A few sprigs of fresh herbs or a slice of lemon can be added to the cavity as well. A simple mixture of olive oil and herbs flavor the skin. Cornish hens should be cooked to 165F degrees. I suggest using a digital thermometer to test for doneness. For the cooking liquid, you’ll need a ½ cup of chicken broth. You can use store-bought or homemade like this crockpot chicken broth.

If you have slightly bigger hens, you may need to add additional cook time. A digital thermometer is a really useful tool when making air fryer recipes. I make these game hens in my Cosori 5.8 quart air fryer and my Instant Vortex air fryer.

Can this recipe be scaled up for larger groups?

If you don’t want to do the additional steps to make your own rub you could use ready made. This poultry rub is pretty good and made by one of my favorite brands. When the birds are done resting and their internal temperature reaches 165°F, it is time to dig in! These can be served whole as an entire bird for each person, which makes for a fun family dinner! Or, you can cut each bird in half and share it.

Combine the salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl; set aside. Carefully and heavily baste the hen with the chicken stock mixture. Continue roasting for about minutes or until juices run clear and/or the thermometer reaches 165°F/74℃ (ensure the thermometer doesn’t touch the bone!). Lightly spray or coat the skin of hens with olive or cooking oil, then season with Italian and Creole seasoning. BastewithSauce– Carefully and heavily baste the hen with the chicken stock mixture. Continue roasting for about minutes or until juices run clear and/or the thermometer reaches 165°F/74℃ (ensure the thermometer doesn’t touch the bone!).

  • Sprinkle each bird all over with 1 tsp.
  • Cornish hen is best when butterflied before being smoked.
  • Use your hands to make sure the dry rub is coating every inch of your hens.

In the United States Magic Baking, cornish game hen is also called rock cornish hen. It’s a type of small chicken, produced from a cross between the Cornish and White Plymouth Rock chicken breeds. Cornish game hens are very small chickens that are harvested young at about 5 weeks instead of 8 to 9 weeks.

Lemon Garlic Parmesan Baked Chicken Wings Recipe

They taste like regular chicken and the smaller size makes it a great option to serve 2 people for a gourmet weeknight dinner. How to make a cornish hen in air fryer so it has crispy skin and tender meat inside. Perfect individual serving that’s packed with protein. Perfect individual serving that’s packed with protein. In a bowl, combine 5 tablespoons of softened butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil, Italian seasoning, fresh thyme, and generous amounts of salt and pepper. Combine the garlic powder, salt, and pepper then sprinkle all over the hens.

Beans, peas, and lentils are also part of the Vegetable Group. To learn more, visit theBeans, Peas, and Lentils page. Turkey Stock, Turkey Gravy & Turkey Noodle Soup This recipe will cover how to make your own stock.

Flip the hens so they are skin-side up. Add ⅓ cup water to the bottom of the pan to prevent the juices from burning. Add the remaining thyme, lemon zest, halved garlic, and peppercorns to the water.