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    Home » Recipes » Dish Type » Main dish » Chicken Recipes

    Baked Cornish Hens (with Rosemary Wine Sauce)

    Published: Nov 3, 2019 by Terri Gilson · Modified: Sep 20, 2023 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links · 16 Comments

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    Collage of cornish game hens
    Cornish Hen on plate with pasta, salad and glass of wine in the background

    These Baked Cornish Hens with Rosemary Wine Sauce are perfect for a special dinner and are totally company-worthy (so they are fancy enough for a dinner party). This recipe is also economical, simple, and easy to make and you can make it in advance. All my favorite things...

    Cornish hens with wine sauce in glass baking dish

    It's also Weight Watchers friendly - yay! And it's only 2 WW points. I love a fancy dinner that is healthy and won't break the WW points bank! This sauce for Cornish hens is, by far, the easiest and tastiest of the Cornish hen recipes out there! This recipe makes a great holiday meal, but it's popular any time of year.

    Jump to:
    • 🐓What is a cornish hen?
    • 🥘Ingredients
    • 💭Top Tip
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 🐔Cornish Hen Sauce
    • 🥗 What to serve with Cornish hens
    • 👪 Serving Size
    • 🔢WW Points
    • 🍽Equipment
    • 🌡️Storage
    • 🦺Food Safety
    • 🍰Don't forget dessert!
    • ⭐ Comments & Reviews
    • 📋 Cornish Hens with Rosemary Wine Sauce Recipe
    • MORE WEIGHT WATCHERS CHICKEN RECIPES!

    These Easy Baked Cornish Hens with Rosemary Wine Sauce are the perfect date night recipe, for Valentine's Day, birthday dinner, Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner or fancy enough for a dinner party. This recipe is also economical, simple, easy to make, Weight Watchers friendly, and can be made in advance.

    🐓What is a cornish hen?

    And if you have never made Cornish hens, don't be intimidated- they are just little chickens and nothing more. Really- it's true! Many assume that they are like a pheasant or grouse because they are also known as Cornish Game Hens, but the "game" part doesn't mean wild or refer to anything remotely exotic in this case; they are simply regular chickens that were cross-bred to be smaller with more breast meat.

    Yet this particular breed of chicken somehow gained and retained this reputation of being "exotic."  You can read more about Cornish hens HERE. But even if they aren't exactly exotic, because they are smaller chickens, cuter and you get half a hen all to yourself, they just feel fancier than eating your typical communal roasted chicken.

    🥘Ingredients

    For this Cornish game hen recipe, you'll need:

    • Cornish hens 
    • dry white wine * you can use any type (it doesn't have to be expensive wine)
    • white wine vinegar
    • low- sodium soya sauce
    • dried rosemary
    • dried thyme
    • garlic cloves
    • Garnish: fresh herbs (rosemary or thyme) optional
    Cornish Hen on a plate with pasta and salad

    💭Top Tip

    For best results, when you cook a Cornish hen, it's best to remove the backbone because the bones are super tiny and you don't want your fellow diners to choke on them. It's really easy to do -see the instructions below and in the recipe card. Otherwise, you roast Cornish hens in the oven, as you would a roasted chicken, but in this case, in wine sauce.

    🔪 Instructions

    How to Cook a Cornish Game Hen

    1. Remove and discard giblets and necks from cornish chickens. Rinse hens under cold water and pat dry. Split each hen in half lengthwise. Pat dry with paper towels.
    2. Partially remove the backbone from the middle.
    3. Cut backbone from each side.
    4. Place hens, meat side up, in pan and whisk together wine, white wine vinegar, soya sauce, rosemary, thyme, and garlic in a separate bowl, then pour over hens. *Cover the hens' legs with a little aluminum foil to prevent burning (this can also be done during the cooking process, if you start to see them browning faster than the rest of the hen)
    collage of 4 photos showing steps to making cornish hens

    🐔Cornish Hen Sauce

    I love this sauce for Cornish hens because it's so easy! It's a wine sauce with only a few ingredients, that take minutes to throw together, but tastes like it took hours. The best part of this recipe is that it can be made ahead!

    I personally, don't like the stress of cooking while guests are over or for a special dinner, so I always cook ahead.

