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Home » Recipes » Poultry

Air Fryer Cornish Hens

Published: Apr 29, 2022 · Modified: Nov 2, 2022 by Colleen 46 Comments

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A whole roasted Cornish game hen on a black plate.
A whole roasted Cornish game hen on a black plate.

Air Fryer Cornish Hens are the perfect way to cook Cornish Game Hens. These little chickens are super easy to cook and they come out tender and juicy with a beautiful crispy skin.

A whole air fryer Cornish hen on a black plate.

Cornish game hens, (sometimes call Rock Cornish game hens), are simply very small chickens. The little birds are raised on farms and in spite of the name, are not a game bird, so they don't have a gamey taste. They taste the same as regular chicken.

Jump to:
  • Why Air Fry Cornish Hens?
  • Ingredients You'll Need
  • Instructions
  • Helpful Tips
  • How to Serve
  • What to Serve With Cornish Hens
  • Recipe
  • Comments

Why Air Fry Cornish Hens?

  • This easy recipe is a great option when you want roast chicken but don't have time.
  • You can air fry a whole chicken. However, these miniature chickens are a perfect option for serving just one or two people.
  • Because of their smaller size, cooking a game hen is much faster than cooking a whole chicken.
  • This easy air fryer recipe is so simple and easy. It's perfect dinner for a special occasion or for weeknight dinners.
  • The high heat of the air fryer means the hens cook quickly, so you get perfect crispy skin and tender and juicy meat inside.
The air fried Cornish hen resting on a plate.

Ingredients You'll Need

  • Cornish Game Hen Most of the time the hens are sold frozen so you'll need to plan ahead for defrosting time. (see the "Helpful Tips" section further down in this post for thawing instructions) A two pound hen will serve two people, or one person with leftovers.
  • Oil Avocado oil is my favorite for air frying. It has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point. You can also use olive oil.
  • Seasonings This recipe uses rosemary, thyme and sage, along with salt and pepper. You can also use a poultry seasoning blend, a chicken spice blend, Italian seasoning, or just your favorite seasonings.
The ingredients for this recipe on a wood cutting board.
The recipe ingredients

Instructions

Full instructions are in the recipe card below.

  1. In a small bowl, combine oil and seasonings
  2. Pat the Cornish hen dry with paper towels before rubbing the seasoning mixture over the entire hen.
  3. Place the bird, breast side down, in the preheated air fryer basket.
  4. Flip breast side up after 25 minutes. Continue to cook a further 15 minutes to achieve super crispy skin.
Four steps to making the recipe.
4 simple steps

Helpful Tips

  • Your Cornish hen should be completely thawed before cooking. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, depending on the size of the bird and the temperature of your fridge. You can also thaw the bird in water. Submerge the frozen hen, still in its packaging, in a bowl or sink filled with cold water. Change the water every half hour until completely thawed.
  • Never thaw poultry at room temperature, which can allow dangerous bacteria to grow.
  • Don't thaw the hen in the microwave. The bird won't thaw evenly and could start to cook before completely thawing.
  • Start off cooking the hen breast side down to ensure that the breast meat doesn't dry out.
  • Allow the cooked hen to rest for 10 minutes before slicing or splitting. The resting period is important so that the juices are redistributed throughout the meat.
  • Poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°. Use a meat thermometer to check.
  • The cooking time for this air fryer Cornish hen recipe is for an approximately 2 pound hen. If you have a larger or smaller bird, the cook time will need to be adjusted.
  • If you have a larger air fryer, or smaller birds, you can cook two hens at once. My air fryer is 6 quarts and has room for one 2 pound bird or 2 smaller ones.
  • If you prefer to use fresh herbs for this air fryer Cornish hen recipe, put them in a blender, or mash them with a mortar and pestle before combining them with oil. This keeps the herbs on the food rather than blowing around in the air fryer.
  • Store leftover Cornish hens in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • To freeze, remove the meat from the bones and store it in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to three months. For safe freezing guidelines, see Can You Refreeze Chicken?

How to Serve

If you have a 2 pound hen, you can split it with a sharp knife (after resting) for two servings. Smaller birds can be served as a whole Cornish hen.

An air-fried Cornish hen on a black plate.

What to Serve With Cornish Hens

Any side dishes you would serve with chicken will work equally well with Cornish hens. Try a salad, like my Classic Potato Salad, or Mediterranean Buckwheat Salad.

You can find some side dish inspiration if you want to air fry your vegetables, too. Check out 21 Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes.

Classic pairings are vegetables like Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots, or Sautéed Green Beans. Check out Side Dishes, for lots more ideas.

Recipe

A whole air fried Cornish hen on a black plate.

