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Apple Roasted Cornish Hens | Improv Recipe

  • Author: Charmian Christie
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 60 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
  • Yield: 2 1x
  • Category: Chicken & Poultry
  • Cuisine: Improv Recipe

Description

This easy, moist poultry recipe is sure to please everyone. It’s flexible, so feel free to swap a large chicken or chicken pieces.


Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 cornish hens (or large chicken pieces)
  • orange olive oil (regular olive oil is fine)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme or sage
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 apples, cored and sliced into 8 wedges
  • 2 onions, cut into wedges
  • zest of an orange, optional
  • dry white wine, apple cider or orange juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F
  2. Pat the Cornish hens dry with a paper towel and rub with the olive oil. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Place a sprig of fresh herbs inside each of the hens along with one smashed garlic clove.
  3. Place the apples, onions,  2 cloves of garlic, and orange zest, if using,  in a heavy enamel-lined cast iron Dutch oven. Toss to distribute evenly. Pour in enough wine (or fruit juice) to cover the bottom by 1/4 inch.  Place the hens on top. I put them breast side down to keep the white meat moist.
  4. Bake for 25 minutes or until they begin to get a hint of colour. Put the lid on and bake another 20 minutes. This helps keep the hens moist. Remove the lid and continue roasting until the hens are cooked all the way through. This can take from 45 to 75 minutes depending on the size of the hens and your oven.

Notes

This recipe is inspired by Chef Michael Smith and his amazing Apple Roasted Chicken.