How to cook Cornish game hens? and guess what in your SLOW COOKER!. Every part of the chicken turns out juicy and so flavorful with that Mediterranean olive oil and herbs rub.
Here is another slow cooker chicken yum that our readers love.
Cornish hens are a favorite in our home. They are small, convenient for everyone and so delicious. I have another grilled cornish hens recipe here that is absolutely finger licking.
Although I love this grilled chicken recipe, this new one is handy as it is done in the slow cooker which is for sure one of my favorite methods for cooking.
We live in a very white city here in Colorado, my kids' school reached out to me as they have noticed an increased population of other cultures and religions in their school and they wanted to get to know everyone better. This was a great even to get to know other moms and also it was a surprise for me to know that there are so much diversity in my kiddos' school.
It was really interesting to know that there are others who do not celebrate Halloween out of their respect to their god. There are others who celebrate Christmas on January 7th, like Christians who I grew up with. Others who do not eat beef, and those who are not Muslims but do not eat pork as well.
It is always a good thing to reach out and talk to people and get to know them better. I always shy from asking people about their religion or their habits during holidays for example as I do not know what will they think. And because of what is going on around us these days I do not want anyone to get any weird wrong idea. But at that meeting, I found my opportunity to listen and ask and listen very carefully and I was glad I did.
Our grandparents were very fascinated by the idea behind this meeting and waited eagerly for the results and the information I came back with. They were also very happy to see these chicken. Small birds are highly appreciated in the Middle East as they always indicate juicy and easy to eat meat.
How long does it take to cook a Cornish hen?
I cooked mine in the slow cooker for 5 hours on low. For oven baked chicken, I found that roasting them on high (400F) for 10 minutes then reduce heat to 350F and continue cooking for about 45 minutes to an hour is the best way.
How do you get crispy skin on Cornish hens?
After cooking the chicken in the slow cooker, I like popping them under the broiler in the oven or pan sear them with butter until skin gets browned and crispy.
How do you slow cook a Cornish hen?
Seriously it is super easy to make, just dump, set and forget kind of recipe.
- In a bowl, combine all herbs together and mix well.
- Add olive oil and mix.
- Rub the hens inside out and under the skin with the rub.
- Place in your slow cooker, add some chicken broth or water if you would like.
- Cover and cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours.
- If you would like a crispy skin, place chicken under broiler or pan sear them on stovetop
Just as simple as that, you'll have a flavorful, tender chicken to go with any veggies of your choice. I've served mine with freekeh pilaf, roasted asparagus and sweet potato fries.
Easy weeknight slow cooker recipes
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Slow Cooker Cornish hens
Ingredients
Rub mixture:
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt.
- ½ Tablespoon paprika.
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom.
- ½ teaspoon basil.
- ½ teaspoon oregano.
- ½ teaspoon sage.
- 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder.
- ¼ cup olive oil.
- 2 cornish hens
- ½ cup chicken broth.
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the rub ingredients together.
- Rub the chicken inside out with the mixture.
- Place chicken in your slow cooker.
- Pour the broth in and set the crockpot on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours.
- Let it set for 5 minutes before taking it our and serving *
Video
Notes
- Make sure to clean the cavity of each hen well.
- You may want to tie the legs with kitchen twine.
- You can also put them under the broiler for a crispier skin.
- Make sure the internal temperature on instant read thermometer reaches 180 degrees F when inserted into inner thigh.
- Serve with Lebanese rice and roasted vegetables or sweet potato fries with some lemon wedges on the side.
- To store: Place any leftover in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a lightly oiled r buttered skillet on your stove.
Nutrition
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Leslie
Absolutely delicious! Meat was juicy and seasoned just right!!
Didi Ken
Made these instead of Turkey last Thanksgiving. Turned out delicious! Everyone was delighted. I will be making it again this year.
Fraun
We loved it!!!
Barbara Roberts
Wonderful combination of herbs and seasonings!
Huguette
Looks so amazing and delicious looking, will be making it this weekend.
Thank you for sharing.
