Clicky

Honeyed Cornish Game Hens

5 from 8 votes
Jump to RecipePinSave to Favorites

Site Index Cornish game hen Main dish

This post may contain affiliate links. See my privacy policy for details.

Cornish game hens are marinated in a a delicious ginger, garlic soy sauce and then cooked in the oven. Don’t be scared of cooking Cornish game hens, they are easy and cook up into small, delicious dinners! This goes great with my Kiwi & Lime Strawberry Salad.

Honeyed Cornish Game Hens in a green checkered plate garnish with some lettuce leaves
Honeyed Cornish Game Hens

How to Cornish Game Hens

I love Cornish game hens, they are just the right size for quick cooking, a healthy source of protein and relatively inexpensive. I can find them for about $6 apiece at a local super store we have here. Cornish game hens are the perfect thing for a romantic dinner, dinner with guests or even expanding your children’s palates into trying something new. Cornish hens aren’t really that different tasting than chicken is and your kids will probably be thrilled to have their own miniature chickens!

Ingredients Needed for Baking Cornish Game Hens

  • 2-4  Cornish game hens (1/2 game hen per person)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of orange juice

Honeyed Cornish Game Hens Marinade Ingredients all in a wood tray, 2 pieces Cornish game hens in a plate

Mix all the ingredients, except the hens, in a blender. Mix until the garlic is completely pureed into it. You can also use a food processor or even a hand immersion blender to mix up the marinade. Worst case, mince the garlic and add it into the marinade if you don’t have any of those appliances.

Mixing all the ingredients of Cornish game hen marinade in a blender
Cornish game hen marinade

Place the game hens into a seal-able container.

game hens placed into a seal-able container
How to Marinate Cornish Game Hens

Pour the mixture over the game hens and marinade in the fridge for a few hours, or even overnight.

Marinated Cornish Game Hens
How to Marinate Cornish Game Hens

When you are ready to cook, place the hens on a lined with aluminum foil.  Place the hens as far apart from each other as possible to enable the skins to get browned and crispy,  Place the Cornish hens in the preheated oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 165 °F.

marinated Game Hens placed in baking sheet lined with aluminum foil
Cooking Cornish Game Hens

Cook in a 350 degree oven for 25-35 minutes, these cook very fast when halved. The Cornish hens are done cooking when an instant-read thermometer placed in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F. While you do treat these like chicken, you cannot get the thigh area to 185°F like you do with chicken, the breasts will turn into dry sawdust.

Honeyed Cornish Game Hens in a green checkered plate garnish with some lettuce leaves

Tips and Tricks for Cooking Cornish Game Hen

  • Treat Cornish hen like a small chicken that will cook quickly. You can marinade, BBQ or otherwise cook them just like you would a chicken.
  • The flavour of Cornish hens is not gamey at all in my opinion, they have a slightly deeper poultry flavour but nothing like wild game does.
  • Cook to 165°F.
  • Making these with a marinade adds moisture to the chicken, while you can roast them ( and I will most likely have a recipe coming up for that) I love marinated poultry baked up with crispy skin!

Happy cooking! Who here has made up Cornish game hens lately? What is your favourite way to make them?

Love,

Karlynn

PIN THIS RECIPE to your DINNER RECIPES Board and Remember to FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST!

 Cornish game hens are marinated in a a delicious ginger, garlic soy sauce and then cooked in the oven. Don't be scared of cooking Cornish game hens, they are easy and cook up into small, delicious dinners! #cornishgamehen #poultry #dinner

 

EMAIL YOURSELF THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email to get this recipe emailed to you, so you don’t lose it and get new recipes daily!

Honeyed Cornish Game Hens

 Cornish game hens are marinated in a a delicious ginger, garlic soy sauce and then cooked in the oven. Don't be scared of cooking Cornish game hens, they are easy and cook up into small, delicious dinners!
5 from 8 votes
close up Honeyed Cornish Game Hens in a green checkered plate garnish with some lettuce leaves
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
35 minutes
Course
Dinner
Cuisine
American
Servings
4
Calories
665
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients
 

  • 2 Cornish game hens
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice

Instructions
 

  • Mix all the ingredients, except the hens, in a blender. Mix until the garlic is completely pureed into it. 
  • Place the game hens into a seal-able container. Pour the mixture over the game hens and marinade in the fridge for a few hours, or even overnight. 
  • When you are ready to cook, place them onto a foil lined baking sheet. Pour the remainder of the marinade over the hens. 
  • Cook in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, these cook very fast when halved. Cook them to a temperature of 165 °F when a thermometer is inserted deep in the thigh,but not touching the bone. 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 4g, Calories: 665kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 41g, Fat: 38g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 227mg, Sodium: 1759mg, Potassium: 640mg, Sugar: 36g, Vitamin A: 260IU, Vitamin C: 6.3mg, Calcium: 37mg, Iron: 2.6mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

Made this recipe?

Share a photo of what you made on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thekitchenmagpie or hashtag it #thekitchenmagpie.

Please rate this recipe in the comments below to help out your fellow cooks!

Learn to cook like the Kitchen Magpie

A Very Prairie Christmas Bakebook

Cookies, Candies, Cakes & More: Vintage Baking to Celebrate the Festive Season!

Learn More

a copy of Flapper Pie cook book

Flapper Pie and a Blue Prairie Sky

A Modern Baker’s Guide to Old-Fashioned Desserts

Learn More

The Prairie Table

Suppers, Potlucks & Socials: Crowd-Pleasing Recipes to Bring People Together

Learn More

Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

Site Index Cornish game hen Main dish

Reader Interactions

Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

  1. Penny says

    I made this recipe for dinner. Better than can be explained or articulated!!! Thank you for this amazing recipe. I thickened the remaining juices from the baking pan into an incredibly delicious sauce. Again, thank you! Living in New Orleans, it’s not an easy thing to impress a NOLA Foodie but you blew it away!! Thanks again.5 stars

  2. Dave says

    Hi, Any change in the ingredients or instructions if using a slow cooker ? Thanks !5 stars

Leave a Comment or Recipe Tip

Recipe Rating