Herb Roasted Spatchcock Cornish Hens

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As a little girl, my mama never made turkey. We had ham, we even had seafood, but never turkey. Her main go-to for Christmas and Thanksgiving, however, were cornish hens.

She'd chop them in half and serve 'em over mashed potatoes, green beans, and candied yams. At least, that's what was on my first plate of the night.

But they were dry. Yes, I told her because I was 8 and I'm sure she's never forgave me since but... it was true! Sorry (again), mama.

Thus, a recipe to redeem the Cornish hen.

Holiday Spatchcocked Cornish Hens - Recipe Notes

I've been brining and spatchcocking chickens and Thanksgiving turkey for over a decade, it's the way to go when you want a holiday-ready main that cooks quickly and impresses the family!

Because Cornish hens are so small and affordable, they are perfect for a small gathering or romantic date night.

...or for bringing on the oohs and ahhs from your family because who won't love being served a 'whole' half a bird?! Or even a whole cornish hen, if you wanna go there!

Spatchcocking not only cuts the cook time in half, but having the breasts lay flat with the thighs ensures even cooking so no dry meat. 

Then we dry brine! I'm a huge advocate for dry brining, especially anything I'm making for a holiday or special occasions. It ensures juicy, well-seasoned meat and perfectly crispy skin because the salt has time to penetrate the meat and skin while it's drying out in the fridge.

It's an herb-focused brine of rosemary, thyme, and sage (classic holiday flavors) with lemon zest and smoked paprika. So. Much. Flavor. 

Then it's roasted on a bed of yellow onions and apples to give a sweet-savory flavor as the hens cook and they give the drippings such cozy flavor, mixing with the herbs, and it all makes an amazing gravy from the pan drippings.

Ugh, I really just love this recipe, y'all. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Cornish Game Hens - cornish hens are small birds, about 1 to 2 pounds each! They're a crossbreed of American Cornish chicken and the American White Plymouth Rock chicken, known for their tiny size and tender meat.
• Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Lemon Zest, + Smoked Paprika - this is all for your dry brine. The oils in these ingredients really make for a well seasoned bird!
• Duck Fat - or other high-heat fat with no moisture (so clarified butter, yes. Regular butter, no!). I had duck fat on hand (they make amazing crispy parmesan potatoes and I use it for my miso roasted root veggies, too!) but avocado oil, vegetable, or canola oil works, too. 
• Apples and Yellow Onions - this serves as a bed for your cornish hens to cook over and flavor the pan drippings.

 Ingredient Swaps

• Swap the apples and onions for more herbs, garlic, orange slices, etc. There are plenty of aromatics that work with this recipe!
• No fresh herbs? Dried herbs work just as well!

How to Spatchcock a Cornish Hen

Spatchcocking sounds hard, but it's super easy. And because cornish hens are so small, their bones are much easier to cut through than a chicken or turkey!

Step 1

Remove the backbone

Use sharp poultry scissors/kitchen shears to carefully cut down the sides of the spine, removing it completely from the bird.

Step 2

Flatten the bird.

The hens' bones are really delicate, it's easy to crack the breast bone with just a bit of pressure in your hands or on your cutting board with the palm of your hand. Congrats, you spatchcocked a cornish hen!

How to Make Easy Roasted Spatchcock Cornish Hens

Step 1

Make your dry brine.

I gave my herbs, paprika, pepper, and lemon zest a zhush in a spice grinder to blend everything together, but a fine chop on the herbs is just fine. Mix them with the kosher salt and that's your dry brine.

Step 2

Cover the hens in dry brine.

Generously cover every nook and cranny in the brine...Including the cavity side. This is the best part of spatchcocking, even the inside parts get seasoned.

Step 3a

Dry brine overnight.

Flip the hen breast side up, cover it in the brine rub, and let dry brine UNCOVERED in the refrigerator overnight. Yep, nekkid and exposed to the air! 

Step 3b

This is what it looks like after.

Your hens' skin will be dry/mostly dry and change color, there will be a lot of juices in your pan/baking sheet.

Step 4

Oil them down.

Pat any moisture off the hens and cover the skin in duck fat. I warmed mine up in a saucepan, infusing it with more lemon zest and herbs as it heated up for even more flavor.

Step 5

Roast for 35 minutes.

Roast the hens over a bed of apples and onions for 30-35 minutes in a clean baking dish (all that liquid from dry brining will turn to steam and make soggy skin). Pull when the hens read an internal temperature of 165ºF to 170ºF in the thickest part of the thigh, or until the juices run clear.

