Lemon-Rosemary Roasted Cornish Hens

SERVES: 4

COOK TIME: 1 Hr

Everyone wants to feel a little special during the holiday season. An easy--and tasty--way to do that is to shake up Christmas dinner with our Lemon-Rosemary Roasted Cornish Hens! Once you roast up these tender hens, you can serve everyone their own perfectly-sized main dish! It'll be the juiciest and most flavorful Christmas dinner the family has ever had.

What You'll Need

1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (1-pound) Cornish game hens, thawed, if frozen
Salt for sprinkling
Black pepper for sprinkling
1 lemon, quartered
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
8 cloves garlic, slivered

What to Do

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place a wire rack in a large roasting pan; set aside.
In a small bowl combine wine, chicken broth, and Dijon mustard; mix well. Set aside.
Drizzle olive oil evenly over hens and rub to coat completely. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Place 1 lemon wedge and 1 rosemary sprig in the cavity of each hen. Place hens on the rack in roasting pan and spread garlic around hens.
Pour half the wine mixture over the hens and roast 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, pour remaining wine mixture over the hens and roast an additional 30 to 35 additional minutes or until no pink remains and juices run clear.
Arrange hens on a platter and serve with pan drippings and sliced lemon and rosemary.

Test Kitchen Tip

For more holiday-perfect Cornish hen recipes, take a look at our Cornish Hens in Chianti Sauce or our Cornish Hens with Apricot Stuffing! Either recipe is sure to knock the socks off your dinner guests!
Some of our favorite sides to complete this meal are these Cheesy Herbed Mashed Potatoes and this absolutely scrumptious Bacon & Cheddar Green Bean Casserole.
We absolutely love this recipe! Tell us what you think the comments below!