Crockpot Cornish game hens are a delicious, elegant main dish perfect for entertaining. This slow cooker recipe will wow everyone effortlessly! Perfect anytime or as a holiday main.

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I love making a good chicken dinner, and I love it even more when I don’t have to do tons of work.

And it’s even better when the resulting meal is so pretty and elegant that you could serve it for the holidays or a fancy dinner party.

That is exactly the case with these crockpot Cornish game hens.

You get a gorgeous, incredibly delicious dinner and your slow cooker does most of the heavy lifting for you!

Is a Cornish game hen just a small chicken?

Sort of.

A Cornish game hen is a type of broiler chicken, which are raised specifically for the meat.

They are not actually wild game birds, which are not nearly as tender as these Cornish hens.

Part of the reason they are so tender is because they are normally served young so the meat doesn’t have a chance to toughen up into muscle fibers.

Do Cornish game hens taste like chicken?

While they have a more delicate flavor than a full sized chicken, they still have a distinctly chicken taste.

Ingredients

Cornish game hens– You can find them near the whole chickens in the meat section of the grocery store.
Onions– Peeled and quartered
Chicken stock
Butter– Thinly sliced
Spices- Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, fresh rosemary, and salt and pepper

How to Make

These Cornish hens are so easy to make thanks to the slow cooker!

It’s basically a set it and forget it kind of meal.

To make it, add the onion and chicken stock to the bottom of the crockpot.

Then, pat the cornish hens dry with paper towels.

When the hens are dry, rub them down on all sides with the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, thyme leaves, and salt and pepper.

Set the seasoned game hens to the bowl of the crockpot on top of the onions.

Top the chickens evenly with the thin slices of butter and sprinkle the rosemary evenly out overtop.

Put the lid on the crockpot, and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.

Carefully remove the cooked hens from the crockpot and transfer them to a serving platter.

Let them rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with and enjoy!

How to Turn the Leftover Stock into Gravy

To turn the leftover stock into gravy, start by melting 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan.

When the butter has melted, whisk in an equal amount of flour until it forms a golden paste.

Then, whisk in the leftover stock and some of the pan drippings.

Bring it to a simmer and let it thicken up.

Should you cook Cornish hens breast side up or breast side down?

Cook these breast side up.

How do you know when a Cornish game hen is done?

Then hens are done when a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the hen reads 165 and the juices run clear.

How many Cornish hens do I need?

This recipe serves 4 so it is 1 hen per 2 people.

Scale the recipe up as needed.

Tips and Tricks

If crispy chicken is a must have for you, carefully transfer the hens to a baking dish after cooking them in the crockpot and broil them in the oven (watching closely so they don’t char) just until golden brown and crispy.
Can’t find fresh rosemary? You can substitute a teaspoon of dried rosemary.
Don’t skimp on the butter. It adds so much flavor and moisture and helps the skin crisp up if you do choose to broil the hens.

Other Crockpot Chicken Recipes

Crockpot Cornish game hens are a lovely main dish, perfect for entertaining any time.

Make them and enjoy!

Looking for other crockpot chicken recipes? Try these:

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