Roasted Cornish Game Hens

These White Wine and Thyme Roasted Cornish Game Hens are perfect if you’re planning a small Holiday get together. They are so tender and juicy with so much flavor in every bite!

I love making Cornish Games Hens for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Since most of our family lives up north, we usually have small Holiday dinners at home.

Cornish Game Hens

Cornish Games Hens also known as Rock Cornish Game Hen are similar to roasted chicken. They’re actually not game hens, they are just small chickens with a fancy name.

Typically they weigh between 1 – 2 pounds, which makes one hen a generous serving for per person. Plus they look super fancy on your plate!

Ingredients for Cornish Hens

• Cornish Game Hens – You can find these in the freezer section near the turkeys in your local grocery store. Try to find ones that are around 1.5 lbs each.
• Sweet Onion – 1 cup chopped, they really bring out the savory flavor.
• Celery – 1 cup chopped, pairs will with the onion for again the savory flavor.
• Garlic Cloves – 4 large cloves, make sure to peel them first!
• Fresh Thyme Sprigs – 10 – 20 sprigs, they bring out a wonderful earthy flavor.
• White Cooking Wine – 1/2 cup, this will be used to baste the hens and to make the gravy.
• Chicken Broth – 1/2 cup, paired with the wine for basting and for gravy.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 2 – 3 Tbs, this will be used as the rub to help the seasonings stick.
• Sea Salt and Pepper – 1/4 tsp of each, or to your liking!
• Cornstarch – This is optional, and used to make the gravy

How to Cook Cornish Hens

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rinse inside and out of Cornish Game Hens with water and place on a wire rack in a roasting pan. If you don’t have a wire rack, you can sent them on top of the Onions, Celery and Thyme.
3. Stuff each hen with Garlic, Onion, Celery and Thyme.
4. If any Onion, Celery or Thyme are remaining, place in bottom of roasting pan.
5. Tie the legs of each hen together with cooking twine to keep stuffing in.
6. Rub Olive Oil evenly over each hen.
7. Sprinkle Salt and Pepper over each hen
8. Add Wine and Chicken Broth to the bottom of roasting pan.
9. Bake 50 minutes to an hour, basting the hens every 10 minutes with the juices from the roasting pan. Stop basting during the last 10 minutes of cooking time.
10. They will be fully cooked when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the juices run clear.
11. Remove the hens from the oven, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before carving or serving.
12. Remove cooking twine before serving.

How to Make the Gravy

Remove the hens and set aside. Strain the broth into a medium saucepan. Let the broth cool about 5 minutes. If you don’t have much liquid in the pan, you can add more chicken broth.

You’ll need about 1 Tbs of cornstarch for each cup of broth. Stir in the Cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Then turn on the burner and heat up the saucepan over med/high heat whisking continuously until gravy thickens. You can add more Cornstarch for a thicker gravy if preferred.

Note: Be careful not to add too much Cornstarch, it will thicken fast. If yours gets too thick, just add more broth in to thin it out.

Pour it into a gravy dish and serve with the hens.

Side Dishes to Make with Cornish Hens

• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
• Roasted Whipped Parsnips
• Green Bean Casserole
• Kale Quinoa Salad with Roasted Squash
• Brussels sprouts with Bacon and Gorgonzola
• Roasted Asparagus with Lemon
• Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti Squash

How to Store Leftovers

If you’re lucky enough to have any leftovers, you can store them in the fridge for 3-4 days or 1-3 months in the freezer. They reheat well in the microwave.

Cooking Tips

• Use an instant-read thermometer to take the guess work out if they’re done or not. Check it a little earlier than the cook time suggested, because everyone’s oven can vary. Always make sure you cook them until the internal temp is 165F.
• If you can’t find any Thyme, you can swap out rosemary or parsley. You could even add orange or lemon slices for more of a citrus flavor.
• Want extra crispy skin? Sprinkle some salt over your hens 12-24 hrs before you need to roast them. Pat the excess moisture and salt off when you’re ready to start preparing them to cook.
• Let them rest. The most important part of cooking meat in the oven is to let it rest! Wait at least 10 minutes before you carve into them. This gives them time to absorb all of the yummy juices and will give them more flavor. Don’t skip this step!
• If 1 hen is too much for a person to eat, you can cut them in half with a sharp kitchen sears.

What’s your Christmas or Holiday tradition? I’d love to hear about it, feel free to leave a comment below!

Happy Holidays friends, and Bon Appetit!

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