    🥗 What to serve with Cornish hens

    Although rice is the most popular accompaniment to this dish, you can serve Cornish game hens as a main course with:

    • Potatoes, such as my 3 Ingredient Onion Baked Potatoes in Foil, Chipotle Mashed Potatoes, Greek Style Potatoes or sweet potatoes
    • Pasta: my  Easy Greek Pasta Salad is a great pairing
    • Garden salad, Mandarin Orange salad, or Spinach salad, brussels sprouts or Green beans
    • Rice: if you decide on rice, my Sausage Apple Rice with wild rice (shown below) goes very nicely with this recipe, as does my Easy Greek Rice (with Lemon)
    • Buns: if you're making a holiday dinner (like Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, ) they go nicely with crusty bread, my Granny buns (dinner buns) or my WW Everything Bagel Cloud Bread Recipe
    • WW sides: You can also check out my Weight Watchers side dishes for more ideas!
    Sausage & Apple Rice | #Thanksgivingsidedish- Foodmeanderings.com

    👪 Serving Size

    This Baked Cornish Hen recipe serves 4. The serving sizes in all my recipes are adjustable by simply clicking on the blue number of servings, so you can make this recipe for all of the above and as many people as you want!

    🔢WW Points

    This Roasted Cornish Hen recipe is 2 ww points for a ½ a hen!

    Cornish Hen on plate with pasta, salad and glass of wine in the background

    🍽Equipment

    You will need a cutting board, a sharp knife, a baking dish (9x13) or a shallow roasting pan. A meat thermometer (instant-read thermometer) (affiliate link) also comes in handy for this delicious meal.

    🌡️Storage

    Store these roasted cornish hens for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

    🦺Food Safety

    • Cook cornish hens to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C)
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
    • Never leave cooking food unattendedSee more guidelines at USDA.gov 

    My Easy Homemade Lasagna is another one of my make-ahead dishes for entertaining. I love that I can make it waaay ahead and freeze it!

    Easy Meat Lasagna Recipe | no boil lasagna noodles - foodmeanderings.com

    🍰Don't forget dessert!

    If you're looking for a dessert to go along with this dinner and want to stay on track, then I would suggest my Weight Watchers Friendly Healthy Chocolate Cake

    Healthy Chocolate Strawberry Valentine's Day Cake - heart-shaped

    BUT....if you want to indulge, then give my Grand Marnier Cheesecake with Chocolate Glaze a try!

    Baked Grand Marnier Cheesecake | with chocolate glaze - foodmeanderings.com

    These Baked Cornish Game Hens with Rosemary Wine Sauce are a great EASY option for any special occasion meal. So, if you're looking for Cornish hen recipes, give this easy recipe a try!

    ⭐ Comments & Reviews

    Did you know that commenting and rating recipes is one of the best ways to support your favorite recipe creators? If you loved this recipe, please comment and rate it in the recipe card or share photos on social media using the hashtag #foodmeanderings or tagging @foodmeanderings !

    Enjoy!~

    cornish game hens with rosemary wine sauce in a glass dish with blue oven mitts in background
    Food Meandering Logo

    📋 Cornish Hens with Rosemary Wine Sauce Recipe

    These Easy Baked Cornish Hens recipe with Rosemary Wine Sauce are the perfect date night recipe, Valentine's day, birthday dinner, Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner or fancy enough for a dinner party. This recipe is also economical, simple, easy to make, Weight Watchers friendly and can be made in advance.
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: dinner, main
    Cuisine: American, Canadian, North American
    Keyword: cornish game hen, cornish hen, wine
    Special Diet: Weight Watchers
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 64.11kcal
    Author: Terri Gilson
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    cutting board
    sharp knife
    9X13 baking pan
    and orange Thermapen - Mk4 thermometer
    instant read thermometer

    Ingredients

    • 2 1 lb Cornish hens ½ per person
    • 1 cup dry white wine * you can use any type (it doesn't have to be expensive wine)
    • ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
    • 2 tablespoon low- sodium soya sauce
    • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
    • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced

    Garnish

    • fresh rosemary sprigs (optional)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9X13 pan with non-stick cooking spray
    • Remove and discard giblets and necks from hens. Rinse hens under cold water and pat dry. Split each hen in half lengthwise.
      Cornish Hen split in half lengthwise
    • Partially remove the backbone from the middle
      Backbone being cut from hen
    • Cutting from each side
    • Place hens, meat side up, in pan.
    • Whisk together wine, white wine vinegar, soya sauce, rosemary, thyme and garlic in a separate bowl, then pour over hens. *Cover the hens' legs with a little aluminum foil to prevent burning (this can also be done during the cooking process, if you start to see them browning faster than the rest of the hen)
      Cornish hens in rosemary wine sauce with legs covered in tin foil
    • Bake uncovered (preferably on roast if you have a convection oven) for 50 - 60 minutes basting occasionally, as you would a chicken or turkey; just spoon the sauce over the hens to baste. Cook until juices run clear and hens are cooked inside (no longer pink).
    • Serve warm (½ a hen per person) with a spring of fresh sprigs of rosemary and lemon wedges, if desired.
      Cornish Hen on a plate with pasta and salad

