Martha Stewart Cornish Hens With Lemon And Herbs Recipe

If you have never roasted a Cornish hen, do not let them intimidate you. They are just tiny chickens. Martha Stewart’s Cornish Hens with Lemon and Herbs stuffs each cavity with thyme and half a lemon, tucks more thyme and fresh parsley under the skin, squeezes lemon juice over the top, rubs everything with butter, and roasts at 450 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crackling.

I make these every spring when I want something on the table that looks like I spent all afternoon cooking but actually took me 10 minutes to prep. This Martha Stewart roast chicken recipe is one of her best chicken recipes for entertaining because each person gets their own half hen, which feels special in a way that slicing a regular chicken never does. Six ingredients, one roasting pan, and one of those Martha Stewart chicken dishes that makes your kitchen smell incredible.

Try More Dinner Recipes:

• Roast Chicken
• Spatchcock Chicken
• Roast Chicken

Why You Will Love These Cornish Hens:

• Everyone gets their own bird: You cut each hen in half and every person at the table gets a golden, crispy half with a leg and a breast. It looks like you are serving something from a fancy restaurant. Trust me, people notice.
• Herbs go under the skin: Martha loosens the breast skin and tucks thyme and parsley underneath. When the hens roast, the herbs perfume the meat from the inside. You can actually taste them in every bite, not just on the surface. I was not sure this step would make a difference the first time, but it absolutely does.
• Six ingredients and 10 minutes of prep: Hens, thyme, lemons, parsley, butter, salt and pepper. That is the whole list. You stuff them, rub them with butter, put them in the oven, and walk away for 45 minutes. If you can roast a chicken, you can do this.

Cornish Hens With Lemon And Herbs Ingredients

• 2 Cornish hens (about 1 3/4 pounds each), room temperature, rinsed well and patted dry
• 1 bunch fresh thyme (about 1/2 ounce), plus more for garnish
• 2 lemons, halved, plus wedges for serving
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

How To Make Martha Stewart Cornish Hens With Lemon And Herbs

1. Prep the hens: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the hens in a roasting pan, breast sides up. Place 2 thyme sprigs and 1 lemon half in the cavity of each hen.
2. Add herbs under the skin: Loosen the skin from the breast and place the remaining thyme and the parsley leaves underneath.
3. Season and butter: Squeeze the remaining lemon halves over the hens. Rub butter all over both hens. Season generously with salt and pepper.
4. Roast: Roast, rotating the pan halfway through, until the skin turns golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees, 45 to 50 minutes.
5. Rest and serve: Let stand 10 minutes. Cut the hens in half lengthwise. Garnish with thyme sprigs and serve with lemon wedges.

Recipe Tips

• Bring them to room temperature first: Martha says to start with the hens at room temperature. Take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start. Cold hens cook unevenly because the outside dries out before the inside catches up. I always forget this step and then remember halfway through prep, so I set a timer now.
• Be gentle loosening the skin: You need to slide your fingers between the skin and the breast to make a pocket for the herbs. Go slow and try not to tear the skin. If it rips a little, do not worry, the herbs and butter will still do their job. It feels weird the first time but you get used to it.
• Rotate the pan halfway through: Most ovens have hot spots. Rotating the pan at the 20 to 25 minute mark ensures both hens brown evenly. I set a timer so I do not forget.
• Let them rest before cutting: The 10-minute rest is important. If you cut the hens in half right out of the oven, all the juices run out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat. I know it is hard to wait when they smell that good, but you will taste the difference.

What Goes Well With These Cornish Hens

These hens feel fancy so I match the sides. A dish of scalloped potatoes and a plate of glazed carrots turn this into a real dinner party spread. Everything can go in the oven around the same time.

If you are keeping it simple, steamed rice or a green salad is all you need. The hens are the star and they do not need much around them.

How To Store Leftovers

Pull the meat off the bones and store it in an airtight container with any pan juices poured over the top. The lemon and thyme flavor keeps getting better overnight. Keeps 3 to 4 days. Save the carcasses for stock if you want.

I eat leftover Cornish hen cold on a salad or in a sandwich with a little Dijon mustard. The meat is tender enough that reheating is optional. If you do reheat, a skillet over medium heat for a couple minutes works best.

FAQs

• What is a Cornish hen? A Cornish hen is a small, young chicken, usually about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds. It tastes like chicken because it is chicken. The difference is size and tenderness. Do not overthink it. If you can roast a regular chicken, you can roast these.
• Can I cook one hen per person? Martha says you can. If you want more generous portions, use 4 hens instead of 2, double the other ingredients, and use two roasting pans. I have done this for a dinner party of 8 and it works perfectly.
• Why does the recipe say 180 degrees? This is an older recipe and 180 degrees was the standard at the time. Modern guidelines say 165 degrees is safe for poultry. I pull mine when the thigh hits 165 and let carryover cooking bring it up during the 10-minute rest. The meat is juicier that way.
• Can I use a regular chicken instead? You can use the same herb and lemon technique on a whole 3 to 4-pound chicken. Increase the roast time to about 1 to 1 1/2 hours and check the temperature in the thigh. The presentation will not be the same since you are carving instead of cutting in half, but the flavor will be.

More Dinner Recipes:

• Baked Chicken Thighs
• Chicken Piccata
• Chicken Pot Pie

Nutrition Facts

(1 serving, serves 4)

• Calories: 440
• Total Fat: 28g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Cholesterol: 190mg
• Sodium: 480mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 2g
• Protein: 42g