Apricot Glazed Cornish Hens

Submitted by ddav0962

"This recipe was in the Weds, Nov 9th 2011 edition of the Richmond Times Dispatch. I'm posting it here for safe keeping."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 10mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Yields: 2 hens
• Serves: 2-4

ingredients

• 2 Cornish hens, thawed and any giblets removed
• salt
• pepper
• 4.92 ml Chinese five spice powder
• 177.44 ml apricot preserves
• 14.79 ml Dijon mustard
• 59.14 ml orange, juice of
• 59.14 ml low sodium chicken broth
• vegetable oil cooking spray

directions

1. Pat the hens dry. Season the cavity and the entire hens with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Tie the legs together with kitchen string.
3. Place seasoned hens in a baking dish and refridgerate at least 1 hour.
4. When ready to roast, heat oven to 400 degrees.
5. In a small saucepan, whisk together the five-spice powder, preserves, mustard, orange juice and chicken broth. Heat over medium until the preserves are melted and the mixture is almost smooth.
6. Divide the sauce in half; set aside one half to serve with the cooked hens. Spray a broiler pan with cooking spray. Place the hens in the pan and drizzle with some of the reserved sauce.
7. Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and drizzle the apricot sauce over the hens again. Continue roasting, basting occasionally until the hens are done, about 30 minutes more or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.