Stuffed Cornish Hens Recipe with Cornbread Stuffing

Name: Stuffed Cornish Hens Recipe with Cornbread Stuffing
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 4 cornbread muffins, (purchased); 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; ¼ cup finely minced shallots, (can substitute sweet onion or scallions); 2 ribs finely chopped celery; ⅓ cup dried cranberries; ½ cup chopped roasted pecans; ½ cup chicken stock; 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, (can substitute ½ teaspoon dried thyme); 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, (can substitute ½ teaspoon dried rosemary); ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning; 4 Cornish hens; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 teaspoons kosher salt (divided); ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

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Easy Stuffed Cornish Hens with Cornbread Stuffing features roasted, juicy Cornish game hens filled with perfectly seasoned stuffing with dried cranberries and roasted pecans.

This old-fashioned holiday classic is a great substitute for a small gathering instead of a whole turkey. Because this recipe makes a great presentation, it’s also perfect for a dinner party during the holiday season, a special occasion, or even an elegant Christmas dinner.

And because it’s so easy, it’s also great for a casual family dinner or Sunday supper.

Four stuffed Cornish hens on a white platter garnished with cranberries and rosemary.

Super easy to prepare and delicious, this stuffed Cornish game hen recipe, like my Cast Iron Roast Chicken recipe, checks all the boxes: simple, inexpensive, and flavorful! In other words, it’s a “winner, winner chicken dinner.”

Purchased cornbread muffins are a huge time saver, and this make-ahead stuffing recipe only takes minutes to whip up. Then all you have to do is stuff the small birds, and it’s on to the oven to bake for about an hour while you kick back and put your feet up. It couldn’t be easier, and no one needs to be the wiser!

Pint-size Cornish game hens are underused and underappreciated. Although, like most things, they are more expensive than they were in past years, they are still a bargain at about $5 per hen. You will not find another main dish of this caliber for your holiday table any less expensive or more dazzling in appearance.

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Ingredient notes and substitutions:
How to make Stuffed Cornish Hens with Cornbread Stuffing:
What are Cornish hens:
Recipe variations:
Serving suggestions:
How to store and reheat leftovers:
Make it ahead:
Recipe FAQs:
Expert tips and tricks:
More fancy dinner recipes:
📋 Recipe:

Ingredient notes and substitutions:

Stuffed Cornish hens ingredients include cornbread muffins, dried cranberries, and pecans.

(Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Cornish hens – are typically under two pounds, and these small birds can be found at most grocery stores either fresh or in the freezer section.
Olive oil – coats the hens and ensures that their skin cooks up crispy and golden brown.
Kosher salt and ground black pepper – enhance the flavor of the hens.
Cornbread muffins – purchased from the grocery store or bakery, are a great timesaver. They form the stuffing base with a unique combination of sweet and savory flavors.
Butter – adds moisture to the stuffing and is used to saute the shallots and celery.
Shallots and celery – add flavor and a bit of crunch to the stuffing. Sweet onions can be substituted for the shallots.
Dried cranberries and roasted pecans – add a pop of color and more delicious flavor.
Chicken stock – helps to moisten the dressing and allows it to hold its shape.
Fresh herbs – like thyme and rosemary, plus poultry seasoning – add delicious flavor. You can substitute dried thyme and rosemary if you don’t have fresh, but reduce the amount to a half teaspoon each because dried herbs are more robust.

How to make Stuffed Cornish Hens with Cornbread Stuffing:

Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven to 400°F.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat to make the stuffing. Add the shallots and celery to the melted butter and cook for about five minutes until the veggies are translucent and soft.

Chopped shallots and celery cooking in a skillet.

Add the cranberries and pecans and cook for another two minutes or until the cranberries have plumped up a bit.

Adding pecans and dried cranberries to sauteed veggies in a skillet.

Crumble the corn muffins over the cranberry mixture in the skillet.

Crumbled cornbread over cooked veggies, dried cranberries, and pecans in a skillet.

Add the thyme, rosemary, and poultry seasoning. Combine. Add the chicken stock and combine. Taste and add a little salt and pepper if it’s needed. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Cooked cornbread dressing with cranberries and pecans in a skillet.

To prepare the game birds, pat them dry with a paper towel. Then, season each bird’s breast cavity with salt and stuff each one loosely with about a third of a cup of the cornbread stuffing.

