How To Cook Cornish Game Hens Asian Style
Learn how to cook Cornish game hens Asian Style with this inspired recipe.
In This Article
The Story Behind The Recipe
Sometimes recipes don't turn out quite like I hoped. Often times they turn out better than anticipated.
I had a Asian Cornish Hen recipe I had used for years - torn off the package of a Cornish Hen I once bought.
It was lost - and I really wanted an Asian Cornish Hen so I turned to Food & Wine Magazine.
I found a recipe that was similar to the one I had called Soy-Ginger-Lacquered Cornish Hens and decided to try it.
With no way to go to the grocery store and being out of or short on ingredients, I improvised like I often do and came up with this delicious Asian Inspired Cornish Hen Recipe.
What Makes These Cornish Game Hens Asian Inspired?
The original recipe began with a flavor I remembered from a recipe that had been attached to a package of Cornish hen. After I lost that recipe, I looked for something similar and came across a soy-ginger version from Food & Wine. I didn't have everything it called for, and a trip to the grocery store wasn't an option, so I worked with what I had and created my own Asian-inspired version. That is the sort of kitchen improvisation homesteaders often rely on: understanding the kind of flavor you want, then making the ingredients on hand work together.
Cornish game hens are smaller than ordinary roasting chickens, so they make attractive individual or shared servings when you want something different for dinner. Their size also means they can cook differently from a full-sized bird. The recipe card below contains the actual ingredients and method I used; follow those proportions rather than assuming that a sauce intended for a large chicken will work the same way on smaller birds.
Preparing the Hens for Even Cooking
Before starting, check that the hens are fully thawed if they were frozen and prepare the pan called for in the recipe. Patting the surface dry can help the seasoning or glaze cling to the skin. Keep the hens spaced so heat can circulate rather than packing them tightly into a small roasting dish. If your hens vary in size, the smaller ones may finish first, and that is a good reason to check each bird individually.
Asian-inspired glazes often combine savory, sweet and aromatic ingredients. Those elements can taste wonderful together, but sugary glazes may darken quickly if exposed to too much direct heat. Use the cooking method in the card, and check for doneness with a thermometer at the thickest appropriate part of the bird. Poultry should reach 165°F. A beautifully browned surface is appealing, but it isn't a substitute for checking the meat itself.
Serving Cornish Hens with Simple Side Dishes
One of the nice things about serving Cornish hens is that the main dish feels special even when the sides are familiar. Steamed rice, roasted potatoes, green beans or another vegetable make practical companions. A side with a fairly simple flavor lets the seasoning on the hens stand out. If you want to make the meal more of an occasion, serve the birds on a platter and add a bowl of vegetables or rice separately so everyone can choose their own portions.
If you're interested in other ways to cook this kind of poultry, take a look at Easy Sous Vide Cornish Hen Recipe. Both recipes start with a small bird but use different techniques, which makes them useful examples of how the same ingredient can fit into different meals.
Questions About Cooking Cornish Game Hens
How is a Cornish hen different from a whole chicken?
It's a smaller, young chicken typically sold for roasting. Its modest size makes it convenient for individual servings, but you still need to cook it thoroughly and adjust for the size of the bird.
Can I prepare the flavoring ahead of time?
Many seasoning mixtures can be measured or mixed in advance, depending on their ingredients. Keep any mixture that touches raw poultry separate from sauce intended for serving, and follow the storage and preparation directions for the specific recipe.
What if my hens are different sizes?
Check each bird separately rather than assuming they will all finish together. Let the recipe and a food thermometer guide you instead of relying only on the clock.
The Tasty Recipe Card below contains the actual Asian-inspired Cornish hen recipe and its ingredient measurements.
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How To Cook Cornish Game Hens Asian Style
- Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup honey strawberry white wine
- 1 ½ cups soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons minced ginger
- 1 Tablespoon garlic scapes in salt
- ½ Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 Cornish Hens
Instructions
- Rinse the thawed Cornish Hens under cold water and pat dry.
- Place the Cornish Hens, breast down, in bowl that you can cover with a lid or Saran Wrap. You can also use a marination bowl like I did if you have one or even a sealable plastic bag.
- Pour the liquid ingredients over the top of the Cornish Hens and place the ginger and the garlic scapes in the liquid. I spread some of the plain salt over the Cornish Hens making sure to remove any garlic scape pieces and placed those in the liquid.
- Seal and put in the refrigerator overnight.
- The next day remove the Cornish Hens 30 minutes before you intend to cook them so they come to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Roll the Cornish Hens in the liquid to remove the excess salt from them, then place them in a baking pan with sides.
- Pour the liquid into a stainless steel pan and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Place the baking pan with the Cornish Hens in it on the center rack of your oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the baking pan from the oven and baste the Cornish Hens with the sauce in the pan well.
- Reduce the heat of the oven to 375 degrees.
- Place the basted Cornish Hens back into the oven and bake for 50 minutes making sure to baste them every 15 minutes.
- Remove the Cornish Hens from the oven and let rest, covered with an aluminum foil tent for 10 minutes. The internal temperature of the Cornish Hens should be 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Serve immediately. You can place small dishes of the leftover sauce you cooked down and marinated the Cornish Hens with.
- I served mine with Salt Roasted Carrots and Potatoes.
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
