Roasted Cornish Hens (4 Servings)
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 whole Cornish hens, about 1 ½ lb each
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 4 sprigs of thyme
- 1 large onion, cut in quarters
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 1 lemon, cut in slices
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
For the dry rub
- 1 teaspoon of salt, or enough to taste
- 1 teaspoon of pepper, or enough to taste
- 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine all of the dry rub ingredients.
- Using paper towels, pat the hens dry and generously season both inside and out with the dry rub.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Combine the rosemary, thyme, garlic, onion, and half of the lemon slices in a roasting pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the Cornish hens and place them in the roasting pan over the herbs and onions.
- Bake the Cornish hens in the roasting pan for 50–60 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the breast registers 165°F.
- Allow the birds to rest for 20 minutes after removing them from the oven. Serve over mashed potatoes with extra thyme, lemon wedges, and rosemary.
Notes
- Leftover roasted Cornish hens will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for 1 to 3 months. In the microwave, it reheats beautifully. To keep the chicken from drying out, save some of the pan drippings and reheat the chicken with the drippings in a skillet.
If you’d like to check out more ideas for cooking with Cornish hens, then this video recipe may interest you.