Roasted Spatchcock Cornish Hen Recipe (One Sheet Pan, 30 Minutes)

Crispy roasted Cornish hens topped with lemon and rosemary, served with Brussels sprouts and roasted sweet potatoes.

5 from 5 votes

Roasted Spatchcock Cornish Hen Recipe (One Sheet Pan, 30 Minutes)

Spatchcocked Cornish hens roast until golden and crisp in under 30 minutes, with sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts cooking alongside on the same pan, seasoned simply with lemon and fresh herbs.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, English

Servings: Servings

Calories: 137.17kcal

Author: Sarah Hill

Equipment

Ingredients

2 (1-2 pound) Cornish game hens
1 sweet potato diced
2 cups Brussels sprouts quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1 sprig each of fresh thyme and rosemary
½ lemon juiced

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Pat dry the Cornish hens with paper towels and place them on a flat, sturdy surface.
2 (1-2 pound) Cornish game hens
Spatchcock the hens. The backbone should be facing up towards you. Use kitchen shears to carefully snip along each side of the backbone.
When the backbone is removed, flip the hen over so the breasts are facing up. Grab underneath the breasts with your fingers so your thumbs are still on the breasts. Push down with your thumbs at the same time you pull out with your fingers. You should hear the bone crack and the hen should now lay flat.
Place the Cornish hens breast side up on a sheet pan. Scatter the diced sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts around the hens.
1 sweet potato, 2 cups Brussels sprouts
Season everything with olive oil, salt and black pepper. To a bowl, add the lemon juice, garlic, thyme and rosemary. With a pastry brush, rub this mixture all over the hens.
2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 2-3 cloves garlic, 1 sprig each of fresh thyme and rosemary, ½ lemon
Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. The internal temperature of the Cornish hens should be 165 degrees F. Cook longer in 5 minutes increments if the hen is below 165 degrees.

Video

Notes

Roast for 30 minutes at 425°F, or 35 to 40 minutes if starting from cold after prepping ahead. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.

Nutrition