These Crispy Cornish Game Hens are genius because they are small, cook easily and quickly, and still have that element of “fancy.” They make a perfect holiday meal but also an everyday weeknight dinner. Stuff them with Sausage and glaze them with Cranberries, and you’ve got yourself something extra special to eat.
Crispy Cornish Game Hens bring out my inner fancy. I only have an “inner” fancy. “Outer” me is the sort who doesn’t own a pair of heels, or any jewelry at all, or even anything that could be considered fancy, even in the dark with only one eye open. Nothing fancy happening here.
That is, until I whip out the Crispy Cornish Game Hens. Suddenly I am imagining myself in heels hosting dinner parties by candlelight. Maybe five course dinners. Maybe desserts that require a torch, or at least imported chocolate. Maybe I should find the fancy stemware I put in a box in the garage somewhere.
This is what Cornish Game Hens do to me.
Reality Check: I cook up a few game hens, and they are every bit as fancy, with their cranberry glaze and sausage bread stuffing, as I imagine them to be. They are also so easy to make that during the cooking process, I start to remember how not very fancy I am and I make the kids set the table. They channel their inner fancy and we do have candles, but no fancy stemware. Instead of all the guests, we just invite Grandma and Grandpa over. And we skip the five courses and just eat the game hens with their stuffing and some roasted Brussels sprouts and potatoes. I don’t make dessert, but a few hours later the kids talk me into making some chocolate pudding while we watch an episode of Dr. Who.
Decidedly not fancy, but I really wouldn’t have it any other way.
Now, let’s talk hens:
One Cornish Game Hen, about 1.25 pounds (which is a common size if you’re purchasing these at an ordinary grocery store – most likely in the freezer section) will feed 2 people, as long as you’re serving it with a side dish. So if you’re looking for something for a small Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, you can cook just one or two of these in less than an hour.
Alternatively, if you are cooking for a holiday crowd, these are still a good option. Depending on your oven size, you can most likely cook up to 6 of these at a time and potentially have a main dish for up to 12 people in about an hour.
And if you’re just wanting dinner, on say a Wednesday, and spaghetti isn’t really hitting the mark, a Cornish Game Hen might be just the thing. It sounds fancy (it’s the Cornish part I think), and it even looks fancy (miniature roasted birds!), but trust me when I say they are no big deal to make. Even with the stuffing, which you could easily skip, these still were a cinch and were done in under an hour. Even on a Wednesday night.
I adapted this recipe from Dorie Greenspan. Her cookbook, Around My French Table, has to be one of my all time favorite cookbooks. They are French recipes, but Dorie Greenspan, the culinary genius, is American, which means they are delicious, elegant recipes just like you’d expect from the French, but approachable and easy, just like an American, even a not very fancy American like me, can handle. And like a not so fancy American, I was totally on board with Dorie’s sausage stuffing, but I definitely skipped the parts involving liver and white wine and traded them in for a cranberry glaze, lightly spiced with chipotle peppers. I love Dorie, but you won’t find any liver in my kitchen. Just sayin.
Crispy Cornish Game Hens with Cranberry Glaze and Sausage Bread Stuffing
Ingredients
For the Glaze
Instructions
Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American readers. And to all of my blog readers, this holiday season, I am so grateful for you. Thank you for coming here, for subscribing, and commenting, and supporting me in my efforts to share my recipes and support my family as a single mother. I am so blessed. Thank you!
Sabrina says
Looks like you had a yummy Thanksgiving!
Lyndsey says
This is a beautiful meal. I agree, it makes me want to be fancy too!