Crispy Cornish hens seasoned to perfection in a white wine mushroom sauce then roasted until golden and tender.
I love serving this recipe on Sundays, holidays or other special occasions. It's simple, low maintenance and doesn't require a lot of ingredients.
Why this recipe works
If you're looking to serve a dish that's a bit more creative than just a whole roasted chicken, you should definitely consider this Cornish hen recipe. Cornish hens are fairly inexpensive and perfect for serving a crowd. You can serve one whole hen per person or split each hen in half... either way you're sure to impress your guests.
This recipe is really simple and contains everyday ingredients that you may already have on hand.
What goes into this recipe
Ingredient Notes
- It isn't necessary to choose an expensive bottle of white wine, but I do suggest that you choose a descent bottle and one that you enjoy drinking yourself if you do drink wine.
- For this recipe, I used Pinot which is my favorite wine for cooking.
- All-purpose flour is used to lightly coat the hens before searing to get that crispy golden brown outer coating.
- All-purpose flour will help the sauce to thicken a bit.
- Mini bella mushrooms are used and are seared first before adding to the wine sauce.
- Sauteed sweet onions are used in this recipe although shallots are great as well.
How to roast Cornish hen
- Split each hen in half, wash, pat dry with paper towels, season both sides, and sprinkle on all-purpose flour.
- Add grape-seed oil to your cast iron skillet and sear each half with skin side down until crispy golden brown. Remove hens from skillet and place on a clean plate.
- To same skillet, add more cooking oil if necessary. Then add sliced onions and mushrooms and sear until caramelized.
- Deglaze skillet with white wine while scraping up all the brown bits which is where all the flavor lies. Add a dash of kosher salt. Bring to a boil then turn off burner.
- Add hens back to the skillet and place in the oven to roast. While the hens are roasting the white wine will begin to thicken.
- When done, baste the hens with the sauce and spoon over the mushrooms and onions over each hen.
Storing and Reheating
Roasted Cornish hens make great leftovers. Store them in an airtight container and place in the fridge along with the sauce for up to 3 days. To reheat:
- Remove the Cornish hens and gravy from the fridge
- Place the Cornish hens in a casserole dish or baking pan and drizzle with gravy
- Place in a 375 degree preheated oven
- Bake until heated through
There are an infinite number of side dishes you can serve. Here is a list of some of my favorites: Herb Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe, Sauteed Green Beans, Crispy Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes, Crispy Oven Roasted Broccolini,Rice Dressing, Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Fresh Spring Mix Salad, Roasted Beet Salad with Grilled Peaches
It is not necessary to cover Cornish hens when baking. They are similar to baking chicken.
It really depends on the recipe, however, for this recipe, 375 degrees is the perfect temperature since the hens are being roasted in wine. Cooking them at a higher temperature may cause the wine sauce to cook down too much and too fast.
The best way to check is to invest in an instant read meat thermometer. You simply insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. When it registers to 165 degree F. It's done
Expert Tips
- Make sure hens are completely dry before roasting,
- Cut the hens in half or spatchcock for faster cooking.
- Make sure the top of each half is seasoned liberally.
- To prevent the Cornish hen from being overcooked and tasting dry, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. The internal temperature should read 165 degrees.
- FYI - my cast iron skillet is 13-¼ inches in size it's pretty large.
Related Recipes
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If so, let me know how it went. Leave a 'Star Rating' within the recipe card down below and/or TAG @cookingwithbliss on Instagram. I can't wait to see how it turned out.
Roasted Cornish Hen Recipe in White Wine Sauce
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet, dutch oven or braising pan
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Cornish hens (1 pack with 2 whole hens depending on how many people you're serving)
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt (½ tablespoon + 1 teaspoon)
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ½ sweet onion (sliced)
- 8 oz mini bella mushrooms (sliced)
- 1-½ cup white wine (I use Pinot)
- 5 tablespoon grape-seed oil (2-tablespoon for searing hens; 3-tablespoon for searing mushrooms and onions)
Instructions
- Split each hen in half, wash, pat dry with paper towels, season both sides, and sprinkle on all-purpose flour.
- Add grape-seed oil to your cast iron skillet and sear each half with skin side down until crispy golden brown. Remove hens from skillet and place on a clean plate.
- To same skillet, add more cooking oil if necessary. Then add sliced onions and mushrooms and sear until caramelized. This will take about 7 to 10 minutes. Add more oil if needed.
- Deglaze skillet with white wine while scraping up all the brown bits which is where all the flavor lies. Add a dash of kosher salt. Bring to a boil then turn off burner.
- Add hens back to the skillet and place in the oven to roast. While the hens are roasting the white wine will begin to thicken.
- When done, baste the hens with the sauce and spoon over the mushrooms and onions over each hen.
Notes
- Make sure hens are completely dry before roasting.
- Cut the hens in half or spatchcock for faster cooking.
- Make sure the top of each half is seasoned liberally.
- To prevent the Cornish hen from being overcooked and tasting dry, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. The internal temperature should read 165 degrees.
- FYI - my cast iron skillet is 13-¼ inches in size.
- For my classic gravy recipe:
- In a small bowl, combine the soften butter and chopped fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, and sage). Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Wash and pat dry the Cornish hens with paper towels until they're completely dry. Cut each Cornish hen down the middle to create 2 halves, smear the butter-herb mixture over the entire surface of the hens and season. Roast until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- Save the pan drippings and skim off any excess oil/grease and discard the oil/grease. Pour the remaining in a sauce pan, add ¾ cup chicken broth and simmer until reduced and starts to thicken. Add 1-2 tablespoon of COLD butter and whisk until the gravy thickens more.
- Drizzle the gravy over the hens.
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