I really enjoy making these for the Holidays because I can play around with the seasonings and sauces. I once made 10 spicy guava Cornish hen and another 10 brined in seasoned buttermilk. I have a very big family. These look pretty big in the photo but they are usually super tiny.
Some are intimidated by roasting chicken but not I. It’s the simplest method ever. You place it in the oven and forget about it for at least an hour 🙂 Think of all the things that can be done around the house in an hour.
I love serving this with vegetables and mashed potatoes. Sometimes french fries.
Buttermilk Cornish Hen
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 540kcal
This Buttermilk Cornish Hen recipe is perfect for Holiday family dinners! Don't be intimidated by the idea of roasting a chicken - with this easy recipe, you'll have a Holiday dinner ready to impress the whole family.
Ingredients
- 2 Cornish Hens 1 1/2 to 2 lbs each
- 1 1/2 cup Buttermilk
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1/4 Tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Dried Parsley
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/4 Tsp Thyme
- 1/4 Tsp Rosemary
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Rinse the Cornish Hens, including the cavity. Dry with paper towel, set aside.
- In a bowl, combine the buttermilk, fresh garlic, paprika, chili powder, oregano, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Place the Cornish Hens in the seasoned buttermilk, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Pat dry the Cornish Hens, to remove the excess buttermilk and let them come to room temperature
- Place the Cornish Hens on a roasting pan, cover with aluminum foil and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until they're fully cooked through.
- The final 15 minutes uncovered.
- Brush with a little butter and Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 540kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 244mg | Sodium: 262mg | Potassium: 674mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 815IU | Vitamin C: 1.6mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 1.9mg
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This was absolutely AWESOME!! & I am not kidding… My cornish hens always turned out dry. Even my husband just commented this was the best I ever made. We split one & had it with salad, wild rice & corn on the cob😋 (I had to make homemade buttermilk, as I did not have any & that even turned out!) THANK YOU for sharing this.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Christine! Thank you so much for the comment 🙂
Hi Julie.
Are the garlic cloves whole for the brine? I wat this for tonight and wasn’t sure how to use the garlic.
Thank you..
Hi Kia, I finely minced the fresh garlic for this recipe 🙂
Question Julie, is it alright if o marinated the hens in buttermilk for more then 2 hours? Like 24 hours?
Yes, you certainly may. It’ll be even more flavorful. Enjoy!
I have only made Cornish Hens two or three times, but this was easy and delicious. Make certain you allow for the buttermilk and spices to marinate at least a couple hours like this the recipe calls for. Thanks for sharing!