Honestly, I’d never even heard of a Cornish hen a few weeks before I decided to try it. Heck, I don’t think I’d ever seen it in a grocery store. Derrik told me about them one day and I was pretty intrigued, but I wasn’t exactly sure what made them different from regular chicken. One lazy evening, while scrolling food blogs and recipe sites, I finally got curious and decided to dive in. Here’s the scoop: a Cornish hen is basically a tiny chicken—like the delightful mini-me version of your regular chicken. Technically, it’s a young chicken, bred purposely small (around 1-2 pounds), and it usually serves one to two people. But here’s the magic part—it’s perfect for two people sharing if you want a cozy, fuss-free dinner that feels just a bit special.
I loved that it was this manageable size, because cooking a whole chicken can sometimes feel like a project—too big, too many leftovers (or, gasp, wasted food), too cumbersome…especially when you can easily scoop one up at just about any grocery store nowadays. Not to mention it definitely beats the usual chicken breast, which can be a bit… dry or boring if you’re not careful. So, once I confirmed I wanted to give it a go, I grabbed a couple of Cornish hens from the grocery store. I think I was excited about roasting them whole, which sounded super fancy but totally doable. I seasoned them with a simple rub of olive oil, Adobo, rosemary, salt, and pepper and mixed up a little veggie quartet for some home-grown flavor. It’s as easy as popping those little guys in the oven, and you’re looking at around 45 minutes to an hour of roasting time—plenty of window to prep a side salad or just chill with a glass of wine.
The smell alone was enough to convince me this would be worth it. When they came out, those tiny birds had the most beautiful golden skin—crispy and inviting. And inside? Juicy, tender, and honestly, a delightfully different texture than your usual chicken pieces. If you think I carved those babies up, you’d be wrong. I plopped a whole hen on each plate just because it felt, I don’t know… fancy??
Best part? A manageable amount of leftovers (if you have any) reheat beautifully to make a killer pot pie the next day, or even some bang-on sandwiches. Plus, it’s such a refreshing change from the usual dinner proteins that it quickly became one of my go-to meals when I want something a little special but without the fuss.
So, if you’re feeling stuck in the usual chicken, pork, beef rut like I was, I highly recommend giving Cornish hen a shot. It’s convenient, delightful for two, and just a fun little twist to keep your dinner game fresh. Honestly, it’s one of those hidden gems that makes cooking feel exciting again. Trust me, once you try it, your dinner table won’t feel quite so ordinary anymore.
Cornish Hen
Equipment
- Air fryer optional
Ingredients
- 1 Lg White Onion diced
- 2 Stalks Celery diced
- 1 Cornish Hen
- 1 Poblano Pepper roasted and diced
- Olive Oil for coating
Seasonings
- 1 Tbsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Dried Basil
- 1 Tbsp Adobo see notes
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic in oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° (if using air fryer, skip this step)
- For gas stove: Roast the poblano directly over the flame until blistered on all sidesFor oven: Place the poblano on a parchment-lined baking pan and rub lightly with oil. Place in 475° oven for 20 minutes, rotating every 5 minutes (approx) until blistered on all sides
- While poblano cools, dice onion and celery and combine in a bowl with minced garlic
- Peel the skin off the poblano by rubbing with hands or between two paper towels, dice, and add to bowl with other veggies
- In a separate bowl, combine salt, pepper, adobo, and basil
- Rub olive oil all over hens, then rub salt mixture all over
- Stuff cavity of then hen with the vegetable mixture
- Bake* at 375° on an ungreased pan for 1 hour or until a thermometer reads 160°
- Remove from oven, tent with foil, and let rest for approximately 10 minutesDo not skip this step to ensure the hen gets to a safe temperature of 165° while resting
Notes
- *Alternatively, you can air fry at 350° breast-side down for 30m, then flip over and cook for another 10 minutes
- If using the air fryer, be careful not to lose your stuffing mixture when flipping over
- I usually prefer to mince my own garlic, but for this recipe, the jarred mix garlic (“jarlic”) is great for the added oil. If you don’t have any on hand, mince your own and add a very light drizzle of oil to the vegetable mixture.