Adding a spoonful of stuffing to the breast cavity of a cornish hen.

Tie the drumsticks together with cotton kitchen twine or butcher’s twine. Place the chickens in a shallow baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and tuck the wing tips under the birds.

Using kitchen twine to tie the drumsticks together.

Brush olive oil over each of the birds and season with the remaining salt and pepper.

Four cornish game hens in a baking dish seasoned with salt and pepper.

Bake the little hens in a preheated oven uncovered for about one hour, or until golden brown and an instant-read meat thermometer registers 160 °F when inserted in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching any bones.

Four roasted cornish game hens in a white baking dish.

Remove from the oven and let the hens rest for at least ten minutes. Due to carryover cooking, the internal temperature will rise another five degrees to 165° F.

Remove the string, place the hens on a platter, and serve immediately with the extra stuffing. If desired, especially during the holiday season, garnish with a few fresh sprigs of rosemary and fresh cranberries before serving.

A stuffed cornish hen on a plate next to cornbread stuffing.

What are Cornish hens:

Cornish hens, also called Cornish game hens, Rock Cornish game hens, Cornish rock chicken, or simply game hens, are a tiny breed of young regular chicken. These game birds are a cross between a Cornish and White Plymouth Rock chicken, and they usually average about a pound and a half.

These tiny chickens have a delicate flavor, are very versatile, and can be used and adapted to most recipes that call for bone-in chicken.

Cooking Cornish game hens is easy, and while I prefer to roast them whole in the oven, they can also be spatchcocked and cooked on the grill or cooked in an air fryer, crockpot, instant pot, or even deep fried in oil in a Dutch oven.

Recipe variations:

If you are looking for ways to vary this stuffed cornish hen recipe or use ingredients you already have, you might consider substituting rice, wild rice stuffing, or stovetop stuffing for the cornbread stuffing.
You can also use leftover Traditional Southern Cornbread Dressing or Cornbread Dressing with Sausage or roast the whole hens without stuffing.
Before cooking, the flavor can be changed by glazing the hens with either apricot jam, jelly, or even orange marmalade.
Another idea is to apply a rub to the outside of the chicken before cooking, such as the rub used in my Grilled Half Chicken or Broiled Chicken Thighs.

Serving suggestions:

I like to serve one or more of these sides with my stuffed Cornish hens: Southern Potato Salad, Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potato Casserole, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, or Baked Pineapple Casserole.

Parmesan Potatoes Au Gratin, Baked Cauliflower with Gruyere Cheese, Southern Baked Mac and Cheese, Candied Sweet Potatoes, Southern Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes, and my Green Bean Casserole without Mushroom Soup would all be good choices, too!

How to store and reheat leftovers:

Leftover stuffed cornish hens can be stored covered in your fridge for up to four days. They can also be frozen successfully for up to six months if wrapped securely and stored in an airtight container.

To reheat them, preheat your oven to 325°F. Place the leftover hens in a baking dish and pour in a splash of chicken stock or white wine. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 10-15 minutes, or just until the hens are heated through.

Make it ahead:

For the best results, I don’t recommend that you cook or stuff your Cornish Hens ahead. You can however, prepare the cornbread stuffing, and then just stuff and bake them just before you plan to serve them.

Recipe FAQs:

How to defrost?

Because most Cornish hens are frozen when purchased, it’s essential to allow enough time to defrost before you cook them. If they are frozen, thawing them in the fridge overnight is the best and safest way to defrost them.

Do Cornish hens taste different than chicken?

Because they are younger than broiler chickens, you may notice that they have a slightly sweeter, milder taste and a bit more fat. However, in general, they have the same flavor profile and texture.

Is it necessary to brine Cornish hens?

Because these hens are so young, they are very juicy and tender, and I don’t feel the need to brine them. However, if you are a fan of brining, feel free to do so before cooking them.

Expert tips and tricks:

If you want your skin to stay crispy, don’t tent the chicken while it rests. If you do tent it, the condensation can make the skin soggy.
When planning your meal, you can plan on one hen per adult.
When roasting stuffed cornish hens, if the tips of the drumsticks start to brown too quickly, cover the ends with a piece of aluminum foil.
Your hens will brown more evenly if you use a rimmed baking sheet or shallow baking pan instead of a deeper one.
If you need to roast your pecans, the easiest way is to microwave them. Simply spread out the chopped pecans on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave them in one-minute intervals until they are done.