Herb Butter Spatchcock Cornish Hen
This Herb Butter Spatchcock Cornish Hen is better than Thanksgiving turkey. A cornish hen is spatchcocked then rubbed with an herb compound butter then roasted in the oven with potatoes and brussels sprouts. With crispy skin, juicy and succulent meat and tender veggies, this is an impressive holiday dinner served with My Grandpa’s Southern Cornbread Dressing or Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler with Fresh or Frozen Peaches.
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Why This Recipe is So Good
- What are cornish hens? These are small chickens, weighing 1 ½ to 2 lbs each. They are succulent and juicy, very tender with flavorful meat. Cornish hens aren’t game hens and can be either male or female.
- One of the best things about cornish hens is that they are so juicy and flavorful. The meat is incredibly tender and tastes delicious no matter how you season it. Spatchcocking is an extra step that involves removing the backbone so that the bird lies flat in the pan. This keeps the breasts extra juicy so the cornish hen cook faster and more evenly.
- Better than turkey Thanksgiving dinner menu idea. If you are hosting a small gathering, making a few herb-roasted Cornish hens is more convenient(and tastier!) than preparing a whole turkey. Everyone gets what they want, and there are minimal leftovers to deal with after the holidays. Serve this roasted spatchcock cornish hen with all your favorite holiday sides like – Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes, Southern Deviled Eggs, Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread, Naturally Sweetened Orange Cranberry Sauce, and Southern Turnip Greens with Turkey Bacon.
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 garlic herb butter. Softened butter is mixed with with minced garlic, lemon zest and juice, fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme and onion and garlic power.
Vegetables – Chopped fingerling potatoes and Brussels sprouts. You could also add baby carrots and pearl onions.
How to Make A Herb Butter Spatchcock Cornish Hen
All ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Prep vegetables
Rinse and chop potatoes, then place them into a 2-quart baking dish. For the Brussels sprouts, cut off the bottoms and remove any bad-looking leaves. Add them to the potatoes then 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 later).
Flip the cornish hen over so it’s breast side up. Use the hands to press on the breast until it cracks and lays flat. Rinse the hen off, removing any debris, then pat it dry completely. Use your fingers to loosen the skin all around the bird, then set it aside.
Make herb compound butter
In a small bowl, mix together softened butter, fresh chopped herbs and spices. Using gloved hands, rub the herb butter all over the cornish hen, including under the skin.
Bake
Place the buttered Cornish hen on top of the vegetables in the baking dish. Cover with a piece of aluminum foil then bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove the cover then continue baking for another 30 minutes. Increase the heat to brown the skin. Remove the baked spatchcock cornish hen from the oven then allow it to rest for at least 10 – 15 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
Looking For More Recipes?
- Spatchcock Lemon Herb Butter Chicken with Fingerling Potatoes
- Spatchcock Chicken with Squash
- Cajun Cornish Hen
- Sage Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
- Oven-Roasted Whole Duck Recipe
- Spicy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese with Yogurt
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Herb Butter Spatchcock Cornish Hen
Equipment
- 8.5×8.5-inch Baking dish (2qt)
- Garlic press or microplane
- Small mixing bowl
Ingredients
Vegetables
- ½ lb fingerling potatoes rinsed and cut in half
- ½ lb brussels sprouts
- drizzle of olive oil
- Sprinkle of salt
Cornish hen
- 1 cornish hen about 1.65lbs
Compound butter
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted, softened to room temperature
- 1 – 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh herbs I used rosemary and thyme
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
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 vegetables
- Rinse and chop potatoes, then place them into a 2-qt baking dish(8.5×8.5-inch). For the Brussels sprouts, cut off the bottoms and remove any bad-looking leaves. Rinse then add them to the potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, then stir to coat.½ lb fingerling potatoes, ½ lb brussels sprouts, drizzle of olive oil, Sprinkle of salt
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 chicken broth.)1 cornish hen about 1.65lbs
- Flip the Cornish hen over so it’s breast-side up. Use your hands to press on the breast until it cracks and is flat. Rinse the hens off, removing any debris or bones, then pat dry with paper towels. Use your fingers to loosen the skin all around the bird, then set aside.
Make herb compound butter
- In a small bowl, mix together softened butter, minced garlic, fresh chopped herbs, lemon zest and juice, kosher salt, black pepper, onion and garlic powder. Using gloved hands, rub the herb butter all over the cornish hen, including under the skin.4 tablespoons butter, 1 – 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon fresh herbs, ½ teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder
Bake
- Place the buttered Cornish hen on top of the vegetables in the baking dish. Cover with a piece of aluminum foil, then bake covered in a 400°F oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, then continue baking for another 30 minutes. Increase the heat to 425 degrees Fahrenheit to cook for an additional 10 minutes to brown and crisp up the skin.
- Remove the baked spatchcock cornish hen from the oven, then allow it to rest for at least 10 – 15 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. Serve herb-roasted Cornish hen with potatoes and Brussels sprouts. Enjoy!
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 – Make sure to use room temperature softened butter. It will make it easier to spread on the chicken.
- Lemon – This is an important ingredient. Just a little bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice is added to the herb butter, and it really makes all the difference. It brightens the flavor and adds a lot of flavor to the meat. Simply using lemon zest won’t give you the best flavor; don’t skip the lemon juice!
