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: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (72)

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
Inta Hermitage, TN 03-01-2010
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Hands down the best recipe ever!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this meal for my fiance, who is like a food critic, and he could not stop talking about how favorful and tender it... was! The recipe was very simple to follow and would be a great dinner party meal. Thanks Neelys!Read more
recipe Roasted Cornish Game Hens
Pamela Henderson, NV 02-28-2010
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Moist and Tasty
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this last week for my family and my one yr old daughter kept pointing at the bird for more. She loved it and so did... we. It has a great flavor and the meat was tender and moist. I think the next time though I will just use the rub on a whole chicken vs. small hens. Read more
recipe Roasted Cornish Game Hens
Janece Laurel, MD 01-25-2010
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Tastiest Cornish Hens Ever!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This recipe is awesome! Cornish hens make great meals for singles and small families. I like to follow this recipe then... freeze a few of them. They reheat nicely by thawing in the microwave, then warm. I add a slice of lemon inside each hen for added flavor.Read more
recipe Roasted Cornish Game Hens
Linda San Bernardino, CA 01-24-2010
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WOWOWOWOW!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

My boyfriend and I love these little hens so we always have a few in our freezer. I was looking for a different way to make... them and this recipe caught my attention. I followed all the directions and didn't alter anything. The hens were so flavorful, moist, and tender! I was extremely surprised. And my boyfriend loved them, which is what I aim for when I cook! Thanks!!!!!! Cant wait to have friends/family over so I could make this dish again.Read more
recipe Roasted Cornish Game Hens
Debbie Irvine, CA 01-14-2010
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New to cooking and this was so good and easy to make!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Not much to say other than my whole family loved this recipe and they were skeptical. It was really easy and the chicken was... really tender and had a ton of flavor. MMMM!!! Gave me a boost of confidence in my skills. :)Read more
recipe Roasted Cornish Game Hens
Stacey Phoenix, AZ 01-01-2010
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Christmas Eve Cornish Hen Homerun!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this for my family for our Christmas Eve dinner and it was awesome! The leeks brought such good flavor to the cornish... hens. I added fresh garlic to the stuffing and glazed mine at the end with a apricot jam and butter mix. My husband absolutely loved it. This recipe is a keeper!Read more