Roasted Cornish Game Hens with White Bean Ragout

Roasted Cornish Game Hens with White Bean Ragout is an impressive, yet fuss-free meal. From start to finish it’s ready in about an hour and it’s bursting with delicious flavor.

Are You Hosting a Fancy Meal for a Small Number of People?

Let’s say you’re having a small Thanksgiving dinner and you don’t want to roast a whole turkey. Or, you’re hosting a small dinner party, planning an at-home date night, or some other special occasion and you’re looking for a main course that’s fun and maybe a little different. Something to delight a smaller crowd.

Well then, for that impressive dinner, I suggest a roasted Cornish game hen recipe is the way to go. They look so fancy, but they’re really not hard to make.

Roasted Cornish Game Hens Are Delicious

The Cornish game hen is basically a small, whole chicken and you can roast as such. Simply brush the hens with melted butter and add a little seasoning. Then, they roast in the oven for about an hour.  

I made this an easy roasted Cornish hen recipe in that I just brushed butter on the outside of the hens and stuffed the cavity of each hen with some lemon wedges for a pop of citrus flavor. However, you can definitely branch out from there.

You can rub an herb butter under the breast skin for even more flavor. Or, feel free to stuff the hens with fresh herbs to spice things up. If you have a favorite way you like to prepare a roast chicken, you can do that here with the game hen.

Let’s Find a Great Side Dish   

Sure, you can have a nice salad or some green beans with the hens, but this is supposed to be a fancy meal, right!? I thought a white bean ragout would compliment this perfectly.

A vegetable ragout is just a fancy name for well-seasoned vegetables cooked in a sauce. In this case, I thought white beans (in particular, cannellini beans) would work well. They have a nutty, earthy flavor that when incorporated into the sauce, blends well with the simple flavors of the Cornish game hens.

What is the Difference Between Cornish Game Hens and Regular Chickens?

First and foremost, a Cornish game hen is considered a variety of broiler chicken. A broiler chicken is any chicken raised specifically for meat production. Broiler chickens tend to grow very quickly so they can get to market quickly.

A Cornish game hen (or Rock Cornish game hen) is a particular breed of chicken. Adult Cornish game hens are really no different in size or taste than any other broiler chicken breed (aka – they are not small chickens per se). They just seem smaller because they are slaughtered at a younger age.

Coming to market at a younger age and smaller size means that their meat is more tender and able to better take on the flavors of spices, rubs and marinades than larger chickens. This means they can command a higher price at the grocery store for this very reason. 

Also, “hens” is a bit of a misnomer in that both female and male are considered game hens. Then, let’s add in that they aren’t really considered a “game bird” as they are broiler chickens. About the only thing in their name that makes sense is that the breed did originate in Cornwall, England!

How do You Know the Cornish Game Hen is Done Roasting?

For the eye test, you will see that the roasted hens skin will be a golden brown. In addition, juices should be running and clear.

It is then suggested that you take a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the hen. I like to use an instant read thermometer and stick it into the thickest part of the breast. When the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, your hen is done.

At this point, take the hen out of the oven, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for five minutes.

Serve with the white bean ragout and enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

• The Cornish game hens can be thawed overnight in the refrigerator.
• When you’re prepping the hens, make sure you remove any giblets that are in the cavity.
• If there are not a lot of pan juices left after the Cornish game hens have finished roasting, add a little more chicken stock to the pan, scraping the bottom to release all of the tasty browned bits.
• You can easily double the recipe just by adding two more game hens. Also, add another lemon to stuff the cavities and two more sprigs of fresh rosemary. The white bean ragu makes enough for 4 people as written.

Ingredients Needed for Roasted Cornish Game Hens with White Bean Ragu

Full instructions are found below in the printable recipe card

• Cornish game hens – These are readily at most grocery stores. I most recently have been buying them at Aldi.
• Butter 
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Lemon – This will be used to make lemon wedges.
• Cannellini beans – These are also know as white kidney beans. They’ve got a mild taste and a creamy texture and are the perfect bean for the ragout.
• Fresh rosemary  sprigs 
• Chicken stock – Vegetable stock or chicken broth also works with this recipe.
• White wine – You will want to use a dry wine such as sauvignon blanc or chardonnay.
• Dried Italian seasoning
• Tomato paste – I like to buy the tomato paste in a tube. It keeps for a long time in the refrigerator and eliminates wasting part of the can.
• Roma tomato – If you don’t have a fresh tomato on hand, you can substitute 1/2 cup of canned petite diced tomatoes that’s been drained.
• Red onion – If you don’t have red onion on hand, a yellow onion can be substituted.
• Carrot
• Garlic – Freshly minced garlic will give you the best flavor.
• Fresh parsley and basil  
• Grated parmesan cheese 
• Prepared basil pesto 

How to Make Roasted Cornish Game Hen with White Bean Ragu

Roasting the Cornish Game Hens

• Place a cast iron skillet or other baking dish in the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.
• Brush game hens with butter and season with salt and pepper.
• Put a lemon quarter in the each of the game hen cavities.
• Remove preheated skillet from the oven and place the the prepared game hens in the pan.
• Carefully pour 1/2 cup white wine and 1/2 cup chicken stock into the skillet.
• Top each game hen with a sprig of rosemary.
• Return skillet to the oven and roast for 50-60 minutes, until the juices run clear and the breast temperature reads 165 degrees.

Making the White Bean Ragout

• Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet.
• Add onion and carrot and sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic and sauté for another minute, until garlic is fragrant.
• Season with salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning.
• Stir in remaining 1/2 cup wine and let reduce for a couple of minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste and remaining 1/4 cup chicken stock.
• Stir in chopped tomato and cannellini beans.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer until game hens have finished cooking, stirring occasionally.
• Right before serving, stir in parsley, basil, parmesan and pesto.

Rest and Serve

• Once game hens have finished cooking, remove from skillet, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let them rest for 5 minutes.
• Serve games hens with the ragout and pan juices.

Recipes to Round out this Meal for Entertaining

• Easy Antipasto Skewers
• Field Green Salad
• Classic Popovers – A Simple 4 Ingredient Recipe
• Blueberry Pie

ENJOY!