Cornish Game Hen Recipe with Apricot Glaze (2024)

by Erin

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This is the best Cornish Game Hen recipe. Apricot glazed cornish hens are the perfect main dish for your holiday dinner table.

Cornish Game Hen Recipe with Apricot Glaze (1)

Now that it’s November – It’s time to start thinking about Thanksgiving! I already have visions of stuffing, pumpkin pie and brussels sprouts running through my head. The one thing that I’ve not yet decided on for this year’s feast is the main dish.

It may just be the two of us this year, spending a cozy weekend at our beach house. And, with just the two of us, I’m thinking there’s not really a need for a big Thanksgiving turkey. Sure, I’ve found good ways to use the leftovers – adding some to this Creamy Lemon Dill Soup, or in this Turkey Tetrazzini Casserole, and of course, using up those bones to make some Bone Broth in the slow cooker. But, I’m thinking of just going smaller scale this year.

Last year I made a small scale Thanksgiving dinner by using a turkey breast instead of the whole bird. So, this year I wanted to do something a little different.

That’s where these Apricot Glazed Cornish Game Hens came into the picture. I wanted to prepare a main dish that felt as festive as a full on turkey, but I didn’t want to be cooking all day, and using our one and only oven for the bird, when I also need it for all those amazing side dishes! These cornish game hens only take about an hour in the oven versus the three hours that a large turkey normally takes… And just look at how beautiful they are!

That beautiful glaze on these cornish game hens is not only photogenic, it’s also super yummy and so flavorful! I combined some butter-sauteed shallots with soy sauce, dijon mustard and apricot preserves. The soy sauce added that great color and gave it a nice umami, saltiness, but I really wanted the star of the glaze to be the apricot flavor. So, I used a full jar of apricot preserves!

I made sure to baste the birds every 15 minutes or so, to be sure that that glaze really cooked down and flavored the cornish game hens. Other than that, it’s simple. I didn’t truss the birds, but I did keep a close eye on them each time I basted to be sure that they weren’t turning too brown. If this starts happening, place a bit of tin foil over the birds to protect them.

You can either serve these apricot glazed cornish hens whole to your guests, or cut them in half lengthwise and serve them cut side down to your guests. I think that with Thanksgiving, there are so many other side dishes to fill up on that a half bird is just about right.

Have you ever forgone the traditional Thanksgiving day turkey for some other main dish? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

What to Serve with Cornish Game Hens:

  • Prosciutto Wrapped Radicchio with Balsamic Fig Reduction
  • Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream
  • Glazed Carrots
  • Arugula Salad
  • Mashed Cauliflower
  • Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze

Wine Pairings for Cornish Game Hens:

  • Pinot Noir is a red wine that’s light bodied enough to pair with these cornish game hens.
  • Riesling and Gewurztraminer are nice white options that compliment apricot glaze on the cornish game hens.
  • Sparkling Wine is a great option because it compliments both the game hens and side dishes you might choose to pair with them. Plus, it feels extra extravagant for a special occasion. (Here are some budget-friendly sparkling wines.)

If you loved this Cornish Game Hen recipe I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me onInstagramusing the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

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Cornish Game Hen Recipe

Cornish Game Hen Recipe with Apricot Glaze (3)

Cornish Game Hen Recipe with Apricot Glaze

This is the best Cornish Game Hen recipe. Apricot glazed cornish hens are the perfect main dish for your holiday dinner table.

4.96 from 25 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Created by Platings and Pairings

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

  • In a small saucepan, melt the butter and saute the shallots over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the apricot preserves, Dijon mustard, and soy sauce and simmer until thick, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

  • Season the game hens liberally with salt and pepper. Using a basting brush, paint each bird entirely with the glaze.

