Cornish Hens: 12 Little Roast Birds That Make a Small Holiday Dinner Feel Like a Grand Feast

Cornish hens are the easiest way to make a small holiday dinner feel like a grand feast, because every guest gets a whole golden bird on the plate. They weigh about two pounds, cost far less than a big roast and are done in about an hour, so they suit Thanksgiving for two, a quiet Christmas or a Sunday supper for four. Home cooks clearly love them: one popular Cornish hen video on YouTube has passed 810,000 views, and short clips of butterflied hens with fennel and potatoes pull in more than 400,000. If you are planning a cozy table, our Christmas dinner for two ideas pair perfectly with them. Here are 12 ways to roast, glaze, stuff and smoke these little birds, each with what you need and simple steps..

Herb-Roasted Cornish Hens With Garlic and Rosemary

This is the recipe most people make first, and it is the one that turns heads when two shiny birds come out of the oven side by side. Rock Cornish game hens were developed in the United States in the 1950s, and they are simply young chickens that stay small and tender, as the Cornish game hen history explains. Soft butter mashed with garlic, rosemary and thyme goes under the skin, and the result tastes like a famous roast chicken in miniature..

You will need: 2 Cornish hens (about 1.5 to 2 pounds each), 4 tablespoons soft butter, 3 garlic cloves minced, 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary, 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, salt, pepper, 1 lemon, baby potatoes.

How to make it: 1. Pat the hens dry and heat the oven to 425F. 2. Mix butter, garlic and herbs; rub some under the breast skin and the rest on top. 3. Put a lemon half in each cavity, tie the legs and set the hens on a bed of potatoes. 4. Roast 50 to 60 minutes until the thickest part of the thigh reads 165F, then rest 10 minutes.

Lemon Garlic Butter Hens With a Whole Lemon Inside

A whole lemon tucked inside each bird steams the meat from the inside and leaves the kitchen smelling bright and fresh. Baste with melted butter, lemon juice and a heap of garlic every 15 minutes and the skin turns deep amber. Jacques Pepin often says garlic and a hot oven are all a small bird needs, and his foundation recently shared a Cornish hen with garlic sauce that proves it. If your family loves this flavor, try our lemon chicken dinners next.

You will need: 2 Cornish hens, 1 lemon cut in half plus 1 tablespoon juice, 6 garlic cloves smashed, 4 tablespoons butter melted, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, salt and pepper, parsley to finish.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 425F and season the hens well inside and out. 2. Stuff each hen with a lemon half and three garlic cloves. 3. Mix butter, lemon juice and oregano and brush over the skin. 4. Roast about 55 minutes, basting twice, then spoon the pan juices over before serving.

Wild Rice Stuffed Cornish Hens for Thanksgiving

Stuffed Cornish hens are the small-table answer to the big Thanksgiving bird, and wild rice is the classic filling. Nutty wild rice gets tossed with dried cranberries, toasted pecans, celery and sage, then spooned loosely into each hen so it soaks up the juices. Any extra stuffing bakes in a small dish beside them. It is a lovely way to bring the flavors of our favorite rice sides to a holiday dinner for two or four.

You will need: 4 Cornish hens, 2 cups cooked wild rice blend, 1/3 cup dried cranberries, 1/3 cup chopped pecans, 1 celery rib diced, 1 small onion diced, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon dried sage, chicken broth.

How to make it: 1. Cook the onion and celery in butter until soft, then mix in rice, cranberries, pecans and sage. 2. Loosely fill each hen and tie the legs. 3. Roast at 375F for about 1 hour 10 minutes until the thigh and the center of the stuffing both reach 165F. 4. Bake leftover stuffing with a splash of broth for 25 minutes.

Cranberry Orange Glazed Cornish Hens

This one looks like it came straight from a holiday magazine cover. A quick glaze of cranberry sauce, orange juice, zest and a little honey is brushed on during the last 20 minutes of roasting, so it turns sticky and ruby red without burning. Lay orange slices and a few fresh cranberries around the platter for color. It is a smart way to use up a can or a homemade batch from our cranberry recipes list.

You will need: 2 Cornish hens, 1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce, zest and juice of 1 orange, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, olive oil, orange slices and fresh rosemary.

How to make it: 1. Rub the hens with oil, salt and pepper and roast at 400F for 35 minutes. 2. Simmer cranberry sauce, orange zest, juice, honey and mustard for 5 minutes. 3. Brush the glaze over the hens and roast 20 to 25 minutes more, glazing twice. 4. Check for 165F in the thigh, rest, and serve with extra warm glaze.

Butterflied Cornish Hens With Fennel and New Potatoes

Butterflying means cutting out the backbone and pressing the bird flat, and it is the trick behind those short videos with hundreds of thousands of views. Flat little birds roast in about 35 minutes, the skin crisps evenly and every bite stays juicy. Lay them over sliced fennel and halved new potatoes so the drippings cook the vegetables. It is a one-pan cousin of our chicken and potatoes dinners, just a little fancier.

You will need: 2 Cornish hens, 1 fennel bulb sliced, 1 pound small new potatoes halved, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds crushed, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, salt, pepper, lemon wedges.

How to make it: 1. With kitchen shears cut down both sides of the backbone and press each hen flat. 2. Toss fennel and potatoes with half the oil, salt and pepper on a sheet pan. 3. Rub the hens with the rest of the oil, fennel seeds and paprika and lay them on top. 4. Roast at 450F for 35 to 40 minutes until the thighs reach 165F.

