Cornish Hens with Apple Cranberry Stuffing - VeryVera

Cornish Hens with Apple Cranberry Stuffing

Originally Published on December 3, 2024

  • Prep Time: 45m
  • Cook Time: 1h 20m

Ingredients

Hens

  • 4 Cornish hens (approximately 1.5 lbs. each)
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Stuffing

  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1/4 c onion, chopped
  • 1/4 c celery, chopped
  • 1/3 c pecans, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
  • 2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 c cooked rice (Uncle Ben’s Long Grain and Wild Rice)
  • 1/2 c peeled, diced Cosmic Crisp apples
  • 1/2 c sweetened dried cranberries
  • 3 tbsp. parsley, chopped
  • splash apple cider, or spiced cider

Glaze

  • 1 c apple cider
  • 2 tbsp. maple syrup
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • pinch ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Ensure the giblets are removed from the hens.
  2. Rinse the hens and pat dry with a paper towel.
  3. Lightly season the cavities of the hens with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  4. Make the stuffing. Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the chopped onions and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the pecans, sage, thyme, salt and pepper and stir. Cook for about 3 more minutes, until pecans are fragrant.
  5. Deglaze the pan with a small splash of apple cider and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
  6. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked rice, apples, cranberries, and parsley. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Set aside.
  7. Make the Glaze. Combine the apple cider and maple syrup in a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a steady bubble. Simmer until mixture is reduced to about 1/3 to ½ cup, 15-20 minutes. Whisk in Dijon mustard and cinnamon until smooth. Set aside.
  8. Stuff and Roast the Hens. Preheat the oven to 425F with the rack in the lower third of the oven. Place a roasting rack inside of a foil-lined roasting pan or a rimmed baking sheet. Spray the roasting rack with cooking spray.
  9. Loosely spoon about 1/2 cup of stuffing into each hen cavity. Tie the legs closed with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the birds. Arrange the hens in the pan with enough space between them for air to circulate.
  10. Brush the tops and sides of each hen with melted butter and season with salt and pepper.
  11. Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375F. Continue roasting for an additional 40-50 minutes. During the last 30 minutes, lightly brush the hens with the glaze every 10 minutes. If the hens start to brown too quickly, you can shield them with a piece of foil.
  12. Ensure the hens have reached an internal temperature of 165F in the thickest part of the breast. Let hens rest for 10 minutes before serving.