Cornish Hen is the perfect recipe for gatherings, from holidays to cozy date nights. With roasted, tender meat, herb-infused butter, and rich bacon gravy, this entree feels like a feast!
Are you looking for other delicious main course options? Try my Smothered Turkey Wings and Oven Roasted Chicken next.

The Best Roasted Cornish Hen Recipe
I love making these roasted cornish hens whenever I’m hosting a special dinner or just want to treat myself to something a little fancy. With its golden brown, crispy skin and succulent meat, it never fails to impress.
This recipe is surprisingly easy to make, but it has that elegant touch that makes it feel like a restaurant-quality dish. I like to spatchcock the hens so they cook faster and more evenly.
And they’re the perfect size for individual servings so there's no need to carve a whole bird! It’s a great choice when I’m having guests over or planning a dinner party.

What is Cornish Hen?
A Cornish game hen is a small, young chicken that typically weighs around 1 to 2 pounds. The meat is tender and flavorful. When fully matured, these game birds are about half the size of a regular chicken.
Despite its size, it stays juicy when roasted, making it perfect for special occasions. Its compact size means it cooks faster than larger poultry, and it’s often served as a perfect individual portion for dinner parties or intimate meals.

Ingredients
- 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.


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.
How to Cook Cornish Hens
See recipe card for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
How to Spatchcock a Cornish Hen
First, I preheat my oven to 350°F and lightly coat a 9x13 baking dish or roasting pan with non-stick spray. Then, I clean the hens, removing any giblets.
I use kitchen shears to cut down each side of the backbone. I start at the neck and work my way down to the tail. Once the backbone is out, I open up the hens and flatten them.


Prepare Herb Butter & Season the Cornish Hens
I mix the softened butter, fresh rosemary, thyme, and ground sage in a small bowl until it’s well combined.


I like to loosen the skin with my fingers and spread the herb butter underneath, reserving about 2 tablespoons to rub over the top and baste the hens later. Then I lay the hens flat and season them generously on both sides.

How to Cook a Game Hen in the Oven
I pour the chicken stock directly into the baking dish, then pop the hens in the oven to bake for about an hour. I check on them after 30 minutes to give them a quick baste with the pan juices. This helps keep them juicy and full of flavor.

While the hens roast, it’s a great time to whip up a batch of my savory bacon gravy. It takes 15 minutes tops and serves as a delicious sauce.
The hens are ready when they’re golden brown and the wings or legs feel tender when I gently pull them. It’s such an easy recipe, and perfect for those cozy dinners or special occasions!

Pro Tips
- Pat the hens dry with a paper towel before seasoning to remove any excess moisture. This helps achieve a crispy skin.
- Roast the breast side up. This maximizes the skin’s exposure to the heat for a perfectly golden brown finish.
- One hen is enough for one hearty serving or can be split into two smaller servings.
- You can find premium Cornish hens at your local Walmart. I found mine in the middle section of the meat department at my store.
What goes well with Cornish hens?
Cornish hens pair perfectly with classic Southern sides like sweet cast iron cornbread, collard greens, and mac and cheese. Oven-roasted Brussels sprouts also complement the tender, roasted hens.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave.
We love using leftover bacon gravy the next day with breakfast dishes like biscuits or eggs. Store it in the refrigerator for up to one week. Reheat it over low heat on the stove.

Frequently Asked Questions
Should Cornish hens be covered when baking?
Cornish hens don’t need to be covered while baking. Leaving them uncovered helps achieve a golden brown, crispy skin. If they start to brown too quickly, you can tent them loosely with foil for the last part of the baking time.
What temperature should Cornish hens be cooked at?
For the best results, bake Cornish hens at 350°F. This temperature ensures the meat cooks evenly while keeping it juicy and tender.
How do I keep the 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.

More Chicken Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
After you try this Cornish Game Hen recipe, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Comment below and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube for more delicious recipes!
📖 Recipe
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
- Bacon Gravy optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. 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 backbone, starting at the neck and cutting down to the tail. Remove the backbone and flatten the hens.
- Season the front and back of each hen with seasoning salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, fresh thyme, rosemary, and ground sage.
- Loosen the skin of the hens and spread the herb butter evenly under the skin, reserving 2 tablespoons for basting.
- Add the chicken stock to the baking dish. Place the hens in the oven and bake for about 1 hour, basting with the pan juices after 30 minutes.
- While the Cornish hens roast, you can prepare the savory bacon gravy to serve alongside. (The link to my detailed recipe is in the notes section below.)
- The hens are ready when they turn golden brown, and the wings or legs feel tender when gently pulled.
Aimee DiPasquale says
That looks so so delicious. I would love that for my christmas eve get together.
Tamara J. says
Yes- it would be perfect!
Aline says
I love this recipe for Sunday supper. The ham and gravy make everything even better!!!
Tamara J. says
Yes indeed! Enjoy!
Ai says
Girl, you had me at herb butter! That bird looks perfectly roasted with crispy skin! Yummy 😀
Tamara J. says
It is delicious!
Gari says
Your recipes always inspire me, this looks amazing.
Tamara J. says
Well thank you!
Lisa Ho says
I have never tried roasting young chooks before, hopefully I can find one here (Australia) so that I can try your recipe 🙂
Tamara J. says
Yes, you will love it!
Genevieve says
I had no idea Tyson made Cornish Game Hens! What a unique recipe and bacon does make everything better. 🙂
Tamara J. says
Yes! They’re the best!
Angela says
I am so on the look out for cornish game hens now so I can make this - yum!
Tamara J. says
Awesome! It’s amazing, and foolproof!
Raquel says
I love how delicious the roasted skin looks! I'm not big on meat as an entree, but these pictures make me want to just cook up a bird!
Tamara J. says
It is something special!
Christy Boston's Kitchen says
I usually associate spatchcocking with larger birds, but what a great idea to do it with a Cornish hen! I love Cornish hens because they make for single meals and are so pretty on the plate. And bacon gravy... yum!
Tamara J. says
They’re the perfect size!
Colleen | Bakes & Blunders says
That looks delicious! I've never tried making Cornish hens before because I just had no idea what to do. Thanks for breaking it down 😀
Tamara J. says
Oh you should definitely give them a try!
Kenya Rae says
Cornish hens are so delicious. I have not made them in forever but this has put them back on my radar.
Tamara J. says
They are delicious!
Katrina Adams says
I plan on making a Cornish Hen for Christmas so this recipe is right on Time!!
Tamara J. says
Perfect! They make for a great meal.
Eden | Sweet Tea and Thyme says
My mama always made cornish hens for holidays, so this brought me back! So good, really flavorful and that bacon gravy is to die for!
Tamara J. says
Thank you, it really is delicious!
Jazz says
This is right on time for the holidays!
Tamara J. says
Absolutely!
LaKita says
They look so delicious and bacon gravy sounds amazing!!
Tamara J. says
The bacon gravy takes the Cornish hen to the next level!
SHANIKA says
I love making Cornish Hens! These look so beautifully done and the Herb Butter rub looks amazing!
Tamara J. says
Thank you! They are delicious.
Desiree says
Looks so well seasoned! Love the addition of the ground sage.
Marta says
I love that you're using cornish hen! It's so underrated.
Tamara J. says
I agree! They are the perfect serving sizes for our family.
Kay says
We love a spatchcocked chicken in our house! Cooks it perfectly and I love the gravy you posted to go with it.
Tamara J. says
Yes, I agree!
Erika says
This sounds amazing and bacon really does make everything taste better!
Tamara J. says
Yes, bacon definitely makes everything better.