Roasted Cornish Game Hens

Recipe courtesy The Neelys

Show: Down Home with the NeelysEpisode: We Really Do Have Friends (Pat and Gina Entertaining Friends)

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (61)

Cook Time:
1 hr 0 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
6 servings

Times:

Prep: 10 min
Inactive Prep: 10 min
Cook: 1 hr 0 min
Total:: 1 hr 20 min

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon-pepper
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 Cornish game hens, about 1 1/2 pounds each, rinsed and dried thoroughly
1 green bell pepper, large dice
2 stalks celery, large dice
1 onion, large dice

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together salt, lemon pepper, dried basil and poultry seasoning. Rub olive oil all over the hens and season each with the salt mixture. Place the hens on a baking sheet pan with plenty of space between them. You may need to use 2 pans. Loosely stuff the cavities of each hen with some green bell pepper, celery and onion. Roast the hens in the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the juices run clear. Remove the hens from the oven, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before carving or serving.

TIPS: Line the baking sheet pan with foil under the wire rack for an easy clean-up. The veggies and herbs stuffed in the cavities of the hens will impart flavor to the meat as it cooks. Be sure not to crowd the hens on the baking sheets or else the skin won't crisp up properly and they will take much longer to cook.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Roasted Cornish Game Hens
Pearl San Jose, CA 08-25-2009
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EASY ENOUGH FOR A FIRST TIMER!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I've never attempted to cook Cornish hens before. But after watching the Neely's demonstrate how easy it was, I just HAD to... try this recipe. The seasonings sounded appealing to me since I LOVE lemon pepper and use it alllllll the time when I bake chicken, which is another reason why I chose to try this recipe. I did add a tsp of garlic powder to the seasonings, and some crushed garlic inside of the cavity. I pre-heated my oven to 450* like one of the other reviewers, and lowered it back to 375* when I put the hens in. For the last 10 minutes of cooking, I turned my heat up to 400* (just because sometimes my oven cooking times are off) but it resulted in nice crispy skin. Delish! Read more
recipe Roasted Cornish Game Hens
Liz Apex, NC 08-21-2009
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Roasted Cornish Game Hens
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

Very good recipe, however, I agree with some of the comments directed towards the Neely's. They seem like very nice people... but they should not be so lovie dovie on the show. It gets sickening after awhile and it's hard to focus on their recipes when all they do is flirt the entire time. It's great that they have a happy marriage but they need to keep their feelings off the show and just be pleasant!!!!!Read more
recipe Roasted Cornish Game Hens
Vera Auburn, WA 08-13-2009
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This was awesome!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I absolutely love game hens anyway, but this recipe was really tasty and flavorful. The vegetables inside the hens were... delicious, and it's low carb because no starchy stuffing! My kids, especially my daughter loved them. My 8 year old daughter kept playing with hers before I cooked it while it was in the package still, she thought it was cute and called it her baby chicken...LOL!Read more
recipe Roasted Cornish Game Hens
Tonia Winter Garden, FL 08-09-2009
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Easy-Smells wonderful-VERY tender
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

At the request of my 10 year old daughter that thought cornish hens were just "too cute" I purchased 4 for the 4 of us.... Following the recipe exactly and setting the oven to 450 forehand (as I have heard from other chefs) then turning it down to 375 like Gina said to cook at. I set my oven timer for 1 hour 15 minutes. They were cooked perfectly! While I made the Neely's roasted garlic mashed potatoes (which is a HUGE hit in our home) and steamed green beans... I covered the roasting pan with a piece of foil and let the hens rest while I finished up. They were very tender and juicy. Lots of broth in the pan, which I spooned over the top of the hens before sitting them onto the table. We had way too much meat for our family, but it was very good. We are more of a "white meat" family, but it seemed as everyone went for the legs and thighs before digging in to the breasts. Great recipe guys! The veggies for the stuffing, was a great little surprise. Read more
recipe Roasted Cornish Game Hens
Krisitine Bellflower, CA 08-01-2009
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So glad i tried this
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

this is the first time that i tried to cook for my family. and it turned out to be a hit! i can't believe how easy this is.... my dad who is very picky, loved this chicken. thank you so much! Kristine A. Bellflower, CARead more
recipe Roasted Cornish Game Hens
Jessenia Bridgeport, CT 06-29-2009
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WOOHOO!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This recipe was one of the best I've made from The Neelys. All the chicken needed was a pinch of salt. Other than that...the... chicken was so juicy on the inside and I left it in just a tad bit longer for a crispier outside. Read more