Lemon Pepper Cornish Game Hens Recipes

LEMON PEPPER CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Combine the zest of 1 lemon, black pepper, garlic powder, and salt.
• Wash both Cornish Hens and pat dry. Separate the skin from the flesh using your fingers. Make sure you leave pockets over the breasts, legs, and thighs. (*Do NOT remove the skin! Just make a pocket between skin and meat.)
• Scooping small finger-fulls of brine, rub the brine in your pockets directly over the flesh of your birds. Remember to also rub brine on the outside skin of your birds and into the cavity.
• Place in a plastic bag and rest in the fridge breast-side up for 24 hours.
• Flip breast-side down for 24 hours.
• Remove from the bag, set on a plate breast-side up, and return to the fridge for the last 12 hours.
• OPTIONAL: Remove chicken from the fridge 2 hours before cooking and rest on the counter.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a sheetpan with parchment paper.
• Slice potatoes, onions, and zucchini. If there are large mushrooms, slice as well.
• Toss veggies in olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, pepper and salt. Spread over the parchment paper, leaving room for the two hens.
• Place the hens amongst the vegetables on the sheetpan.
• OPTIONAL: You can choose to truss them or at least tie their legs together for modesty. (Kidding, but it does stop them from spreading and tearing that crispy skin!)
• Roast in the oven for 45-50 minutes.
• Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before serving!

ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• 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.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH GARLIC AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Rub hens with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lightly season hens with salt and pepper. Place 1 lemon wedge and 1 sprig rosemary in cavity of each hen. Arrange in a large, heavy roasting pan, and arrange garlic cloves around hens. Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a mixing bowl, whisk together wine, chicken broth, and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; pour over hens. Continue roasting about 25 minutes longer, or until hens are golden brown and juices run clear. Baste with pan juices every 10 minutes.
• Transfer hens to a platter, pouring any cavity juices into the roasting pan. Tent hens with aluminum foil to keep warm. Transfer pan juices and garlic cloves to a medium saucepan and boil until liquids reduce to a sauce consistency, about 6 minutes. Cut hens in half lengthwise and arrange on plates. Spoon sauce and garlic around hens. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, and serve.

CORNISH HENS ROASTED WITH LEMON PEPPER

Steps:

• Cut each hen in half lengthwise. Sprinkle half the salt on pepper on the inside of each half. Turn. Drizzle the skin side with olive oil, then evenly sprinkle the remaining salt and pepper over it.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook for about another 45 minutes to an hour (or until internal temperature in the thigh reaches 170 degrees). Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. There should be no pink left in the meat. Be careful not to over cook or it will dry out - it should be fork tender and moist!
• Serve with rice. Pour the dripping over the rice and the bird at serving. There is very little fat in the hens, so the dripping are almost all olive oil with the seasonings.

HONEY-LEMON-THYME CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Rinse the hens well under cool running water. Pat them dry with paper towels.
• Melt the butter with the chopped fresh thyme in a small saucepan. In a small bowl, combine the juice of 4 lemons, honey, and soy sauce. Add the melted thyme butter and mix to combine. Reserve.
• Heat a large cast iron pan on medium heat. Coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil.
• Generously salt and pepper the hens and lay them skin-side down in the hot pan. Sear 4 minutes each side.
• Pour 1/3 of the glaze on the bottom of a 9 by 13 baking dish. Transfer the hens, and their pan drippings, to the baking dish. Pour the remaining glaze over the hens and place in the oven for 30 minutes or until a thermometer reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Remove the dish from the oven and let them rest for about 5 minutes. Garnish with the sliced lemon and fresh thyme sprigs, and serve.

LEMON-THYME CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• In an bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Place hens on a rack in a shallow baking pan. Tuck wings under hen. Spoon half of butter sauce over hens. Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 40-45 minutes or until juices run clear and a thermometer reads 180°, basting occasionally with remaining sauce.

HERB-ROASTED GAME HENS

Steps:

• Place hens, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Spoon over hens. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or a thermometer reads 180°.

CORNISH HENS WITH LEMON AND HERBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place hens in a roasting pan, breast sides up. Place 2 thyme sprigs and 1 lemon half in cavity of each hen. Loosen skin from breast, and place remaining thyme and the parsley underneath. Squeeze remaining lemon halves over hens. Rub butter all over hens. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Roast hens, rotating pan halfway through, until skin turns golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees, 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut hens in half lengthwise. Garnish with thyme sprigs, and serve with lemon wedges.

LEMON PEPPER GRILLED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat grill to medium high.
• Cut Cornish hens in half lengthwise. Wash and pat dry.
• Mix garlic powder, lemon pepper seasoning and paprika in a bowl.
• Lift up skin and rub meat with seasoning mixture. Replace skin.
• Cook on grill skin side down for 25 minutes, keeping grill lid closed.
• Flip and cook for 15 minutes.
• Mix lemon juice and olive oil. Brush on hens, then sprinkle with salt.
• Cook for additional 10 minutes, or until internal temperature is 180°F.