The ultimate Roasted Hen with ham, mushrooms, garlic, lemons and herbs

Need a perfect meat recipe for holidays? This is probably the best Cornish Hen recipe, stuffed with mushrooms and ham and flavored with butter, lemons, garlic and herbs. 

Best Cornish Hen Recipe

What are you guys cooking for Christmas? For years we played around ham, turkey and chicken recipes but this year we’ve decided to switch things up a bit and try something new: Tyson® Cornish Hens. These are the perfect alternative to ham and turkey and the recipe I’m going to share is the Best Cornish Hen you’ve ever had! Trust me, you’ll want to make this asap! Don’t wait for Christmas, make it twice! You’ll thank me later.

I expected much more work than I actually put in and I seriously didn’t think this recipe would taste so amazing! I honestly never made such a mouthwatering recipe! From the moment I put these babies in the oven, I started drooling, the smell was so inviting and I just couldn’t wait for the little hens to be ready. Waiting for 2 hours was a killer. Two long hours! When food smells so incredible 2 hours seem like a life time. But it’s sooo totally worth it!

Best Cornish Hen Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 Cornish hens
• 4 Medium mushrooms, chopped
• 8 small slices of lean ham, cubes
• 2 small Shallots, sliced julienne (don’t separate the slices)
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 Medium potatoes, chopped
• 1 Long sweet red pepper, chopped
• 1 bulb garlic, smashed
• few sprigs thyme (fresh or dry)
• few sprigs rosemary (fresh)
• 3 bay leaves (dry)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the flavored butter:

• 5 oz = 150 g unsalted butter, grated
• zest from 2 small lemons
• 4 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1/2 bunch thyme (fresh or dry)

Directions:

• Pre heat the oven at 375 F = 190 C
• Make the flavored butter: mix grated butter (room temperature) with lemon zest, garlic and thyme until combined, then divide into four. Keep in the fridge until needed.
• Take the hens, one by one and use your fingers and a small spatula to gently work your way between the skin and the meat. Start at the side of the cavity above the legs and gently work your way up along the breastbone, towards the back, until you create a large cavity. Pull the skin up with your fingers, on the outside while gently pushing with your spatula on the inside.

• Poke 1/4 of the butter into each side, using your hands to push it through the skin right to the back, on the outside, so it coats the breast meat as evenly as possible. Leave a tiny bit to rub on the outside too.
• Cut 1 of the zested lemons in 4.
• Mix mushrooms, ham, thyme and rosemary and divide into two.
• Stuff each hen with half the mushroom ham mixture and close cavities with 2 pieces of lemon.

• Toss the other veggies in a medium roasting tray, together with the smashed garlic and bay leaves. Keep the onion slices together and stick in between the other veggies (these get dry easier if separated).

• Place the hens on top of the veggie bed, drizzle with oil and season with salt, pepper and some thyme.

• Roast the hens in the oven for about 2 hours, or until the skin is golden and crispy and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a sharp knife, basting twice during cooking. If the vegetables start looking dry, add a splash of water to the tray to stop them burning though they shouldn’t as the hens leave enough juice. I have a not so friendly oven so I left it on 375 F for 15 minutes then I’ve turned the heat on medium for about 1 hour and on medium low for the remaining time. I checked every 20-30 minutes, mainly because I was anxious to taste all that goodness!
• Have this with or without gravy, it tastes as great either way!

This recipe was not only easy to make but also super fun and the end result is absolutely remarkable. If you decide to try it yourself, I would love to hear your thoughts!

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5 from 1 vote

Best Cornish Hen Recipe

Servings: 0

Author: Petro Neagu

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Ingredients

• 2 Cornish Hens
• 4 Medium mushrooms chopped
• 8 small slices of lean ham cubes
• 2 small Shallots sliced julienne (don't separate the slices)
• 2 medium carrots chopped
• 2 Medium potatoes chopped
• 1 Long sweet red pepper chopped
• 1 bulb garlic smashed
• few sprigs thyme fresh or dry
• few sprigs rosemary fresh
• 3 bay leaves dry
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• For the flavored butter:
• 5 oz = 150 g unsalted butter grated
• zest from 2 small lemons
• 4 cloves of garlic smashed
• 1/2 bunch thyme fresh or dry

Instructions

• Pre heat the oven at 375 F = 190 C
• Make the flavored butter: mix grated butter (room temperature) with lemon zest, garlic and thyme until combined, then divide into four. Keep in the fridge until needed.
• Take the hens, one by one and use your fingers and a small spatula to gently work your way between the skin and the meat. Start at the side of the cavity above the legs and gently work your way up along the breastbone, towards the back, until you create a large cavity. Pull the skin up with your fingers, on the outside while gently pushing with your spatula on the inside.
• Poke 1/4 of the butter into each side, using your hands to push it through the skin right to the back, on the outside, so it coats the breast meat as evenly as possible. Leave a tiny bit to rub on the outside too.
• Cut 1 of the zested lemons in 4.
• Mix mushrooms, ham, thyme and rosemary and divide into two.
• Stuff each hen with half the mushroom ham mixture and close cavities with 2 pieces of lemon.
• Toss the other veggies in a large roasting tray, together with the smashed garlic and bay leaves. Keep the onion slices together and stick in between the other veggies (these get dry easier if separated).
• Place the hens on top of the veggie bed, drizzle with oil and season with salt, pepper and some thyme.
• Roast the hens in the oven for about 2 hours, or until the skin is golden and crispy and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a sharp knife, basting twice during cooking. If the vegetables start looking dry, add a splash of water to the tray to stop them burning though they shouldn't as the hens leave enough juice. I have a not so friendly oven so I left it on 375 F for 15 minutes then I've turned the heat on medium for about 1 hour and on medium low for the remaining time. I checked every 20-30 minutes, mainly because I was anxious to taste all that goodness!
• Have this with or without gravy, it tastes as great either way!

Tried this recipe?Mention @easy_peasy_creative_ideas or tag #easy_peasy_creative_ideas!

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