Glazed Cornish Hens with Wild Rice Stuffing

A straight-on view of a glazed Cornish hen sitting on a bed of wild rice pilaf all on a white dinner plate with a fork nearby.

Glazed Cornish Hens with Wild Rice Stuffing

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Thanksgiving

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1

Cook time for the rice: 30

Total Time: 1 50

Servings:

Calories: 452kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

These deeply flavorful Cornish hens are cooked to perfection with a deeply flavorful port glaze. A delicious mix of sweet and savory and quintessential holiday flavors. The rice can be made up to 24 hours in advance and reheated in a covered dish in the oven as the hens are roasting.

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Equipment

Roasting pan with rack
Kitchen twine

Ingredients

For the Rice Pilaf Stuffing

2¼ cups wild rice blend cooked with chicken (or veggie) broth
chicken stock for cooking the rice
3 tablespoon unsalted butter divided
4 oz pancetta cubed
1 Granny Smith apple peeled, cored, and cut into small cubes
1 cup onion chopped
1 cup celery chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
½ cup dried cranberries sweetened or regular
1 cup pecans roughly chopped
2 tablespoon sage fresh, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley fresh, chopped
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

For the Hens

Salt and pepper
4 1½ lb Cornish hens giblets removed if included
2 tablespoon unsalted butter melted

For the Glaze

1 cup port Ruby is recommended
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ cup sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
4 cloves garlic sliced in half
6 slices ginger fresh

Instructions

Prepare the Rice Pilaf Stuffing

Prepare the rice according to the package instructions. Use broth (chicken or vegetable) in place of the water. Once cooked, place in a large bowl. Set aside.
2¼ cups wild rice blend, chicken stock, 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until almost crisp. If more than 1 tablespoon of rendered grease, tilt the pan and spoon the excess out. You'll need to leave about 1 tablespoon of the grease. Stir in the apples and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the apples start to soften. Transfer to bowl with rice.
4 oz pancetta, 1 Granny Smith apple
In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to the bowl with the rice, pancetta, and apples.
1 cup onion, 1 cup celery, 3 cloves garlic
To the bowl, add the cranberries, pecans, sage, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Stir together with a large wooden spoon until fully mixed. Set aside.
½ cup dried cranberries, 1 cup pecans, 2 tablespoon sage, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper

Prepare the Hens

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Liberally salt and pepper the cavities of each hen.
Salt and pepper, 4 1½ lb Cornish hens
Stuff each hen with ½ to ¾ cup of the rice stuffing. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
Add about ¼-inch of water to the roasting pan. Place rack in pan. Place the birds on the rack, breast-side up. Brush the breasts and legs of the hens with melted butter. Liberally salt and pepper all over the tops of the hens.
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes while you prepare the glaze.

Make the Glaze and Finish Off the Hens

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the port, butter, sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, garlic halves, and ginger. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes, until it has reduced to about ½ cup and has thickened somewhat.
1 cup port, 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, ¼ cup sugar, 3 cinnamon sticks, 6 whole cloves, 4 cloves garlic, 6 slices ginger
If desired, strain the sauce/glaze through a fine-mesh sieve.
After 20 minutes of roasting, remove the hens from the oven. Lower the oven temperature to 375°F. Brush the glaze all over the tops of the hens, including the wings and legs. Return to the oven, and roast for another 45 to 55 minutes, basting another 3 times, every ten minutes or so.
Keep a close eye on the hens. If spots are starting to brown a little too much, cover with a piece of foil. Use a meat thermometer to cook the hens until they reach an internal temperature of 170 to 175°F.
Remove the hens from the oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Serve immediately with additional rice pilaf on the side.

Video

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

The rice stuffing can be made up to 24 hours in advance. It is best served warm or at room temperature. (we prefer serving it warm). To reheat, place in a dish, cover with foil, and place in the oven during the last 20 minutes of roasting the hens.

Be sure to keep an eye on the hens once you start adding the glaze. If spots start getting too brown, add small pieces of foil. This will require you to open your oven periodically. This may cause the cooking time to be a bit longer. A meat thermometer ensures you the hens will be fully cooked. 170 to 175°F is highly recommended.

Nutrition