Honey-Roasted Cornish Game Hens for Two
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 18, 2020
Time
1½ hours
Yield
Serves 2
Ingredients
Salt and pepper ½ teaspoon paprika 2 (1¼- to 1½-pound) whole Cornish game hens, giblets discarded, brined if desired5 tablespoons honey 5 teaspoons cider vinegar 2 teaspoons plus ½ cup water 1 teaspoon cornstarch ½ cup chicken broth ½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled
Before You Begin
If using kosher hens, do not brine. If brining the hens, omit the salt in step 1.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Combine ¾ teaspoon salt, paprika, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl.
- Pat hens dry with paper towels. Sprinkle all over with salt mixture and rub in mixture with your hands to coat evenly. Tuck wingtips behind backs and lay hens breast side down on prepared rack. Roast hens until backs are golden brown, about 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring ¼ cup honey and 1 tablespoon vinegar to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk 2 teaspoons water and ½ teaspoon cornstarch together in small bowl, then whisk into saucepan. Continue to simmer glaze until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
- Remove hens from oven and brush backs with one-third of glaze. Flip hens breast side up and brush with half of remaining glaze. Continue to roast for 15 minutes.
- Remove hens from oven and increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Pour remaining ½ cup water and broth into baking sheet. Brush hens with remaining glaze and continue to roast until glaze is spotty brown and breasts register 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer hens to serving platter and let rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Pour liquid from sheet into now-empty saucepan and let settle for 5 minutes. Using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of liquid. Stir in thyme and remaining 1 tablespoon honey, bring to simmer, and cook until sauce is reduced to ½ cup, 2 to 6 minutes.
- Whisk remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar and remaining ½ teaspoon cornstarch together in bowl, then whisk into saucepan. Continue to simmer sauce until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in any accumulated juices; simmer for 30 seconds. Off heat, whisk in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hens with sauce.
Time
1½ hoursYield
Serves 2Ingredients
Salt and pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
2 (1¼- to 1½-pound) whole Cornish game hens, giblets discarded, brined if desired
5 tablespoons honey
5 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons plus ½ cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled
Ingredients
Salt and pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
2 (1¼- to 1½-pound) whole Cornish game hens, giblets discarded, brined if desired
5 tablespoons honey
5 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons plus ½ cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled
Ingredients
Salt and pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
2 (1¼- to 1½-pound) whole Cornish game hens, giblets discarded, brined if desired
5 tablespoons honey
5 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons plus ½ cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled
Why This Recipe Works
Cornish game hens work great for parties of two. Each diner gets a whole bird, making for a beautiful presentation and, ideally, offering all the benefits of a whole chicken (a combination of light and dark meat, crisp skin) without all the leftovers. Plus, they're inexpensive and quick-cooking. But these small birds also suffer from many of the same pitfalls as whole chickens: The white and dark meat cook at different rates, and it can be a challenge to crisp the skin before the meat dries out. We roasted our birds on a wire rack set in a baking sheet to allow the heat to circulate around them. Turning the birds once partway through cooking helped the meat cook more evenly. We also significantly increased the oven temperature toward the end of roasting to give the skin rich color without drying out the meat. A glaze of honey and cider vinegar gave the birds great flavor and glossy exteriors.
Before You Begin
If using kosher hens, do not brine. If brining the hens, omit the salt in step 1.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Combine ¾ teaspoon salt, paprika, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl.
- Pat hens dry with paper towels. Sprinkle all over with salt mixture and rub in mixture with your hands to coat evenly. Tuck wingtips behind backs and lay hens breast side down on prepared rack. Roast hens until backs are golden brown, about 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring ¼ cup honey and 1 tablespoon vinegar to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk 2 teaspoons water and ½ teaspoon cornstarch together in small bowl, then whisk into saucepan. Continue to simmer glaze until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
- Remove hens from oven and brush backs with one-third of glaze. Flip hens breast side up and brush with half of remaining glaze. Continue to roast for 15 minutes.
- Remove hens from oven and increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Pour remaining ½ cup water and broth into baking sheet. Brush hens with remaining glaze and continue to roast until glaze is spotty brown and breasts register 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer hens to serving platter and let rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Pour liquid from sheet into now-empty saucepan and let settle for 5 minutes. Using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of liquid. Stir in thyme and remaining 1 tablespoon honey, bring to simmer, and cook until sauce is reduced to ½ cup, 2 to 6 minutes.
- Whisk remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar and remaining ½ teaspoon cornstarch together in bowl, then whisk into saucepan. Continue to simmer sauce until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in any accumulated juices; simmer for 30 seconds. Off heat, whisk in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hens with sauce.
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