Herb Butter Cornish Hen Recipe

Name: Herb Butter Cornish Hens w/ Bacon Gravy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 2 whole Cornish hens; 1 stick Unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon fresh Thyme; 1/2 cup Chicken stock; 1 tablespoon Seasoning salt; 1/2 tablespoon Black pepper; 1 teaspoon Ground sage; 1 tablespoon Garlic powder; 1 tablespoon Onion powder

This post was last updated on August 8, 2023 at 10:11 pm

March 30, 2021 by Tamara J. 58 Comments

Take me to the Recipe

This Herb Butter Cornish Hen Recipe involves roasting a spatchcocked bird to golden perfection and serving it with savory bacon gravy. Seasoned & basted with an herb infused butter to create the most succulent and flavorful roasted Cornish hens.

While you’re here be sure to check out this Juicy and Tender Oven Roasted Chicken and this Garlic Butter Seafood Boil!

Jump to:

Why You Will Love This Cornish Hens Recipe:
What is a Cornish hen?
How is Cornish hen different from chicken?
Ingredients you need:
Instructions to Make Herb Butter Cornish Hens:
Alternatives and Variations:
Pro-Tips:
Storing and Reheating:
FAQ:
More Chicken Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe
Be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook when you make this recipe! I would love to see your creation, and give you a shoutout!

These Herb Butter Cornish Hens are one of our favorite things to make when we have guest over. They are the perfect size and selection for serving. Moreover, they are easy to prepare and cook in a breeze!

Why You Will Love This Cornish Hens Recipe:

Affordable! You can grab cornish hens from the meat department of grocery stores. They are usually near the chicken.

Flavorful! This oven roasted cornish game hen always turns out super moist and tender.

Faster! Cornish game hens are much smaller than whole chickens. So the cooking time is significantly less than the time it takes to roast a whole chicken.

Great for Special Occasions! Whether it's the holiday season or a special dinner party, this is the perfect entree.

What is a Cornish hen?

Cornish hens, also known as Cornish game hens, are a smaller breed of chickens from Cornwall, an English county.

How is Cornish hen different from chicken?

So, what is so special about game hens? These small chickens are preferred because they are delicately flavored, super tender, and cook faster than regular chicken. When fully matured, these game birds are about half the size of a regular chicken.

What is the spatchcock cooking technique?

With this particular cornish hen recipe, we used the spatchcock technique. By definition, spatchcock means to split open and dress to prepare for grilling.

Furthermore, the spatchcock technique is perfect for the herb butter Cornish hens because it ensures even cooking. It also helps provide an even golden brown skin for the roasted hens.

Ingredients you need:

2 whole Cornish hens: They are usually about 1.5-2 pounds each.
Unsalted butter: Use unsalted so you can control the amount of sodium. You could use olive oil but butter flavor is so mouthwatering and rich.
Fresh Herbs: Thyme has an earthy, subtle minty flavor.
Ground Herb: Ground sage has a bold, peppery taste.
Chicken stock: This helps the skin crisp up as it bakes.
Seasoning: I season the bird with seasoning salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

seasoned full chickens in baking pan before cooked

Bacon Gravy

Serve your cornish hens with bacon gravy for a savory addition! Bacon gravy requires hearty bacon, that will stand-up to being fried and chopped.

Instructions to Make Herb Butter Cornish Hens:

How to Spatchcock a Cornish Hen

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9x13 baking dish or roasting pan with non-stick spray.

Clean the Cornish hens by removing any giblets. Using kitchen shears, cut down each side of the back bone. Start at the neck and cut down to the tail. Remove the backbone and open up the hen.

Prepare Herb Butter & Season Cornish Hen

Mix the softened butter, fresh rosemary, thyme, and ground sage in a small bowl until well combined.

a bowl containing a stick of butter beside a small dish of dried herbs

herb butter in a bowl on a cutting board next to a wooden spoon

Loosen the skin of the hens with a finger, and evenly distribute the infused butter under the skin of each one. Reserve 2 tablespoons of butter to rub over the top and baste the hens with.

