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03/15/2019 by Aakruti Mahendra 6 Comments

Tandooori Cornish Game Hen

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Tandoori Cornish Game Hen
Tandoori Cornish Game Hen

Tandoori Cornish Game Hen is my favorite way to enjoy these tender young chickens!

What are Cornish Game Hens?

Going by the name, these birds aren’t Game birds (as game birds are hunted and taste ‘gamey’) nor are they completely ‘Cornish’. Although it’s called a Hen, the bird can be a male or a female.

In 1950s, two different bird breeds were cross-bred to create a single serving size chicken with short legs and a plump breast, less than 2 pounds in weight; that would be ready for slaughter quickly (in 5 weeks).

Cooking with Game Hens

Game Hens are usually un-boned and it’s mostly roasted whole. Barbecuing can be an option as well. In North America, they are thought as food for a fancy dinner.

One bird is usually an individual serving and accompanied with roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes or salad.

Apart from its small size, it has a distinctive tender meat that quickly absorbs flavors from a spice rub or a marinade!

I generally use Tyson Premium Cornish Hens that are widely available in the freezer section of most groceries.

My Recipe

I like experimenting with ingredients and spices and tried a bunch of different spice rubs with Cornish Game Hens before deciding to go the Tandoori way 🙂

By far, I think my Tandoori marinade compliments tender white meat and high temperatures the best! Well, at least that’s our opinion.

Young whole chicken are marinated with a yogurt marinade (with spices) and roasted at high temperature in an oven. I like serving it with sliced lemons and a fresh salad side.

A fancy, wholesome & cozy recipe for a weekend meal!

If you like the recipe or make Cornish Game Hen, please be sure to leave a comment. Above all, I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe and decide to post, please be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook!

You might also like: Chicken Tikka Kebab, Chicken Shami Kebab, Chicken Seekh Kebab

Tandoori Cornish Game Hen

Tandooori Cornish Game Hen

Young whole chicken are marinated with a yogurt marinade (with spices) and roasted at high temperature in an oven.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Indian
Keyword: Gluten-free, healthy, hearty, marination
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 55 minutes minutes
Servings: 1 Servings
Calories: 1343kcal
Author: Aakruti Mahendra

Ingredients

  • 1 Cornish Game Hen Skin removed (optional)
  • 3 tbsp plain yogurt beaten
  • 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp Cumin
  • 3/4 tsp Red chili powder adjust this based on your spice preferrence
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Chat Masala available at Indian grocery store or speciality spice stores
  • 1/2 tsp 'Kasuri Methi' or dried fenugreek leaves, crushed (available at Indian grocery stores or speciality spice stores)
  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • 4-6 drops red food color optional. This will not impact the flavor of the recipe.
  • 3 tbsp Fresh Lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp Coconut oil or any cooking oil

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 F.
  • Take the chicken out of the package and clean the cavity. Pat it dry with a paper towel.
  • Remove the skin of the bird and cut 4 to 5 long slits. I removed the skin to let the marinade stick better to the bird while roasting. You can leave the skin on as well.
  • Make marination mix with coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, 'kasuri methi', turmeric powder, garam masala powder, red color, salt, chat masala, black pepper, lemon juice and 1 tbsp oil and mix well with beaten yogurt.
  • Apply it all over the chicken making sure to apply well between all the slits and cavity.
  • If you are leaving the skin on, make sure to apply the marinade below the skin as well (as you would do with a dry spice rub).
  • Let it marinate for 1 hour.
  • Grease a roasting dish/ pan with 1 tbsp of oil. Transfer the marinated bird to this dish, drizzle remaining oil and cook in oven for 40-45 minutes till the chicken is tender.
  • 30 minutes into cooking, flip the hen and bake for another 15 mins.
  • Remove the hens and transfer to a serving dish.
  • Drizzle lemon juice, if desired and serve with a fresh seasonal salad side. Enjoy!

Notes

The nutritional value is for 1 Serving (1 Cornish hen). Please keep in mind that the nutrition value is a rough estimate and can vary based on the product used.

Nutrition

Calories: 1343kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 81g | Fat: 107g | Saturated Fat: 54g | Cholesterol: 462mg | Sodium: 347mg | Potassium: 1277mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1146IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 141mg | Iron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @aakruma or tag #heartycooksroom!
USPCA Code of Ethics Member United States Personal Chef Association

Filed Under: Main Course Tagged With: American, cornish game hen, gluten-free, healthy, Indian fusion, keto, tandoori, wholesome

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. DS says

    11/06/2020 at 8:40 pm

    5 stars
    Really good starting recipe. I did have to cook longer than the recipe said, perhaps our hen was larger? I was not paying attention to its weight so I’m not sure. Make sure to use a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the bird to ensure it is fully cooked.

    Reply
    • Aakruti Mahendra says

      11/06/2020 at 10:18 pm

      Glad you liked it 🙂 The hens that I used for this recipe were a little more than 1 lb each. And yes, using the meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, is the right way of doing it.

      Reply
  2. Dheeraj says

    11/26/2020 at 8:14 pm

    Wow
    Just saw the recipe, will try it soon

    Reply
    • Aakruti Mahendra says

      11/27/2020 at 7:51 am

      👍🏻

      Reply
  3. Selma D'souza says

    02/14/2021 at 9:32 am

    5 stars
    Excellent and easy recipe

    Reply
    • Aakruti Mahendra says

      02/14/2021 at 9:51 am

      Thank you 🙂

      Reply
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