Cilantro, garlic, butter, and lime zest give these roasted Cornish game hens a unique flavor. The game hens are roasted to perfection with the butter mixture. This is an excellent main dish for Sunday dinner.
Recipe Variations
- Replace the cilantro and lemon zest with basil and lemon zest.
- Instead of cilantro, use Italian flat-leaf parsley.
Cornish Game Hens With Cilantro Butter
Try this delicious recipe for Cornish game hens with cilantro butter. Roasted to perfection, they make the perfect main dish for a Sunday dinner or special occasion.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Sunday Dinner
- Method: Roast
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 Cornish game hens, about 1 3/4 pounds each
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 clove garlic, crushed and finely minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375 F.
- In a bowl, combine the softened butter with the lime zest, juice, minced garlic, and the fresh chopped cilantro. Mash and blend well with a fork.
- Gently separate the skin from the breast meat and tuck a few teaspoons of the cilantro butter mixture evenly under the skin of each hen.
- Arrange the game hens in a roasting pan.
- Put any remaining cilantro butter mixture in the cavity of the birds or rub some over the skin. Sprinkle the hens lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast the Cornish game hens for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the birds register at least 165 F on an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh of a hen.