Lay the Cornish hens flat and season the front and back liberally with the seasoning salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

How to cook cornish hens

Add the chicken stock directly into the baking dish. Bake the cornish hens for about one hour, and according to recipe instructions, check on them after 30 minutes to baste them with the pan juices.

a baster applying garlic butter to spatchocked cornish hen

The hen is done when it is golden brown, and the wings or legs are tender when you gently pull them. Enjoy this easy cornish hen recipe!

How to Make the Savory Bacon Gravy:

Fry the bacon until completely cooked, set aside. Reserve the bacon grease in the skillet. Add the chopped onions to the bacon grease and cook until they become translucent about 5-10 minutes.

Once the onions are translucent, add the flour to the skillet. Use a whisk to mix the flour in with the grease. After the grease is fully absorbed by the flour, slowly begin to add chicken stock.

Continue whisking the flour and chicken stock until there are no longer lumps of flour. The onions will provide a bit of texture. Add more chicken stock or water to thin the gravy out if it becomes too thick.

Once the flour is fully incorporated into the gravy, add the bacon back into the skillet. Add the seasoning and then mix well. Enjoy this alongside the cornish hen recipe.

Alternatives and Variations:

Pro-Tips:

Before seasoning the hens, pat them dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. This makes it easier for the skin to get crispy.
One hen is enough for one hearty serving or two servings.
This Savory Bacon Gravy makes an awesome gift to send guests home with. Once the gravy is prepared and cooled, simply place it in 8 ounce jars. Decorate the jars with festive holiday labels and bows.

What to Serve with this Cornish Hens Recipe:

Upgrade your meal from a dinner to a feast with a few sides:

Storing and Reheating:

Store leftover cornish hen in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave.

We love to use leftover bacon gravy the next day for breakfast. Store it in the refrigerator for up to one week. Reheat it over low heat on the stove.

FAQ:

Should Cornish hens be cooked breast up or breast down?

Roast them breast side up. This maximizes the skin's exposure to the heat for a perfectly golden brown skin.

How long should I cook my Cornish hen?

Cornish hens take about one hour to cook when roasted at 350°F. But you can use a meat thermometer to determine if it's done. The meat is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Where can I find cornish hens for this recipe?

Premium Cornish Hens are available at your local Walmart stores. While at my local Walmart, I found them in the middle section of the meat department.

How do you keep Herb Butter Cornish Hens from drying out?

Allow the cooked hen to rest for about ten minutes before slicing it. This allows the juices to redistribute for moist, succulent meat. Adding butter to the hens is also helpful to keep them moist and tender.

close up view of spatchcock cornish hens

More Chicken Recipes to Try

📖 Recipe

2 Hens

Herb Butter Cornish Hens w/ Bacon Gravy

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

Cornish Hens

2 whole Cornish hens
1 stick Unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh Thyme
½ cup Chicken stock
1 tablespoon Seasoning salt
½ tablespoon Black pepper
1 teaspoon Ground sage
1 tablespoon Garlic powder
1 tablespoon Onion powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9x11 baking dish with non-stick spray.
Clean the cornish hens by removing any giblets. Using kitchen shears, cut down each side of the back bone of the cornish hen. Start at the neck, and cut down to the tail. Remove the backbone and open up the hen.
Lay the cornish hens flat and season the front and back liberally with the seasoning salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Mix the butter, fresh rosemary, thyme, and ground sage in a small bowl until well combined.
Loosen the skin of the hens with a finger, and evenly distribute the infused butter under the skin on each one. Reserve 2 tablespoons of butter to rub over the top and baste the hens with.
Add the chicken stock directly into the baking dish. Bake the hens for about one hour, check on them after 30 minutes to baste with juices.
Hen is done when it is golden brown, and the wings or legs are tender when you gently pull them.

Notes

There is a loose flap of skin near the bottom of the breast. Cut a slit on both sides of this area to insert each leg into. This just helps keep the legs in place for a beautiful presentation.

Cooking times may vary by the size of the hens and different oven settings.

Click here for the Savory Bacon Gravy recipe.

Herb Butter Cornish Hen Recipe

Why You Will Love This Cornish Hens Recipe:

What is a Cornish hen?

How is Cornish hen different from chicken?

What is the spatchcock cooking technique?