These stuffed Cornish hens are filled with cranberries and apples, then roasted over a bed of red potatoes for a simple, elegant meal.
I remember my mom making Cornish hens when I was a kid and me panicking because I thought it was a baby chicken. She assured me it wasn’t, but after looking up their typical lifespan—slaughtered young—I admit it sounded pretty baby-like. Childhood food explanations can be surprisingly flexible.
Last Saturday night my friend Brandy brought Thai takeout, and we stayed up watching Pitch Perfect, Save the Last Dance and Love & Basketball while sipping red wine until 2 a.m. When Ulysses came home from his shift at 1 a.m., he found us on the couch, slightly tipsy and belting Maxwell’s “This Woman’s Work” as we nostalgically celebrated early-2000s pop culture. Welcome to the life of childless thirty-somethings.
The next day I woke with a lingering headache and half a bottle of opened wine. The tried-and-true hangover cure of “drink more” felt age-appropriate in a different guise: I roasted cranberry-apple stuffed Cornish hens with red potatoes and enjoyed a glass of wine while the oven did the work.
This cranberry-apple stuffing—apple, cranberries and rosemary—feels right for fall or the winter holidays. The hens roast alongside small red potatoes in a single skillet, so in about an hour you have a minimal-fuss Sunday supper or a cozy, low-key holiday main.
Whether you call them baby chickens or not, these stuffed Cornish hens are delicious and elegant without being fussy. The bright tartness of cranberries, the sweetness of apple and the aromatic rosemary make this dish special, while the potatoes roast in the same pan and soak up the juices.
If you prefer an even easier method, try sheet-pan Cornish game hens roasted with fennel, potatoes and citrus for a one-pan meal. Another quick option is cooking Cornish hens in the air fryer for crisp skin in less time than the oven; save the drippings to make a simple pan sauce or gravy to elevate the hens further.
Pour a glass of wine, queue up Love & Basketball if you like Maxwell’s soundtrack, and enjoy a comforting, slightly nostalgic dinner.
If you love roasted chicken, try an apple-butter roasted chicken next time — the flavors translate beautifully to Cornish hens too.
Cranberry Apple Stuffed Cornish Hens
Ingredients
- 2 Cornish hens, about 1 1/2 pounds each
- 1 small apple, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup cranberries, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Rinse the Cornish hens and pat them dry. Season generously with kosher salt and pepper inside and out.
- In a small bowl, combine the chopped apple, cranberries, rosemary, garlic and 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Spoon the mixture into the cavities of the hens.
- Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and place the hens in a 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet or similarly sized baking dish.
- Scatter the potatoes around the hens in the skillet.
- Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the hens and potatoes.
- Cut the butter into small pieces and dot them over the chickens and potatoes.
- Roast in the oven for about 1 hour, until the skin is golden and crisp, the potatoes begin to shrivel, and the internal temperature reaches about 180°F in the thickest part of the bird.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes before carving. Serve with the pan juices collected at the bottom of the skillet.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Additional Info