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My Cornish hen recipe makes a perfectly juicy, golden-brown hen rubbed with savory spices and baked over a bed of lemon and herbs. Roast onions in the same pan and serve the hen over rice for a “fancy without trying” dinner!
If you’ve never cooked it before, I think you’re going to find today’s Cornish hen recipe very helpful! Roasting a Cornish hen isn’t much different from cooking a roast chicken. Cornish game hen is really just a smaller, more tender, delicately flavored type of chicken (and not a game bird at all, actually).
While I often make air fryer Cornish hen, for those of you without air fryers, this is my original oven-roasted version. With a few simple seasonings, fresh lemon, and herbs, you can prepare a perfect Cornish hen to serve at your next special dinner.
What Makes This Cornish Hen Recipe Special
- Extra tender. Cornish hen is the poultry equivalent of lamb: tender, juicy, and rich in flavor. I’ll sometimes prepare it in place of a rack of lamb for Easter.
- Perfect for a small crowd. One hen can comfortably feed 1-2 people, so I love making this recipe when we have company. It’s impressive on a plate, but so easy to cook in the oven. The house smells amazing, too!
- Adaptable. This recipe is the perfect launching point for any variations you can think of. Swap the spices, soak the hens in brine, or change the herbs to your liking.
Ingredients Needed to Make This Recipe
Here’s a short shopping list for this roasted Cornish hen recipe. Refer to the recipe card below for the full ingredient amounts.
- Cornish Hens – One hen is enough for two servings. You’ll find them in the frozen poultry section of major grocery stores or online. If using frozen Cornish hens, thaw them fully and pat them dry.
- Butter – Thinly sliced to tuck underneath the hen’s skin. I use this technique with the compound butter for my Thanksgiving turkey, too, and it never fails to yield a flavorful, juicy bird.
- Fresh Herbs and Lemon – Rosemary and thyme sprigs, plus lemon slices, to infuse the meat with flavor.
- Onion and Garlic – Cut the onion into quarters and smash the garlic cloves with the side of a knife. White or yellow onions are best for roasting.
- Olive Oil – To drizzle over the hens and veggies before baking.
- Spices – I make a variation of my chicken seasoning from salt, pepper, Italian herbs, paprika, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. You can omit the chili flakes if you’re sensitive to spice.
Tips for Cooking Cornish Hen
- Brown the skin. If you’d like a darker, crispier skin on the Cornish hens, switch the oven to broil for a couple of minutes once they’re done baking. Just don’t forget about them, broiling food can go from brown to burnt quickly!
- Test for doneness. Cornish hen is cooked when the internal temperature hits 165ºF at the thickest part of the bird. Use an instant-read thermometer to check.
- More flavor. Similar to how you’d prepare a turkey, you can fill the small cavity inside the hens with extra herbs, lemon slices, and garlic.
What to Serve With Cornish Hen
- Rice: My favorite way to serve Cornish hen is over a bed of rice, like mushroom rice or rice pilaf.
- Veggies: Steamed lemon butter green beans, crispy roasted green beans, or melting potatoes.
- Starters: Lead into dinner with easy appetizers like crab-stuffed mushrooms or these cheese-filled Macedonian dinner rolls.
- Dessert: For an after-dinner drink, I’ll whip up an Irish coffee to serve with a slice of coconut cream pie or semolina cake.
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Cornish Hen Recipe
My Cornish hen recipe is perfectly juicy and golden-brown, rubbed with savory spices and baked over a bed of lemon and herbs.
Ingredients
- 2 (1½ to 2 pounds each) Cornish hens, patted dry
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 4 thin slices
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 onion, cut into quarters
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 lemon, cut into slices
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the spice rub:
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 450ºF. Place the rosemary, thyme, onion, garlic, and lemon slices on a baking sheet in a single layer and set aside.
- Prepare the Cornish hen. Pat the Cornish hens dry with paper towels. Lift the skin of the Cornish hens with a finger and carefully place 2 slices of butter under the skin of each hen. I place one slice right over each breast.
- Make the spice rub. Combine the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Season the Cornish hens with the spice rub.
- Get ready to roast. Place the Cornish hens over the lemon slices and aromatics on the baking sheet, and drizzle everything with olive oil. Twist the wings to tuck under the bird, and you could also tie the legs with twine, but that's optional.
- Roast. Reduce the oven temperature to 400˚F and bake the Cornish hens for 55-60 minutes, or until the internal temperature of each hen reaches 165ºF.
- Let them rest, then serve. Remove the hens from the oven and let them rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve with some extra lemon wedges on the side.
Equipment
Notes
- Make sure your baking pan is wide enough: If the Cornish hens are touching, the skin will not get crispy.
- Check that they’re done: The Cornish hens are fully baked when the inner temperature of the thickest part reaches 165F.
- Get more color: If you prefer darker skin on the hens, broil them for an extra couple of minutes at the end.
- Add herbs: For extra flavor, you can fill the cavity of the hens with herbs and garlic.
Nutrition
Serving: 6ounces | Calories: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 237mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 674mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 918IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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How to Roast Cornish Hen
Use a wide baking pan that can fit both Cornish hens with space between them. If they’re crowded on the baking sheet, the skin won’t crisp up.
- Prepare the Cornish hen. Pat the hen dry with paper towels (this way, the spice rub adheres). Then, carefully lift the skin with your fingers, and slice two pats of butter underneath, one on each side.
- Make the spice rub. Next, combine the seasonings and rub them evenly over the hen.
- Get ready to roast. Arrange the rosemary, thyme, onion, garlic, and lemon slices on a baking pan. I like to make a small bed of lemon slices and herbs, and place the hen on top. Afterward, drizzle everything with olive oil.
- Roast. Roast the Cornish hen at 450ºF for 55-60 minutes. The hen is done when the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
- Serve. Before serving, rest the hen outside of the oven for 20 minutes. Then, serve the Cornish hen with additional herbs and lemon on the side, and enjoy.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerate. I like to carve any leftover Cornish hen and transfer the meat to an airtight container to keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. Toss it into a salad in place of chicken for an easy lunch!
- Reheat. To reheat, warm it in the oven or microwave. Sprinkle it with a little water so it doesn’t dry out.
- Freeze. You can freeze the cooked Cornish hen for up to 2 months, wrapped tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
