Cajun Cornish Hen
This Cajun Cornish Hen recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal or holiday dinner. Covered in a spicy Cajun herb butter and roasted with red potatoes and onions until golden brown, this Cajun spatchcock Cornish hen is seriously the holiday dinner of your dreams.
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Why This Recipe is So Good
- This Cajun spatchcock cornish hen in the oven is simple to prep with minimal effort and is always a crowd pleaser. Spatchcocking is an extra step that involves removing the backbone so the bird lays flat in the pan. This can be done using a pair of kitchen shears. Doing this keeps the breasts extra juicy, so the Cornish hen cooks faster and more evenly.
- Speaking of the holidays… a Cornish hen dinner is THE perfect main course for Thanksgiving or to serve throughout the holidays. My grandmother used to serve one for each person at her holiday meal, and it’s the perfect amount of food for 1 – 2 people. Additionally, they are super easy to prep, and you don’t have to worry about dry meat because Cornish hens cook pretty quickly and are known for being super succulent and juicy.
- Better than turkey holiday menu. If you are hosting a small crowd for the holidays then serving a spicy Cajun Cornish hen is the way to go. Roast a couple of them with potatoes and onions then serve with Green Beans with Mushrooms, Southern Turnip Greens with Turkey Bacon, Naturally Sweetened Cranberry Sauce and 3 Cheese Smoked Mac and Cheese in an Electric Smoker.
Recipe Ingredients
Cornish hens – This recipe makes 1 cornish hen, but you can easily double or triple it if you are serving a larger crowd. If frozen, make sure to thaw the cornish hen in the fridge for 24 – 48 hours or in a bowl of cold water.
Compound butter – The cornish hen is rubbed with a homemade Cajun herb butter. Softened butter is mixed with Cajun seasoning and cayenne pepper for an extra kick of spice, dried thyme and kosher salt. You can use Creole seasoning instead or omit the cayenne pepper.
Vegetables – Chopped red potatoes and red onions. Keeps the Cornish hen moist as it cooks and soaks up those delicious juices.
How to Cook a Cajun Spatchcock Cornish Hen
All ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Prep the vegetables
Rinse and chop potatoes and onions. Add to the bottom of a 2-qt baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Stir to coat, then set aside.
How to spatchcock a Cornish hen
Start but placing the fresh or thawed Cornish hen breast side down onto a cutting board or sheet pan. Use a sharp pair of kitchen shears to cut out the backbone. (Save the backbone in a freezer-safe container to make homemade instant pot chicken broth).
Flip the Cornish hen over so it’s breast-side up. Use your hands to press on the breast bone until it cracks and lays flat. Rinse the hen off, removing any debris, then pat it dry completely with paper towels. Use your fingers to loosen the skin all around the bird, then set it aside.
Make cajun butter
In a small bowl, mix together softened butter, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, and kosher salt. Using gloved hands, rub the Cajun butter all over the cornish hen, including under the skin.
Bake
Place buttered cornish hen on top of the potatoes and onions in the baking dish, cover with a large piece of aluminum foil then bake covered 30 minutes. Remove the foil then bake for an additional 30 minutes. Increase the heat to brown the skin. Remove the cornish hen from the oven, the allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes to redistribute the juices throughout the meat.
Frequently Asked Questions —
Cornish hens are pretty much baby chickens. Weighing anywhere from 1 ¼ pounds to 2 lbs, these little birds are juicy and tender with flavorful meat. Despite the name, Cornish game hens aren’t game birds; they taste just like regular chicken, just more tender. But regardless, Cornish hens make the best dinner when you don’t want a whole lot of leftover meat.
Cornish hens are usually under 2 lbs and take about 1 hour to roast in the oven. I typically roast them covered then increase the heat to roast them for an additional 10 minutes to crisp up the skin.
1 (1 ½ – 2lb) Cornish hen can easily feed 1 – 2 people. I don’t typically eat a lot of meat at one time, so one Cornish hen (with a side of potatoes) can last me three meals.
Looking For More Recipes?
- Herb Butter Spatchcock Cornish Hen
- Cajun Smothered Turkey Wings
- Oven Baked Cajun Chicken Wings
- Smothered Turkey Necks with Cajun Seasoning
- Spatchcock Lemon Herb Butter Chicken with Fingerling Potatoes
- Spatchcock Chicken with Squash
- Oven-Roasted Whole Duck Recipe
- Spicy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese with Yogurt
- Sage Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
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Cajun Cornish Hen
Equipment
- 8.5×8.5-inch Baking dish (2qt)
- Small mixing bowl
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1 cornish hen about 1.65 – 2lb
Potatoes and onions
- a drizzle of olive oil
- 1 lb red potatoes rinsed and quartered
- ½ red onion sliced
Cajun compound butter
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted, room temperature, softened
- 2 ½ teaspoons Cajun seasoning no salt
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper depending on your spice tolerance
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Note: If your cornish hen is frozen, make sure to thaw it in the fridge for 24 – 48 hours or in a bowl of cold water until thawed.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prep the vegetables
- Rinse and chop potatoes and onions. Add to the bottom of a 2-qt 8.5×8.5-inch baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Stir to coat, then set aside.
How to spatchcock a Cornish hen
- Start by placing the fresh or thawed Cornish hen breast side down onto a cutting board or sheet pan. Use a sharp pair of kitchen shears to cut out the backbone. (Save back bone in a freezer-safe container to make homemade chicken broth).
- Flip the Cornish hen over so it’s breast-side up. Use your hands to press on the breast bone until it cracks and the whole bird lays flat. Rinse the hen off, removing any debris, then pat it dry completely using paper towels. Use your fingers to loosen the skin all around the bird, then set it aside.
Make cajun butter
- In a small bowl, mix together softened butter, cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, and kosher salt. Using gloved hands, rub the Cajun butter all over the cornish hen, including under the skin.
Bake
- Place the cajun buttered Cornish hen on top of the potatoes and onions in the baking dish, cover with a large piece of aluminum foil then bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, then bake for an additional 30 minutes. Increase the heat to 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes to brown and crisp up the skin.
- Remove the cornish hen from the oven, the allow it to rest for at least 10 – 15 minutes to redistribute the juices throughout the meat.
Notes
How To Store/ Make Ahead
Reheat covered in the oven so the cornish hen remains juicy. To freeze: wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then store in a freezer-safe bag to freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen, covered so the meat doesn’t dry out in the oven.Tips and Tricks
- Remove the cornish hen from the refrigerator at least 30 – 45 minutes before baking to ensure even cooking. And it will be easier to spread the butter on the cornish hen if it isn’t super cold straight from the fridge.
- Wear plastic gloves if you don’t like touching raw meat. Plastic gloves are especially helpful when spreading the butter on the chicken.
- Butter – Use room-temperature, softened butter. It will make it easier to spread on the cornish hen if the butter isn’t too cold.
- Cajun seasoning – Try to find a salt-free blend or reduce the amount of salt used to ¼ teaspoon so it isn’t too salty.
- Spice – If you are sensitive to spice, omit the cayenne pepper and try to find a low spice or spice-free Cajun seasoning.
