Roasted Cornish Game Hens
This Cornish hen recipe is perfect for special occasions but easy enough for a weeknight dinner. Rosemary and lemon infuse their flavor into these small birds for a tasty bite.
Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Lemon and Rosemary
Cook Time 2 hours | Servings 4
Ingredients
4 Cornish game hens
Kosher salt
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
¼ cup butter, softened
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Equipment
4 bamboo skewers
How to Make It
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Pat the hens dry with paper towels. Thoroughly season with Kosher salt, inside and out. Carefully run your finger under the skin of the hen’s breast to separate the skin from the meat. Place a pat of butter under the skin on each side of the breast. Fill the cavity of the hen with a wedge of lemon and a sprig of rosemary.
Tuck the wings under the body of the bird. Use a bamboo skewer to pin the legs together, cutting off the excess skewer. Repeat for each bird. Place the dressed birds onto shallow baking dish fitted with a wire rack. Brush the outsides of the birds with olive oil.
Place the birds in the oven. Roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, reduce the oven to 375 degrees and roast for an additional 30 – 35 minutes or until the internal temperature of the thigh is 165F.
Let the cooked birds rest under foil for 10 minutes before serving.
Chef Notes
For best results, use the Convection Roast setting on your Café wall oven or range.