Cornish Hens
Published Dec 25, 2017 Updated Jul 11, 2023
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Before I got married, I always dreamed of sitting around the holiday dinner table and each being served our own little precious hen…..I mean how adorable, right? If cooked right, these babies are tender and juicy and will absolutely melt in your mouth.
Believe it or not, Cornish hens are actually affordable and easy to make. I don’t just serve these sweet little babies on the holidays, turns out they make a great Sunday dinner. I will whip these up along with some roasted potatoes and green beans. It is loved by my family and serves as a delicious Whole30 compliant meal.
The glaze I have created for these hens are the perfect additions. It adds just enough flavor that pairs with the chicken nicely. It is simply ghee, orange juice, olive oil and pink salt and pepper. Super simple but goes so nicely with the hints of rosemary.
Give it a try and make sure to snap a quick picture of your family each being served their very own hen and share with all of your friends. Not only will you look fancy, but you can pretend you’re really nailing the whole mom or dad gig. I do this all the time….It’s very impressive.
[wpurp-searchable-recipe]Cornish Hens – Cornish Hens with Rosemary, Cranberry and Orange. – Cornish game hens ( (20 ounces)), Handful of fresh rosemary, onion (cut into wedges), ghee, freshly squeezed orange juice, oranges (sliced), garlic cloves (minced), ground coarse pepper, pink sea salt, Preheat oven to 375°. Gently lift skin from hen breasts and message with ghee. Place orange wedges, fresh rosemary, and a one half of the onions in the cavities. Place in a greased roasting pan.; Combine melted ghee, olive oil, orange juice and garlic in a bowl; Divide mixture and use to rub all over each hen.. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.; Bake 30 minutes. Brush hens with remaining butter mixture. Bake 35 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 170°-175°; Remove hens and add to a serving platter. Brush with any drippings from the pan and garnish with fresh rosemary, orange slices and cranberries. ; – [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]
Cornish Hens
Ingredients
- 2 Cornish game hens (20 ounces)
- Handful of fresh rosemary
- 1 onion cut into wedges
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 oranges sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 tsp ground coarse pepper
- 1 tsp pink sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Gently lift skin from hen breasts and message with ghee. Place orange wedges, fresh rosemary, and a one half of the onions in the cavities. Place in a greased roasting pan.
- Combine melted ghee, olive oil, orange juice and garlic in a bowl
- Divide mixture and use to rub all over each hen.. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake 30 minutes. Brush hens with remaining butter mixture. Bake 35 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 170°-175°
- Remove hens and add to a serving platter. Brush with any drippings from the pan and garnish with fresh rosemary, orange slices and cranberries.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I am going to try this recipe during my January whole30. This is a perfect opportunity to get my mom to eat something healthy and whole30 and is still super easy.