Cornish Hen with Rice Stuffing for that Perfect Dinner Plans

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Published: May 7, 2022

Updated: June 1, 2023

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Impress your guests with stuffed Cornish hens filled with spiced lamb and fluffy rice. Each bite is a heavenly combination of savory flavors and textures that will leave them raving.

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Type of Cuisine:

Middle Eastern

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Prep Time: 30 minutes.

Total Time: 1 hour

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How Many Servings?

6-8 servings

Table of Contents

 This Cornish hen recipe is an elegant meal my mom used to serve on special occasions or when guests come over. Cornish hen is a tender, delicate, small chicken best suited alongside yogurt cucumber salad, Salata Arabia, and Fattouch Salad.

In Arabic, this dish is called Farooj mahshi, which translates to stuffed Cornish hens. When I make this dish, I make the traditional Middle Eastern stuffing on the side. The filling is made with ground lamb, toasted nuts, and fresh peas. 

Cornish hens take almost half the time to cook compared to regular chickens, making this meal quick and easy to prepare. During the last five minutes of cooking, I brush them with ghee to give them caramelized color and crispy skin. 

This is a perfect meal to treat your family or guests to a special dinner. You spent hours preparing this. After just one bite of this dish, your guests will be raving about it for weeks! They will think and be impressed with your cooking skills. For elaborate meals, you may want to try The Roasted Chicken with Za’atar, and Sumac is a perfect choice if you want to eat chicken.

What is a Cornish Hen?

A Cornish hen is a small chicken originating from Cornwall in England. Although they are also known as Cornish game hens, they are not game birds. Instead, they are farmed like regular chickens. Because of this, they have a relatively mild and delicate flavor and do not taste gamey. 

Cornish hens are a mix of two chicken breeds: Indian game chicken and White Plymouth Rock. These two breeds are both full-sized chickens that are commonly eaten. 

Even though Cornish hens are delicious and the perfect size, they are unfortunately highly underrated. They can mature to become full-sized chickens but tend to be eaten younger than regular chickens, making them smaller. A typical Cornish hen only weighs about two pounds. Their small sizes usually mean one or two people can eat an entire hen alone. 

Where Can I Buy Cornish Hen

You can find fresh Cornish hens in high-end markets, but they are a bit pricey! Alternatively, you can purchase frozen ones at a more affordable price at traditional markets. They should be kept in the refrigerator for a day or two until they defrost.  

How to Cook this dish

Make your next special occasion one to remember with the perfect main course: delicious Cornish hens! Whether you’re looking to stuff them with your favorite ingredients or simply roast, grill, or braise them, these birds are incredibly versatile. Furthermore, stuffing the hens with festive ingredients makes an impressive presentation and adds flavor to the dish. Check the internal temperature and ensure it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit before serving. Ultimately, whichever cooking method you choose, the result is bound to be mouth-watering and unforgettable!

Ingredient List
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Preparation

1.
Rub the outside and the inside of the Cornish hens with salt and vinegar, and wash them with cold water. Pat the Cornish hens dry with some paper towels.

Drizzle the Cornish hens with olive oil and lemon juice, and sprinkle salt, pepper, paprika, and a small amount of Bharat. Then, cross the legs and tie them together.

Let them marinate in the refrigerator for an hour.
Mark as complete
2.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Arrange the Cornish hens on a baking tray and cook them covered for 30 minutes. Then, uncover them and cook for another 15 minutes.

Brush the Cornish hens with one tablespoon of ghee and turn on the broiler in your oven. Brown the Cornish hens under the broiler to caramelize color for about 3 minutes. Make sure the Cornish hens have an internal temperature of 165 F.

Mark as complete
3.
Over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven pot, add two tablespoons of olive oil.

Add the ground meats and break them apart with a wooden spoon.

Add the chopped onion, and sauté for 5 minutes. Then add the spices and sauté for another 5 minutes.
Mark as complete
4.
Add the stock or the water and bring it to a boil. Add the rice, peas, and ghee.

Lower the heat to low and simmer until the rice absorbs all the water for about 25 minutes; turn off the heat and keep the lid closed for another 15 minutes.
Mark as complete
5.
A beautifully plated dish of stuffed Cornish hens with rice and lamb, garnished with peas and served alongside a refreshing yogurt cucumber salad.
Arrange on a large platter, and add the toasted nuts all around. Serve with Salata Arabia and cucumber yogurt salad. Enjoy the feast!
Mark as complete

Please Support The SiteHome Cooking is Easy!With These Minimalist Kitchen Essentials

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Ingredients:

Adjust Servings
6 Cornish hens
2 lemons (juiced)
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons baharat
1 tablespoon Ghee or clarified butter
salt and pepper to taste
For the Rice Stuffing:
half-pound of ground lamb and a half-pound of ground beef
2 cups peas (either fresh or frozen)
2 cups basmati rice (washed and soaked in warm water for 25 minutes and drained )
1 onion (chopped)
½ cup toasted pine nuts
½ cup toasted slivered almond
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon baharat
1 tablespoon hewaja (substitute with 1 teaspoon curry and 1 teaspoon turmeric)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon ghee or clarified butter
4 cups chicken stock or water

Preparation

1
Rub the outside and the inside of the Cornish hens with salt and vinegar, and wash them with cold water. Pat the Cornish hens dry with some paper towels. Drizzle the Cornish hens with olive oil and lemon juice, and sprinkle salt, pepper, paprika, and a small amount of Bharat. Then, cross the legs and tie them together. Let them marinate in the refrigerator for an hour.
2
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Arrange the Cornish hens on a baking tray and cook them covered for 30 minutes. Then, uncover them and cook for another 15 minutes. Brush the Cornish hens with one tablespoon of ghee and turn on the broiler in your oven. Brown the Cornish hens under the broiler to caramelize color for about 3 minutes. Make sure the Cornish hens have an internal temperature of 165 F.
3
Over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven pot, add two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the ground meats and break them apart with a wooden spoon. Add the chopped onion, and sauté for 5 minutes. Then add the spices and sauté for another 5 minutes.
4
Add the stock or the water and bring it to a boil. Add the rice, peas, and ghee. Lower the heat to low and simmer until the rice absorbs all the water for about 25 minutes; turn off the heat and keep the lid closed for another 15 minutes.
5
Arrange on a large platter, and add the toasted nuts all around. Serve with Salata Arabia and cucumber yogurt salad. Enjoy the feast!

Recipe Tips & Suggestions

How to store and reheat Cornish hens:

Storing Cornish hens is quite simple. If you have leftovers, allow the hens to cool to room temperature before placing them in an airtight container or tightly sealed plastic bag. Store the container or bag in the refrigerator for up to three days. When reheating, there are a couple of options to choose from. One option is to preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place the hens in a baking dish, covering them with foil to prevent drying. Heat for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Alternatively, you can reheat the hens in the microwave. Place the hens in a microwave-safe dish and cover them with a lid or plastic wrap, leaving a small opening to allow steam to escape. Heat on medium power for 2-3 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Whether reheating in the oven or the microwave, be sure to check the internal temperature with a food thermometer to ensure they are heated through

Rana’s Notes!

You can also use other grains instead of rice, such as bulgur, quinoa, or couscous, to vary the texture and nutrition.
You can marinate the Cornish hens in advance up to 12 hours with a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and spices, to infuse more flavor and tenderness into the meat.
Finally, you can garnish the hens with some chopped herbs and nuts, such as parsley, mint, cilantro, almonds, pine nuts, or pistachios, to add more crunch and color to the dish. Serve the hens with the salads and some warm pita bread, and enjoy the feast!
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