Cornish Hens With Apple Stuffing
Tender Cornish hens are roasted with a savory and slightly sweet stuffing made from bread, apple, and herbs. This dish makes for an elegant yet straightforward main course perfect for a special meal.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 1 hr 20 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
Allergen information: may contain celery, gluten, and milk. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
Ingredients
- 2 pcscornish hen, giblets removed
- 1 tbspolive oil
hen seasoning
- 0.5 tspsalt
- 0.25 tspblack pepper, ground
stuffing
- 100 gyellow onion, finely chopped
- 180 gapple, peeled, cored, and cut into small cubes
- 40 gcelery, finely chopped
- 120 gbread, cut into cubes
- 2 tspunsalted butter, melted
- 0.5 tspdried sage
- 0.5 tspdried thyme
- 0.5 tspsalt
- 0.25 tspblack pepper, ground
Equipment
large bowl · oven · knife · cutting board · roasting pan
The method
Step by step
- 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Ensure the oven rack is in the middle position for even roasting.
- 2
In a large bowl, combine the chopped onion, apple, celery, bread cubes, melted butter, dried sage, and dried thyme.
About 5 min
- 3
Add the salt and black pepper intended for the stuffing, and toss everything together until well combined.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Mix gently to avoid crushing the bread cubes too much.
- 4
Pat the Cornish hens dry inside and out with paper towels.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Drying the skin helps it become crispy during roasting.
- 5
Loosely fill the cavity of each hen with the stuffing mixture.
About 3 min
Cook’s note: Do not pack the stuffing tightly, as it will expand during cooking.
- 6
Rub the outside of both hens with the olive oil.
About 2 min
- 7
Season the exterior of the hens with the salt and black pepper from the 'hen seasoning' group.
About 1 min
- 8
Place the hens breast-side up in a small roasting pan or baking dish.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: You can tie the legs together with kitchen twine for a neater presentation, but it's not required.
- 9
Roast for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F (74°C).
About 50 min
Cook’s note: The juices should run clear when the thigh is pierced with a knife.
- 10
Remove the hens from the oven and let them rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before carving.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Resting allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in more tender meat.
- 11
Carve each hen in half lengthwise to create four servings.
Keep it good
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat in an oven preheated to 350°F (175°C) until warmed through.
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