Honey-Herb Cornish Game Hens

I saw this in a magazine and thought it looked absolutely delicious. It would make a very fancy romantic meal or even be great for a dinner party with friends. I love the idea of using Cornish hens because of the combo of dark and white meat. The hens are baked, but I want to try them on the grill when it gets warm.
- Ready In:
- 1hr 15mins
- Serves:
- Units:
Nutrition Information
6
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ingredients
- 4 (1 1/2 lb) rock cornish game hens, 6 lbs total
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄8 teaspoon pepper
directions
- Rinse and pat dry hens. Cut out the backbone and split through the breastbone. Trim any excess skin or fat.
- Place oil in a shallow pan and heat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, honey, thyme, and oregano. Season hens with salt and pepper.
- Once pan is heated, place hens skin side down and brush with half of the honey mixture.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Flip hens and brush with remaining honey mixture. Bake 20-30 minutes longer, or until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees. Place on a platter.
- Drain drippings into a fat separator or skim as much fat as possible. Serve with hens.
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RECIPE MADE WITH LOVE BY
@Redneck Epicurean
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@Redneck Epicurean
Contributor
"I saw this in a magazine and thought it looked absolutely delicious. It would make a very fancy romantic meal or even be great for a dinner party with friends. I love the idea of using Cornish hens because of the combo of dark and white meat. The hens are baked, but I want to try them on the grill when it gets warm."
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I've made this dish 4 times, and it tastes good each time. The only change I've made is to use more lemon juice & honey. I like to keep my hens moist, so I baste them often. I've served this with potatoes, rice, and braised red cabbage. This dish goes well with almost any side. Thank you for this great recipe!
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Ive been wanting to try coking cornish hens for a long time. Just so happens I was shopping at the market, and they had a great deal on them, so I picked up a few. I followed Ladyfarmeror's advise on grilling them, and went that route. Very juicy and tender meat. I don't know that there is too much difference in the taste between cornish hens and chicken, but I guess its more of a presentation thing. Anyway, thanks for posting this recipe.
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