Air Fryer Cornish Hen Recipe | Takes Just 5 Minutes To Prep

This air fryer cornish hen is basically like a homemade mini rotisserie chicken. And it's so easy to make. In fact, it's so easy that this cornish game hen recipe requires just a couple of minutes to prep work and then the air fryer takes care of the rest! Oh, and the results are to die for. The skin turns out super flavorful and incredibly crispy, and the meat is just so, so juicy.

The Best Air Fryer Cornish Hen

Let me tell ya, this air fryer cornish game hen recipe is a crowd pleaser!

Every time we make this recipe for dinner it's a hit with the whole fam - kids included.

And what's great about it is that it takes just a couple of minutes to prep, and then the air fryer does all the hard work - aka the cooking. 

Also, while it's cooking, you can make some equally quick and delicious sides. My favorite ones to serve alongside this air fryer cornish hen are these keto cheddar bay biscuits, cauliflower mashed potatoes, and roasted kohlrabi.

Ingredients

Besides the cornish hen itself, the rest of the ingredients in this dish are pretty simple. The seasonings are staples, and the herbs are ones that you can pick up at any grocery store - if you don't have them already.

Anyway, here's everything you'll need to make cornish game hens:

• 1 Cornish Hen, small, clean, skin-on
• 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp. White Vinegar
• 2 tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
• Salt and Pepper

That's literally all there is to it.

Just a handful of simple ingredients to make a dish that is so delicious! 

By the way, if you're looking for some equally delicious dishes made with simple ingredients, give this bottom round roast, pan seared salmon, and blackened chicken a try next!

What is a Cornish hen?

Now, the thing you might be asking yourself right now is what is a cornish hen?

A cornish hen is basically like mini rotisserie chickens. It's a breed of chicken that is bred for many years in the same environment. They're also always female, and pretty much almost always smaller than a chicken.

With that said, the cornish hens that are available in grocery stores are called commercial cornish hens. These are a cross between Plymouth Rock chickens and Cornish chickens. And these can actually either be male or female.

No matter which kind of cornish game hen you end up with though they'll all have the same taste - which is very reminiscent of chicken.

How to Make Air Fryer Cornish Hens

As I said before, this is a super quick and easy recipe to make. The air fryer takes care of the hard part - the cooking - and leaves you with a ton of time to make the sides to go along with the dish!  

So, get out all of the ingredients, and let's get into how to cook cornish hens!

Step 1: Prep Work

First things first you'll want to preheat the air fryer to 335°F (170ºC).

Next, add the olive oil, white vinegar, fresh parsley, cilantro, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a bowl and give it a mix until everything combines. 

Step 2: Season the Cornish Hen

Now to give the cornish game hens its incredible flavor, pour the mixture you just prepared over the cornish hen. You can also use a brush, and brush this mixture on the cornish hen, so it's not as messy and goes on more evenly.

Step 3: Air Frying The Cornish Hen

Now all that’s left to do is air fry!

So, to do that, line the air fryer basket with a sheet of parchment paper. Then, pop the rotisserie cornish hen in the air fryer and cook for 30 minutes at 335°F (170ºC).

Oh, and make sure to check it after 20 minutes and if it's browning too much, cover the top with tin foil and continue air frying.

Anyway, you'll know cornish game hens are done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Step 4: Serving

Once the air fryer cornish hen is roasted to perfection, you can take it out and transfer it to a plate. 

Then, pour the cooking juices into a bowl, and serve it alongside the air fried cornish hen and any sides you want. Enjoy!

How To Store Cornish Hen

This recipe for cornish game hen will make quite a few servings depending on the size of your cornish hen.

So, if you have leftover cornish hens, just store the tender meat in the fridge in an airtight container. Stored like this, the cooked cornish game hen will stay good for up to 4 days. 

How to Reheat cornish hen

If you want to reheat leftover air fried cornish hens, you can put them back in the air fryer at 335°F for about 5 minutes or until warm. 

Another great option is to put the meat in the toaster oven for a few minutes. It gives the roasted chicken a crispy texture and goes great in things like this keto chicken noodle soup.

Wrapping It All Up

Well, that is how to cook a cornish hen in the air fryer!

This air fryer recipe is the perfect thing to make for a small Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, or just a weeknight family meal.

The juicy meat is just incredibly tasty, goes well with practically any side, and everyone will love it!

If you gave this recipe a try, leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts.

Oh, and as always, for more delicious recipes, check out our Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok pages! 

Air Fryer Recipes

If you liked how quick and easy it was to make a cornish hen in the air fryer, I have a ton of other air fryer recipes on the blog that I think you'll like too!

Give one of these a try next:

• Air fryer brussel sprouts
• Air fryer chicken breast
• Air fryer pork chops
• Air fryer turkey tenderloin
• Air fryer chicken wings
• Air fryer bacon wrapped asparagus
• Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

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