Cornish hens roasted with fresh squeezed lemon juice, garlic powder, Kosher salt and black pepper with a white wine pan gravy.
What is a Cornish Hen?
Basically, a Cornish Hen (a.k.a. Cornish Game Hen or Rock Cornish Hen) is a hybrid chicken that is raised to grow at a more rapid rate than a regular hen and usually doesn't weigh more than 2 lbs. As my daughter likes to call them "little chickens".
They are super moist and you can prepare them just like you would a roasted full size chicken. With this one in particular, I just squeezed some fresh lemon juice on top, sprinkled on some seasonings, added a little wine to help baste it and the outcome was a deliciously easy, lemony tasting meal.
How do you make Lemon Roasted Cornish Hens?
For this recipe you'll need cornish game hens, lemon, garlic powder, Kosher salt, pepper, and parsley. You can also make a gravy with the pan drippings and can get the recipe below in the recipe card.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Rinse and pat dry your hens and place them in an oven safe roasting pan (careful to remove all of the innards). Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice onto each piece of meat, then place one half into the cavity of the bird.
Season the meat with garlic powder, salt, pepper and parsley then spray with cooking spray. Add the wine to the bottom of the pan and bake for approximately 60-70 minutes or until the proper internal temperature of 180 degrees F is reached.
Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before cutting each bird in half. Serve with gravy if desired.
When visiting my Mom a few months ago in Florida, she made something similar using her Meyer lemons and some limes too; which was also very good.
Once cooked, you cut them in half down the center bone, removing the back bone, and then serve half of a cornish hen per person. ~Enjoy!
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Lemon Roasted Cornish Hens
Ingredients
- 2 Cornish Game Hens
- 1 Lemon
- 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp. Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp. Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp. Fresh Chopped Parsley
- Cooking Spray
For the Gravy
- 1 c. White Wine
- 1 tbsp. Butter
- 1 tbsp. Flour
- 1 c. Low Sodium Chicken Broth
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Rinse and pat dry your hens and place them in an oven safe roasting pan (careful to remove all of the innards).
- Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice onto each piece of meat, then place one half into the cavity of the bird. Season the meat with garlic powder, salt, pepper and parsley then spray with cooking spray.
- Add the wine to the bottom of the pan and bake for approximately 60-70 minutes or until the proper internal temperature of 180 degrees F is reached. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before cutting each bird in half. Serve with gravy if desired.
For the Gravy
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan on top of the stove; then whisk in the flour forming a roux.
- Add the pan drippings and the broth to the pan; then whisk until the gravy thickens.
Nutrition
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*Originally shared May 2012/Updated March 2019
Carole says
Hi there. The current Food on Friday on Carole's Chatter is collecting links to dishes using duck or other game birds. I do hope you link this in. This is the link . It would be great if you checked out some of the other links – there are a lot of good ones already. Cheers
The Harried Cook says
This looks so yummy! We don't get cornish hens here, but I suppose I could make this with regular chicken? Love the flavors here... Thanks for sharing!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
You can absolutely make it with chicken or turkey. 🙂
Debi says
Lovely! I am so happy you shared this on Thursday's Treasures Week 33. See you again soon. <3 and hugs sweetie! http://www.recipesformyboys.com/2012/05/thursdays-treasures-1st-co-host-is-joan.html Open all week.
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Thanks for hosting so many great recipes! xo
Joan@chocolateandmore says
Carrie, this sounds delicious and so simple! I'll have to try it next time we have chicken! Pinning!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Thanks Joan!
Lauren Kelly says
Yummy Carrie!! Great presentation too 🙂
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Thanks Lauren!
Katie says
Wow! This looks great. I want to make this for my boyfriend and I as an end-of-the-semester treat!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Thank you Katie, I hope you both like it as much as we did!
D B says
Looks delicious but I wonder if using a brine would have elevated the flavor.
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
It probably would. I have several brine recipes on my site already and didn't have time to let them soak this time.
Carrie Burrill says
Carrie this looks gorgeous!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Thank you Carrie!
Lisa @ Lisa's Dinnertime Dish says
This looks so good, Carrie! I love cornish hens and citrus goes so well with poultry!! 🙂
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Thanks Lisa!