    Notes

    Please see post contents for important recipe information and tips!
    Nutrition Facts
    📋 Cornish Hens with Rosemary Wine Sauce Recipe
    Amount Per Serving (0.5 hen)
    Calories 64.11 Calories from Fat 1
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 0.11g0%
    Saturated Fat 0.03g0%
    Cholesterol 0.51mg0%
    Sodium 508.19mg22%
    Potassium 73.71mg2%
    Carbohydrates 3.17g1%
    Fiber 0.14g1%
    Sugar 0.76g1%
    Protein 1.27g3%
    Vitamin C 0.94mg1%
    Calcium 10.83mg1%
    Iron 0.6mg3%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.5hen | Calories: 64.11kcal (3%) | Carbohydrates: 3.17g (1%) | Protein: 1.27g (3%) | Fat: 0.11g | Saturated Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 0.51mg | Sodium: 508.19mg (22%) | Potassium: 73.71mg (2%) | Fiber: 0.14g (1%) | Sugar: 0.76g (1%) | Vitamin C: 0.94mg (1%) | Calcium: 10.83mg (1%) | Iron: 0.6mg (3%)
    Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review below!
    Rate this Recipe

    MORE WEIGHT WATCHERS CHICKEN RECIPES!

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    Cranberry Cosmopolitan Mocktail »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Joss

      November 12, 2019 at 11:10 am

      What a great weight watchers dinner idea for Christmas!

      Reply
      • Terri Gilson

        November 18, 2019 at 7:39 pm

        Thanks, Joss! Yes, guilt-free!

        Reply
    2. Colleen

      November 12, 2019 at 12:37 pm

      I had no idea that Cornish Game Hens were simply small chickens! I haven't made them in years, and now I want to. They look delicious.

      Reply
      • Terri Gilson

        November 18, 2019 at 7:40 pm

        Yes, marketing can be amazing, hey? I hope you enjoy some soon, Colleen!

        Reply
    3. Elaine

      November 12, 2019 at 12:45 pm

      Yes! I'm one of those ones who have been intimidated by Cornish hens! Your instructions are so complete, however, that I'm anxious to make these. Great for upcoming holiday dinner!

      Reply
      • Terri Gilson

        November 18, 2019 at 7:39 pm

        Thanks, Elaine. Glad the instructions are helpful! Enjoy...

        Reply
    4. Sharon

      November 12, 2019 at 10:16 pm

      A fantastic idea for a smaller Christmas dinner! With only two of us, we struggle with a whole turkey. This definitely seems fancy enough for a special meal. 🙂 Thanks for the tutorial on cutting out the backbone.

      Reply
      • Terri Gilson

        November 18, 2019 at 7:38 pm

        Thanks, Sharon! Yes, this is a perfect holiday dinner for 2!

        Reply
    5. Kelly Neil

      November 13, 2019 at 5:38 am

      Oh my goodness this recipe sounds so festive and comforting. Perfect winter food! And can I just take a minute to drool over that GM cheesecake?! Yummm...

      Reply
      • Terri Gilson

        November 18, 2019 at 7:37 pm

        Thanks, Kelly! It really does make a nice, special meal and is still pretty economical!

        Reply
    6. Denise@urbnspice

      November 14, 2019 at 8:25 pm

      I adore Cornish Hens - they are so flavourful! Thanks for the lovely entertainment worthy recipe and instructions, Terri. I have not made Cornish hens for quite some time - it is time to correct this, starting with your wonderful recipe. Thanks so much for sharing.

      Reply
      • Terri Gilson

        November 18, 2019 at 7:34 pm

        Thanks, Denise!

        Reply
    7. Sabrina

      November 15, 2019 at 9:20 am

      Wow, a fantastic date night recipe for sure. I’ve never actually cooked a Cornish Hen before so I really appreciate the tips on trimming the backbone. Thanks for another healthy and super yummy meal!

      Reply
      • Terri Gilson

        November 18, 2019 at 7:33 pm

        You're welcome, Sabrina. Enjoy!

        Reply
    8. Vanessa | Zest & Simmer

      November 15, 2019 at 7:23 pm

      I will definitely be searching for these at my grocery store as I need to try it out! What a lovely recipe, the rosemary wine sauce sounds just perfect!

      Reply
      • Terri Gilson

        November 18, 2019 at 4:36 pm

        Thanks, Vanessa! I got them frozen - that's the most economical way. I hope you enjoy!

        Reply

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    I'm Terri, a passionate home cook and baker, an award-winning recipe developer, and a busy working mom who is trying to eat healthy and fit everything into not enough hours in a day! My mission is to share not only my recipes, cooking hacks, and tips with you, but also my secrets to successful weight maintenance.

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