Cranberry Orange Glazed Cornish Hens
If you want something festive and flavorful without committing to a full turkey or ham, these Cranberry Orange Glazed Cornish Hens are the perfect solution. They’re juicy, beautifully golden, and bursting with sweet-tart citrus and herb flavor!
Servings: 4 hens
Ingredients
For the Cornish Hens:
- ½ cup 1 stick salted butter softened
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme diced
- ¼ teaspoon fresh rosemary diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3-4 Cornish hens giblets removed
- 1 medium orange sliced
- 4 rosemary sprigs
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- Garnish- rosemary springs cranberries, and orange slices
For the Glaze:
- 1 14-ounce can cranberry sauce
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon orange zest
- ½ teaspoon rosemary diced
Instructions
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 425°F and spray a roasting pan or a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Make the butter mixture. In a small bowl, combine the butter, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Arrange the hens in the pan. Place your hens in a roasting pan or casserole dish, arranging them so they are not overlapping (they can touch, just don’t overlap).
- Rub with the butter mixture. Pat the hens dry with a paper towel before rubbing the butter mixture all over the hens, inside and out. If the butter mixture isn’t sticking to the hens, pat them with paper towel again!
- Stuff the cavity. Stuff the inside of each hen with orange slices, cranberries, and a sprig of rosemary. Tie the legs together if needed.
- Bake and glaze. Bake the hens uncovered for 30 minutes before removing and brushing liberally with the cranberry orange glaze.
- Make the glaze (while hens are cooking): In a small pot over medium heat, combine the cranberry sauce, maple syrup, orange juice, orange zest, and rosemary until well combined and slightly thickened.
- Finish cooking. Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from the oven and brush once again with the glaze.
- Rest before serving. Allow the hens to rest for 15-20 minutes, brushing with glaze as many times as you like, before serving warm with orange slices, rosemary, and cranberries.
Notes
- Storage: Once the Cornish hens are cooked and cooled (within 2 hours), store them in the refrigerator for 3–4 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze: For longer storage, freeze them whole or carved—just be sure they’re fully cooled. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat from frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the oven with a splash of broth or water to help retain moisture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 hen | Calories: 1127 kcal | Carbohydrates: 63 g | Protein: 60 g | Fat: 71 g | Saturated Fat: 28 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 27 g | Trans Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 402 mg | Sodium: 687 mg | Potassium: 994 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 49 g | Vitamin A: 1258 IU | Vitamin C: 34 mg | Calcium: 91 mg | Iron: 3 mg
Find it online:
www.soulfullymade.com/cranberry-orange-glazed-cornish-hens/To see the web version with photos, tips
and FAQs, visit the recipe URL or scan the QR code:
https://www.soulfullymade.com/cranberry-orange-glazed-cornish-hens/