Glazed Cornish Game Hens With Apricot Pistachio Dressing

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"Cornish game hens are festive and readily available. I've even made them the centerpiece of a holiday meal. These little birds cook much more quickly than other holiday roasts, such as lamb or ham. I normally figure on one hen (in the 1 1/2- to 2-pound range) to serve every two guests - especially if you also plan to have a first course and a dessert." — USA WEEKEND columnist Pam Anderson

Directions

Brining the hens before roasting improves their flavor: Dissolve 2 cups of kosher salt in a clean bucket filled with 5 quarts of water. Add prepared hens and soak for 2 hours. Rinse thoroughly; pat dry.
Adjust oven rack to upper middle position, and heat oven to 450 degrees.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute onions until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in apricots, then spread mixture onto a large (about 18-by-12-inch) lipped cookie sheet. Lay hens over the mixture. Mix jam and vinegar, and brush all but a few tablespoons over hens.
Bake hens, brushing 2 or 3 times with remaining jam mixture and accumulated pan juices, until hens are golden brown and juices run clear, about 45 minutes. Turn heat from bake to broil, then cook until hens are spotty brown, watching carefully so they don't burn, 4 to 5 minutes.
Transfer hens to a large platter with tongs, then cut in half at the breastbone to create individual servings.
Return apricot dressing to the oven and broil to evaporate some of the excess liquid, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in pistachios and parsley. Spoon in a mound next to hens.

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Footnotes

Copyright 2004 USA WEEKEND and columnist Pam Anderson. All rights reserved.

Reviews More Reviews

Dec 31, 2005

With the exception of putting it on the upper level of the oven. I found that @ 450 degrees this browned it way to fast. I would cook it at 350 and then a little higher at the end to darken the color of the skin. Other than that it was a hit at my home. I will make it again.

—E.L.W.

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Nov 22, 2007

This recipe is great. I made a one as a test before Thanksgiving, and then made some modifications and made a full batch for Thanksgiving. Salt water bath made all of the difference. Had to turn down heat and cook longer like most others. Also, take the vinegar and jam mixture and multiply it by 4 if you want enough to bast with, otherwise you pan will run dry and burn up. I did not use the nuts like most others as well. The hens came out with a great flavor, tender, the meat was almost falling off the bone before I could transfer them to the serving tray.

—David

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26 Ratings

Dec 11, 2009

The Cornish Game Hens had a nice sweet crispy apricot glazed skin and the breast meat was tender and juicy with a nice hint of citrus zest. I would recommend lowering the temperature and covering with foil to begin and finishing up with roasting it on the 450 temperature. I added the pistachio nuts to cook with the dressing instead of adding it at the end and it softened up the nuts nicely for those who do not like the crunch.

—rebeqah

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Dec 23, 2007

This turned out extremely well although the "Stuffing" was a bit on the oniony side. I used 4x the amount of apricot jam and only 2x the amount of vinegar and it turned out great. The birds were slightly sweet and outstanding. Cooking temp should be 350 for 45 minutes and 390 for 5-10.

—JosieWales

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Dec 18, 2007

These hens are a wonderful holiday or company entree making a lovely presentation. I'm glad I read the other reviews; even at 350-degrees the hens started to get dark brown before they were cooked through, so tenting with foil may be needed. Keep a watch on them. Also, there is not an abundance of fruit or pan juices, so if you like lots, you might want to increase the amount of fruit and deglaze the pan with chicken broth or white wine at the end. Definitely worth making!

—FOODCHICK23

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Jan 01, 2008

The Cornish hens made a wonderful Christmas Day dinner. We adjusted the time and temperature according to a previous reviewer. And, as suggested by others, we ultimately covered the hens with foil to keep them from browning too quickly. With regard to the dressing, it burned a little, but we were able to salvage enough in the end.

—sashelena

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Dec 25, 2006

I wish I would have read the comments regarding the recipe. It did brown too quickly. I ended up tenting with aluminum foil to avoid over browning. I didn't use the pistachio garnish on the side. Not much juice left and decided it wasn't necessary. The Hens were delicious and tender, tasty all the way through. I will use this recipe again cook at a lower temp. and leave out the parsley and pistachio’s.

—Gloria - Corona, CA

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Jan 21, 2007

I was impressed with how the Cornish hen came out (tasty, moist, very yummy) However, although we love all of the ingredients in the apricot pistachio dressing, it was just 'okay'. Noting other reviews, I turned down the oven temp to 375 and had no problems. Would make the Cornish hen recipe again without the dressing.

—FMDEMAY

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Nutrition

Calories
866 kcal
43%

Carbohydrates
29.1 g
9%

Cholesterol
340 mg
113%

Fat
56 g
86%

Fiber
2.6 g
11%

Protein
60.5 g
121%

Sodium
23026 mg
921%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Glazed Cornish Game Hens With Apricot Pistachio Dressing

Serving Size: 1/8 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 866
Calories from Fat: 504

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 56g 86 %
** Saturated Fat 14.2g 71 %
Cholesterol 340mg 113 %
Sodium 23026mg 921 %
** Potassium 1145mg 32 %
Total Carbohydrates 29.1g 9 %
Dietary Fiber 2.6g 11 %
Protein 60.5g 121 %
Sugars 20.3g
** Vitamin A 27 %
** Vitamin C 18 %
** Calcium 9 %
** Iron 39 %
** Thiamin 33 %
** Niacin 238 %
** Vitamin B6 74 %
** Magnesium 29 %
** Folate 15 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.