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Roasted Cornish Game Hens

Lime and Rosemary roasted cornish game hens with brioche and sweet Italian sausage
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Viella

Ingredients

  • Juice of two limes
  • 3 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 stalks fresh rosemary removed from stalks
  • 2 cornish game hens
  • Generous drizzle of olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 onion sliced

Brioche and Sweet Italian Sausage Stuffing Ingredients

  • 2 sweet Italian sausage links - skins removed approx. 6oz
  • 2 cups brioche breadcrumbs - use day old brioche cut in chunks and pulse in food processor or blender.
  • 1/8 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary removed from stalks
  • 1 tbsp red onion shredded
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock

Equipment and Utensils

  • Large roasting pan
  • Small saucepan

Instructions

  • Add salt, pepper and rosemary leaves to lime juice.
  • Coat hens with seasoned lime juice cover hens and allow to marinate for 1-2 hours.
  • Create stuffing while hens are marinating.

Brioche and Sweet Italian Sausage Stuffing Directions

  • Using a fork, combine sausage, brioche breadcrumbs, salt, rosemary, onion and lime juice.
  • Heat chicken stock and add butter.
  • Once butter has melted pour stock over sausage mixture and combine thoroughly.
  • Mold ingredients into two equally size mounds and store in the fridge until hens is fully marinated.

Cornish Game Hens Cooking Directions

  • Remove hens and stuffing from fridge and place hens in roasting pan.
  • With a spoon carefully fill hen cavities with stuffing.
  • Fold the skin around the open cavity over the stuffing and secure with wet toothpicks.
  • Drizzle with olive oil and then place hens in preheated oven at 400 in the lower part of the oven and cook for 30 minutes.
  • Check hens and pierce skin to remove any juices from the hens. Simply tip the roasting pan to allow the juices to flow from the hens.
  • Transfer hen juices to saucepan and set aside.
  • Return to the oven and cook for a further 30 mins.
  • Check hens once again, the hens should be almost done.
  • Again, tip roasting pan to drain hen juices and transfer to saucepan.
  • Move hens to the middle of the oven and cook for a further 30 minutes.
  • The hens should be nicely browned with crispy skins.
  • Tent hens with foil to keep warm.
  • Add chicken stock, wine and onion to reserved hen juices and place on high heat.
  • Reduce by one third.
  • Pour a small helping of gravy in the base of each plate and serve the hens on top to preserve the crispy skin.