I woke up this morning thinking it was Tuesday and to my surprise realized that it was Wednesday. I love when that happens usually because it means the weekend is right around the corner, but in this case it just means that my days are passing too quickly these last two weeks here in Louisiana. My days are packed full with lists, my work, and seeing as many friends as possible. With full days like these I have been loving easy dinners that allow me to multi-task! My roasted Cornish hens and root vegetables is the perfect meal to fix on those busy weeknights where you just don't have the time to babysit the stove!
You may or may not have cooked a Cornish hen before, but if you haven't I'm telling you they are just as easy as a regular chicken and are super tender and delicious! Cornish hens are a certain breed of chicken and I love them because everyone gets their own bird where you get your white and dark meat all in one! And even if you aren't usually a dark meat kind of person, the dark meat yes has more fat, but it also holds some serious nutrients that are especially good for women!
This dish is so full of flavor and is basically fail proof so there is no intimidation factor here! You can make as little or as much as your family needs and I guarantee everyone will love it!
Just season up your veggies and hens, layer them into a roasting or baking dish and put them in a hot oven and walk away!
Ingredients:
- 2 Whole Cornish Hens, Butterflied (simple cut out the back bone and lay flat)
- 5 Sprigs of Thyme
- Whole Carrots, peeled
- 1 Onion, cut into wedges
- 8-10 Red Potatoes, cut into wedges
- 3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 Head of Garlic, peeled and each clove smashed to release the flavors
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Season your Cornish hens with 1 tbsp. of olive oil, salt, and pepper on both sides and rub into the skin.
- Prep your veggies and drizzle with 2 tbsp. of olive oil and salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly. I do this right in the same roasting pan that I am cooking everything in for less clean up!
- Place your Cornish hens on top of the veggies and place thyme sprigs under and around the hens and veggies.
- Bake for 45 minutes until Cornish Hens are browned and veggies are caramelized. If browning is occurring too soon, simply cover with aluminum foil until the last 15 minutes of cooking to prevent burning. Your hens internal temperature should read 180 degrees when they are done.
- I like to cut the hens in half down the breast bone after they have rested for about five minutes and serve them on top of a mound of veggies.
And just like that you have dinner on the table, all fancy looking and everything. You could definitely entertain with this recipe, not a bad idea at all!
