idea of spatchcocking is to cook it flat, correct? So you can add the stuffing ingredients as a bed for the chicken then.
If I am only cooking one hen, should I cut this spices in half?
Sure! You could definitely do that. Hope you enjoy the recipe!