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.
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.
Partially remove the backbone from the middle
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)
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.
Notes
Please see post contents for important recipe information and tips!Â