  • Place the glazed birds in a roasting pan, breast side up. Roast for 20 minutes, uncovered, and then reglaze the birds. Repeat this process twice more, every 15 minutes, at 35 and 50 minutes. If the hens are turning too brown, lightly tent the roasting pan with foil to protect them. After 60 minutes, check with an instant-read thermometer; the thighs must register at 165 degrees F, the breasts at 170. Let rest for 10 minutes and serve.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cornish game hen | Calories: 949kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 79g | Fat: 66g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 462mg | Sodium: 1286mg | Potassium: 1135mg | Vitamin A: 575IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 4.2mg

Cornish Game Hen Recipe with Apricot Glaze (2024)

FAQs

What is apricot glaze made of? ›

In a saucepan, mix sieved apricot jam, sugar, and cognac. Cook over moderate heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened and sticky.

Should I cover my Cornish hens when baking? ›

Roast, uncovered, basting frequently with butter for 1 hour (if hen weighs over 1lb 2oz, roast 1 hour and 15 minutes) or until internal temperature on instant read thermometer reaches 180°F when inserted into inner thigh.

What temperature should Cornish hens be cooked to? ›

An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes before slicing.

Should Cornish hens be at room temperature before cooking? ›

At this stage you should have already defrosted the Cornish hens or purchased fresh ones, frozen will not work here. Allow your hens to sit out of the fridge at least an hour before cooking to come to room temp then preheat the oven to 350°.

What are the 3 basic ingredients in glaze? ›

A BASE GLAZE is a mixture of these three basic groups: SILICA, FLUX AND ALUMINA.

What are the 4 main ingredients in glaze? ›

Glaze: there are more than 3 basic components in glaze, these are: silica, alumina, flux, colourants and modifiers. The common ingredients in glaze colours are, “ copper oxide", “copper carbonate", “cobalt oxide" and “ iron oxide.”

How do you keep Cornish hens from drying out? ›

Place in oven and roast for 45 minutes or until meat tested with a digital meat thermometer registers 180 F. Tips: To prevent loss of moisture, let chicken rest for 5 to 8 minutes before carving. To maintain a crispy, crunchy skin, do not tent bird with foil after removal from oven.

How do you get the gamey taste out of Cornish hens? ›

The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution. 2. Vinegar solution - 1 cup per quart of cold water. Use enough solution to cover the game completely.

How do you tell if a Cornish hen is done without a thermometer? ›

Stick a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh. If the juices run clear, it's done. If the juices are a little pink, cook it a little longer and try again.

Is a Cornish hen 165 or 180? ›

The hens are done when they reach 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and thigh. Serve the chickens by placing one on each plate with sides.

Do you have to remove anything from a Cornish hen before cooking? ›

Some Cornish game hens come with giblets and some do not. If yours does, you need to remove them from the cavity before cooking. After we rub them down with oil, I place the Cornish hens in a 9x13 baking dish, I combine the seasonings in a small bowl, and I season both sides.

Is a Cornish hen a baby chicken? ›

The current official definition of a Cornish hen is as follows: A “Rock Cornish game hen” or “Cornish game hen” is a young, immature chicken (less than 5 weeks of age), of either sex, with a ready-to-cook carcass weight of not more than 2 pounds.

What is the main ingredient in glaze? ›

Glazes need a balance of the 3 main ingredients: Silica, Alumina and Flux. Too much flux causes a glaze to run, and tends to create variable texture on the surface. The texture may vary from shiny, where the glass is balanced, to matte where the excessive flux oxides may form visible, possibly lumpy, crystals.

What is the most common ingredient in glaze? ›

Silica (or industrial sand) is the key ingredient in glass, raw clay, and ceramic glazes. Silica can be obtained naturally from quartz, sandstone, sand, or flint, or it can be manufactured as silica oxide. When making your own glazes, products like quartz, flint, and pure silica can be added as the glass-former.

What is a glaze and how is it made? ›

A glaze is made up of three parts. A flux/melter that lowers the melting point, a refractory/stabilizer that bonds the glaze to the clay, and a glass former like silica. This creates the base and then a stain is added to give the glaze its color. It's a bit like mixing paint and a bit more like a chemistry experiment.

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