Air Fryer Cornish Hen

Cornish Hens in the air fryer come out with beautiful crispy skin, tender meat and delicious flavor.
5 from 36 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 514kcal
Author: Colleen Milne

Ingredients

  • 1 Cornish Hen 2 pounds
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Combine oil, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
  • Rub the seasoning mixture over the entire Cornish hen.
  • Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and preheat to 400°
  • Place the bird breast side down and cook for 25 minutes
  • Flip the bird over and cook for 15 minutes more, or until a meat thermometer inserted internal temperature inserted into the inner thigh reads 165°
  • Remove from the air fryer and allow to rest 10 minutes before splitting or slicing.

Notes

  • Your Cornish hen should be completely thawed before cooking. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, depending on the size of the bird and the temperature of your fridge. You can also thaw the bird in water. Submerge the frozen hen, still in its the packaging, in a bowl or sink filled with cold water. Change the water every half hour until completely thawed.
  • Never thaw poultry at room temperature, which can allow dangerous bacteria to grow.
  • Don't thaw the hen in the microwave. The bird won't thaw evenly and cook start cooking before completely thawing.
  • Start off cooking the hen breast side down to ensure that the breast meat doesn't dry out.
  • Allow the cooked hen to rest for 10 minutes before slicing or splitting. The resting period is important so that the juices are redistributed throughout the meat.
  • Poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°. Use a meat thermometer to check.
  • The cooking time for this air fryer Cornish hen recipe is for an approximately 2 pound hen. If you have a larger or smaller bird, the cook time will need to be adjusted.
  • If you have a larger air fryer, or smaller birds, you can cook two hens at once. My air fryer is 6 quarts and has room for one 2 pound bird or 2 smaller ones.
  • If you prefer to use fresh herbs for this air fryer Cornish hen recipe, put them in a blender, or mash them with a mortar and pestle before combining them with oil. This keeps the herbs on the food rather than blowing around in the air fryer.
  • Store leftover Cornish hens in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • To freeze, remove the meat from the bones and store it in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to three months. For safe freezing guidelines, see Can You Refreeze Chicken?

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 514kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 227mg | Sodium: 719mg | Potassium: 540mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 268IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Terri

    May 09, 2022 at 12:20 pm

    I love these little guys and hadn't even thought about doing them in the air fryer - great idea! I cannot wait to try!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      May 09, 2022 at 1:08 pm

      Hi Terri, you'll love how easy it is to roast Cornish hens in the air fryer!

      Reply
  2. Lauren Michael Harris

    May 08, 2022 at 2:45 pm

    Oh I have no had cornish game hens in forever! This recipe looks incredible - I definitely need to pick some up now and add this to next weeks menu!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      May 09, 2022 at 1:01 pm

      Hi Lauren, you'll be glad you did! Enjoy!

      Reply
  3. Claire

    May 08, 2022 at 2:31 am

    I found a twin pack of cornish hens at our local grocery store and they were on such a good special, I bought them with no idea what to do with them.
    This recipe was perfect, as it cooked so quickly and I didn't have to switch the oven on.
    We just had them with bread and slaw. Such an easy meal! YUM!!!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      May 08, 2022 at 9:24 am

      Hi Claire. I'm so happy the Cornish Hens worked out perfectly for you in the air fryer. Thank you for commenting!

      Reply
  4. Tammy

    May 06, 2022 at 11:54 am

    I would never have thought about cooking these in the air fryer but such a fabulous idea! It came out so crispy and beautiful...definitely need to try this!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      May 07, 2022 at 8:58 am

      I would love to hear how it turns out for you, Tammy!

      Reply
  5. Asha

    May 05, 2022 at 12:34 pm

    Delicious recipe for tender chicken. And I love how it makes the perfect amount for two people! I don't have kids, so a whole regular chicken can make way too much for me.

    Reply
    • Colleen

      May 06, 2022 at 10:34 am

      Hi Asha, Cornish hens are the perfect size for two people. I'm so glad it turned out delicious for you!

      Reply
  6. Mikayla

    May 05, 2022 at 11:44 am

    Perfect description, truly the hens came out succulently juicy and with crisp skin with winning flavors.

    Reply
    • Colleen

      May 06, 2022 at 10:32 am

      Hi Mikayla, I'm so happy to hear that your Cornish hens came out great. Thanks for your feedback!

      Reply
  7. Kathryn

    May 05, 2022 at 7:42 am

    These cornish hens make the BEST dinners! They are so easy and simple to make with the perfect amount of seasoning. My new dinner go-to!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      May 05, 2022 at 8:41 am

      I'm so glad to hear this, Kathryn! Your comment is appreciated. 😊

      Reply
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