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A close-up shot of a single roasted Cornish hen, showing the crispy, golden skin and tender meat, garnished with fresh thyme.

Roasted Cornish Hen Recipe (Perfectly Juicy & Crispy)

Learn how to make the best Roasted Cornish Hen Recipe with this easy-to-follow guide. Achieve perfectly juicy meat and crispy, golden skin every time with our simple garlic and herb butter method.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, French
Calories: 550
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 2 Cornish hens about 1.5 lbs each, giblets removed
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 lemon quartered
  • 1/2 onion quartered

Equipment

  • 1 Roasting pan
  • 1 Meat Thermometer
  • 1 Kitchen Twine

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove giblets from Cornish hens and pat them completely dry with paper towels.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, chopped thyme, rosemary, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth.
  3. Gently loosen the skin over the breast meat. Rub half of the herb butter mixture directly onto the meat under the skin.
  4. Rub the remaining herb butter all over the outside of the hens.
  5. Place quartered lemon and onion inside the cavity of each hen.
  6. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and place in a roasting pan. Roast for 50-60 minutes.
  7. The hens are done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F (74°C).
  8. Let the hens rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving. This allows the juices to settle.

Notes

For extra crispy skin, you can leave the hens uncovered in the refrigerator for a few hours after patting them dry to allow the skin to air-dry.
Feel free to experiment with other herbs like sage or oregano in the butter mixture.
Save the pan drippings to make a simple pan gravy.