Baked Cornish Hen

Tender, juicy and one of the best Cornish hen recipes ever. Baked Cornish hen in oven with marinade of garlic, honey and spices.

What is a Cornish Hen? In the United States, Cornish game hen (USDA approved name) 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. They are small, young and immature hens, with an average weight of less than 2 lbs each. The meat is tender, juicy, and much better than turkey and even chicken. This crispy roasted and baked Cornish hen is perfect for holidays. It's also great for dinner tonight. They are widely available in the frozen food section or poultry section of food stores and supermarkets.

They are vacuum-packed in a small plastic wrapped pkg. They are also labeled as Rock Cornish Game Hen. They are sold without giblets, so cooking Cornish hens are quick and easy. First, thaw the hen to room temperature. Make sure you pat dry the entire hen with paper towels, including inside the cavity. Next, marinate it with garlic, butter (or extra virgin olive oil), honey and sambal oelek. If you don't have sambal oelek, you can use any dry spices such as chili powder or smoked paprika. You can also use any hot sauce such as Tabasco, Louisiana hot sauce, Sriracha or anything you have on hand.

1 Cornish hen
4 cloves garlic, peeled
3 toothpicks
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil or unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. pure honey
½ Tbsp. sambal oelek
1 tsp. sea salt

To Serve:
lemon wedges

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5).

Rinse and pat dry the Cornish hen with paper towels. Make sure the cavity is dry. Add the garlic inside the cavity. Close the cavity by using 3 toothpicks.

In a small bowl, add the olive oil (butter), honey, sambal oelek and salt together. Stir to mix well. Brush the mixture on the skin evenly.

Place it on a roasting pan and bake for 30 minutes or until the skin becomes crispy and nicely browned. You may cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil to avoid burning.

Turn the hen over and bake the other side for another 30 minutes. You may brush the juice seeping out on the skin. Remove from the oven and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Cook's Notes: If you add ¼ tsp. turmeric powder to the marinade if you like to give the Cornish hen a bit more colour.