Cajun Spice-Rubbed Hens, Southern Sunday Dinner Style

Southern cooks have served Cajun-spiced hens at Sunday dinner for decades, and the spice rub is what makes them unforgettable. Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, thyme and oregano get mixed with a little oil and rubbed all over, then the birds roast until the skin is brick red and crackly. Serve them with rice, collard greens or cornbread. For more bold flavor from the bayou, browse our Cajun dinners next.

You will need: 2 Cornish hens, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons butter.

How to make it: 1. Mix all the spices with the oil to make a paste. 2. Rub it over and under the skin of the hens and let them sit 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge. 3. Roast at 400F for about 55 minutes. 4. Brush with melted butter in the last 10 minutes and check for 165F in the thigh.

Air Fryer Hen for One or Two

If your oven is full of sides, the air fryer can handle the main dish. One small hen fits in most baskets, and the hot circulating air makes the skin crisp in about 40 minutes. Start breast side down, flip halfway and add a handful of potato wedges for the last 15 minutes. It is ideal for a solo holiday meal or a small date night, and it sits right alongside our other air fryer holiday recipes.

You will need: 1 Cornish hen, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, salt, pepper, 1 cup potato wedges.

How to make it: 1. Pat the hen dry and rub with oil and the seasonings. 2. Air fry breast side down at 375F for 20 minutes. 3. Flip, add potato wedges around it and cook 15 to 20 minutes more. 4. Check for 165F in the thickest part of the thigh and rest 5 minutes.

Pollo Asado Style Citrus Hens

Pollo asado videos made with these little birds have pulled in hundreds of thousands of views, and the marinade is the secret. Orange and lime juice, garlic, cumin, oregano and achiote paste give the skin a deep orange color and a tangy, smoky flavor. Grill or roast them and serve with rice, tortillas, salsa and pickled onions for a festive family spread. Round out the table with ideas from our Mexican dinner recipes.

You will need: 2 Cornish hens, juice of 2 oranges and 2 limes, 2 tablespoons achiote paste, 4 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons oil, warm tortillas, rice and salsa to serve.

How to make it: 1. Blend the juices, achiote, garlic, spices, salt and oil until smooth. 2. Butterfly the hens and marinate at least 4 hours or overnight. 3. Grill over medium heat or roast at 425F for 35 to 40 minutes, turning once on the grill. 4. Rest, then cut into halves and serve with tortillas and salsa.

Honey Soy Glazed Cornish Hens

Sweet, salty and glossy, honey soy hens taste like the best takeout you ever had, only better because they come straight from your own oven. The glaze of soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger and a splash of rice vinegar thickens in a small pan, then goes on in coats so it lacquers the skin. Split each bird in half and serve it over jasmine rice with bok choy. Pair it with our takeout copycats for a full feast.

You will need: 2 Cornish hens, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup honey, 2 garlic cloves grated, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, sesame seeds, green onions.

How to make it: 1. Simmer soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger and vinegar for 4 minutes, then stir in sesame oil. 2. Roast the hens at 400F for 30 minutes. 3. Brush with glaze and roast 20 to 25 minutes more, glazing every 8 minutes. 4. Check for 165F, sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions.

Smoked Cornish Hens on the Backyard Smoker

Small birds take on smoke beautifully, and smoked hens are ready in about two hours instead of a whole day. A simple brown sugar and paprika rub, mild fruit wood like apple or cherry and a steady 275F give tender meat with a rosy smoke ring. Finish them hotter for a few minutes so the skin is not rubbery. Serve them with a jar of homemade sauce or alongside our smoked turkey legs at a holiday cookout.

You will need: 4 Cornish hens, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 tablespoons oil, apple or cherry wood chunks.

How to make it: 1. Mix the rub and coat the oiled hens all over. 2. Smoke at 275F for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. 3. Raise the heat to 375F or move them to a hot oven for 10 minutes to crisp the skin. 4. Pull them at 165F in the thigh and rest 10 minutes.

Sausage and Apple Stuffed Little Birds

This stuffing is so good that people often make a double batch just to eat on the side. Browned sausage, diced apple, onion, celery and sage get mixed with toasted bread cubes and a little broth, then packed loosely into each little bird. The apple keeps it moist and slightly sweet. Roast the hens with apple wedges around them for an autumn platter that tastes like Thanksgiving. Short on time? Our stuffing mix recipes show quick shortcuts.

You will need: 4 Cornish hens, 8 ounces breakfast sausage, 1 apple diced, 1 small onion diced, 1 celery rib diced, 3 cups dried bread cubes, 1 teaspoon dried sage, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 2 tablespoons butter, apple wedges.

How to make it: 1. Brown the sausage, then cook the onion, celery and apple in the drippings and butter. 2. Mix with bread cubes, sage and enough broth to moisten. 3. Loosely stuff the hens, tie the legs and roast at 375F about 1 hour 10 minutes. 4. Make sure the thigh and the stuffing center both reach 165F.

Sheet Pan Hens With Root Vegetables

When you want the whole dinner done in one pan with almost no dishes, this is the recipe. Carrots, parsnips, red onion and potatoes go under the hens, and the drippings make the vegetables rich and caramelized. A final reminder that works for every bird in this list: the USDA says poultry is safe at 165F, so check the thickest part of the thigh with a thermometer. It is a perfect main for our Thanksgiving for two menu.

You will need: 2 Cornish hens, 3 carrots, 2 parsnips, 1 red onion, 1 pound small potatoes, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, salt, pepper, fresh parsley.

How to make it: 1. Cut the vegetables into chunks and toss with half the oil, salt and pepper on a sheet pan. 2. Rub the hens with the remaining oil, thyme and garlic powder and set them on top. 3. Roast at 425F for 50 to 60 minutes until the thigh reaches 165F. 4. Rest 10 minutes, then scatter parsley over the hens and vegetables.