Chef's Tips for Perfect Roasted Hens

• Carving order. Remove legs/thighs, then wings, then slice breasts. Keep the knife tight to the bone for neat, generous slices.
• This recipe also works on a whole chicken, just use more kosher salt (½ teaspoon salt per pound) and cook for about an hour, use a thermometer for precise cooking.
• Deglaze while hot. When the hens are done, set the pan over medium heat (if it's stove top safe), splash cider/stock, whisk, and a squeeze of lemon juice and a swirl in cold butter for a quick pan sauce if you're not making gravy.
• The Cornish hen doesn't have to dry brine overnight! You can do it in the morning and roast that evening (I'd say 6-8 hours), making this a weeknight main with some prep.

Make-Ahead, Storage, + Reheat

• Make-ahead prep. Spatchcock and dry brine the day before. Leave uncovered in the fridge for ultra-dry skin.
• Leftovers. Cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container up to 3 days.
• Reheat. Warm, covered, at 300°F with a tablespoon or two of stock in the pan until just hot, then uncover 2–3 minutes to re-crisp the skin.
• Freezer note. The hens freeze fine up to 2 months. Skin won’t re-crisp like day one so plan to shred for salads, sandwiches, or soups.

Herb Roasted Spatchcock Cornish Hens

By: Eden Westbrook

5 from 8 votes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

These little Cornish hens might look dainty, but honey, they pack a punch as a main dish. Dry brined with rosemary, sage, thyme, and lemon zest, then roasted hot and fast over apples and onions till the skin crackles. They come out of the oven juicy, golden, and dripping with herby flavor in just 35 minutes!

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Brine Time: 8 hours hrs

Cook Time: 35 minutes mins

Total Time: 8 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

4 servings

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Equipment

• spice grinder or a high powered blender
• Kitchen Shears
• Meat Thermometer
• baking dishes

Ingredients 

For the Dry Brine

• ▢ 2 Cornish game hens, about 1½ pounds each
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, use ½ tablespoon if using Morton’s
• ▢ 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from about 1 lemon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• ▢ ½ teaspoon fresh sage leaves, chopped

For Roasting

• ▢ 2 tablespoons duck fat, melted (or avocado oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil)
• ▢ ¼ lemon zest, (optional, for infusing the fat)
• ▢ 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• ▢ 1 small apple, sliced (Honeycrisp or Fuji are great)

Instructions 

Spatchcock the Cornish Hens

• Use sharp kitchen shears to cut down each side of the backbone and remove it completely. Flip each hen breast-side up and press firmly on the breastbone until it cracks and the bird lies flat.
  2 Cornish game hens

Make the Dry Brine

• Combine black pepper, smoked paprika, lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, and sage in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Pulse or mash together until the herbs are finely mixed, then add the kosher salt. DO NOT grind the salt.
  1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, ½ teaspoon fresh sage leaves

Dry Brine the Hens Overnight

• Rub the dry brine mixture all over the hens. Get into every nook and cranny, including the underside and cavity. Place the hens breast-side up in a baking dish or on a sheet pan. Refrigerate the hens uncovered overnight (8–24 hours). The skin will dry out and darken slightly.

Roast

• Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Pat the hens dry with paper towels to remove any surface moisture. Melt the duck fat in a small saucepan with lemon zest and a few sprigs of herbs to infuse it. Brush or rub the fat all over the hens.
  2 tablespoons duck fat, ¼ lemon zest
• Lay the sliced onions and apples in a single layer on a clean baking sheet or roasting pan. Place the hens skin-side up on top of the bed of fruit and vegetables.
  1 medium yellow onion, 1 small apple
• Roast for about 30-35 minutes, or until the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F to 170ºF on an instant read thermometer and the juices run clear.
• Let the hens rest for 5–10 minutes before carving. Slice each hen in half and serve with your favorite sides.

Last step!Be sure to snap a pic and share on Instagram #sweetteaandthyme and tag me at @sweet_tea_thyme so we can all see!

Recipe Notes

Chef's Tips for Perfect Roasted Hens

• Carving order. Remove legs/thighs, then wings, then slice breasts. Keep the knife tight to the bone for neat, generous slices.
• This recipe also works on a whole chicken, just use more kosher salt (½ teaspoon salt per pound) and cook for about an hour, use a thermometer for precise cooking.
• Deglaze while hot. When the hens are done, set the pan over medium heat (if it's stove top safe), splash cider/stock, whisk, and a squeeze of lemon juice and a swirl in cold butter for a quick pan sauce if you're not making gravy.
• The Cornish hen doesn't have to dry brine overnight! You can do it in the morning and roast that evening (I'd say 6-8 hours), making this a weeknight main with some prep.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 0.5 Cornish hen, Calories: 351kcal (18%), Carbohydrates: 5g (2%), Protein: 27g (54%), Fat: 24g (37%), Saturated Fat: 8g (50%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 159mg (53%), Sodium: 116mg (5%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 2g (2%)