¼cupshallotsfinely minced (can substitute sweet onion or scallions)
2ribsceleryfinely minced
⅓cupdried cranberries
½cuppecans
½cupchicken broth
1teaspoonfresh thymechopped
1teaspoonfresh rosemarychopped
½teaspoonpoultry seasoning
Cornish Game Hens Ingredients:
4Cornish Hens
2tablespoonsolive oil
2teaspoonskosher salt
½teaspoonsground black pepper
Instructions
Cranberry Stuffing Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and celery and cook for about five minutes, or until the veggies are translucent and soft.
Add cranberries and pecans and cook for an additional three minutes, or until the cranberries have plumped up.
Crumble the corn muffins over the cranberry mixture. Add thyme, rosemary, and poultry seasoning. Mix well. Add the chicken broth. Mix well and taste. Add a little salt and pepper, if needed. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Cornish Hens Directions:
Pat birds dry with a paper towel and season each cavity with salt. Stuff each bird with about one-third cup of the cranberry stuffing. Tie the drumsticks together with kitchen string and place in a baking dish, which has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Brush olive oil over each of the birds and season all over with additional salt and pepper.
Bake for about one hour, or until the hens are golden brown and the meat registers 165 degrees on a meat thermometer. Remove from the oven let the birds rest for at least ten minutes.
Remove the kitchen string and place the hens on a platter to serve. Optional, garnish with fresh sprigs of rosemary and cranberries. Serve immediately.
Notes
If your birds are frozen, thawing in the fridge overnight is the best and safest way to defrost them. Leftovers, if you have them, can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. They can be frozen for up to nine months. Unlike most baked dishes, this recipe works best if you don't tent it while the chicken rests. If you do tent it, the condensation might make the skin soggy. Plan to serve one cornish hen per person. You can cook the Cornish hens without the stuffing if you prefer, or change it up. Other stuffing ideas include wild rice stuffing, Cornbread and Sausage Dressing, and Sourdough Bread and Apple Stuffing.