Recipes Meat and Poultry Chicken Cornish Hen Recipes Roasted Orange-Tarragon Cornish Hens 4.7 (3) 1 Review 3 Photos Cornish hens make for a beautiful presentation and are a great alternative to turkey when you're only expecting a small gathering. You can typically find them in the frozen section of your grocery store. Plan on 1 per person for a generous serving, or split in half if you're planning on serving plenty of sides. Submitted by France C Updated on November 19, 2024 Save Rate Print Share Close Add Photo 3 3 Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr Additional Time: 1 hr Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins Servings: 2 Yield: 2 servings Jump to Nutrition Facts Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 2 Cornish hens, thawed 1 orange, zested and juiced 1 teaspoon dried tarragon 1 clove garlic, minced ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard ¼ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil kitchen twine Directions Remove and discard giblet, if any. Rinse hens inside and out and pat dry. Loosen skin from the breasts and place hens in a large resealable plastic bag. Whisk orange juice, orange zest, tarragon, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Whisking continually, slowly drizzle in olive oil until combined. Pour marinade over the hens in the bag, making sure to get some under the skin. Seal bag and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Remove hens from the bag, letting excess marinade drip off; pour remaining marinade into a small saucepan and set aside. Place hens in a small roasting pan and season with salt and pepper. Tie legs together with kitchen twine and tuck wing tips underneath. Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue cooking, basting with pan juices every 10 to 15 minutes, until hens are golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 25 to 30 minutes more. Transfer hens to a serving plate, pouring any cavity juices back into the roasting pan. Tent with aluminum foil and keep warm. Scrape pan juices and pour through a strainer into the saucepan with the reserved marinade. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Season sauce with salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve Cornish hens whole or cut in half. Spoon pan sauce over hens to serve. I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 838 Calories 61g Fat 11g Carbs 59g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 2 Calories 838 % Daily Value * Total Fat 61g 78% Saturated Fat 15g 75% Cholesterol 339mg 113% Sodium 528mg 23% Total Carbohydrate 11g 4% Dietary Fiber 2g 8% Total Sugars 8g Protein 59g 117% Vitamin C 47mg 52% Calcium 85mg 7% Iron 3mg 17% Potassium 979mg 21% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.