Lisa
May I ask how long you typically broil the cornish hens to get them crispy after cooking them in the slow cooker? Is there a certain amount of time per hen or is there just a baseline time regardless of if you do 2-4 hens? Or do you just start checking it periodically after a certain amount of time until they look how you want them to? I get that everyone's experience might be different, I'm just looking for a generalized answer since that seems like such an interesting touch after having slow cooked them. Any advice on this matter would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Amira
Lisa, I just put them in under the broiler and start checking them like after 3 minutes. I hope this helps.
Maya E Cichowicz
Hi, I just wanted to confirm that you put both Cornish hens in the slow cooker. Would a 4 qt slow cooker work for two?
MJ Wood
Yes. That is what I used. It's tight but worked fine and you don't have to worry about tying the legs. 🙂
Betty
Do you ever include vegetables in slow cooker with the hens?
Amira
Betty, in this recipe I did not but you can if you want to. Check out this slow cooker thighs recipe with potatoes here.
Sara-Lynn Sullivan
I absolutely love this recipe! It has become a staple in my household. I would like to try this recipe for my turkey at thanksgiving. Would you be able to tell me how I should increase this recipe? My bird will be aprox 3-5kg (6-11lbs)
Thank you
Amira
Sara, thank you for your feedback, I am happy you like it. I haven't tried that before but I am currently developing one and will let you know.
gg
What do you do with the olive oil?
Amira
GG, you mix it in with the rest of the spices and rub the chicken with that mixture.
Tasha
Can you use frozen hens?
Amira
I haven't tried that Tasha.
Maggie
This was incredibly delicious! I made it in the slower cooker and did not broil it when it was done. It came out perfect. Thank you for a fantastic recipe!
Amira
Maggie, thank you so much for your feedback, I am so happy that you liked them.
DJoz0
Do you cover the hens in broth or just half cup?
Amira
No just the half cup.
George Hubbell
I love Cornish Game Hens and appreciate the recipes you've shared. I lost the slow cooker recipe I once used and am now looking for others.
Incidentally, I'm a "senior citizen" (77 yrs now) and live alone so I'm learning more about using my Crock Pot. I do NOT eat any foods listed as "unclean" per the Bible either. (Often mis-named as "Kosher.")
I noticed a mention of "pan searing" the game hens for a crispy skin (love that), but I do not know how this is done. Anyone who knows how to do this, please share the method?
Also, I use butter, coconut oil, or Ghee for frying; never lard, soybean oil, etc. I do use virgin olive oil for salad dressing recipes.
Enough for now, thanks.
George
Amira
Hello George, thank you for your feedback. To sear in a skillet, just heat your favorite fat ( butter, ghee,..) over medium high then place the chicken in and turn it to brown and crisp from all sides. Make sure to use a big enough, deep enough skillet as it will splash. Hope this helps.
Sara
This is by far the BEST most delicious chicken recipe I have EVER eaten... in my life! So wonderfully delicious and my baby loves it too I can’t always get my hands on game hens so I just use a whole chicken and it works just as well!! I love this dish so much that I have forced my family to make it as well. Thank you
Amira
Sara, thank you sooo much for your sweet comment and feedback, I am glad you liked the recipe and even more happy that you little one loved it. It is seriously hard to get them to eat something :).
Yevette
Today I made this for something new. Before I add the rub onto the hens I tasted the rub and it was assume. I’m so bless full that I came across your recipe. Can’t wait til it’s finish and I’ll will definitely tell you or pic of the outcome.
Amira
So happy you liked it Yevette and I will be waiting for your picture. Thank you so much for the feedback.
Mike H
I made this for dinner tonight. It was the first time I had ever cooked cornish game hens. I had always been a little hesitant to try them, but your recipe sounded so easy I thought it would be good to try. They had them on sale 2 for $7 at our super market last weekend, so I bought a couple. I noticed in the picture that you used a plastic liner for the crock pot which is such a great idea! I bought a package of Reynolds oven roasting bags, which I guess are meant for roasting things in the oven, but I used it for this and it worked great. No cleanup to do of the crock pot. I saved the broth in the fridge to use for making chicken flavored rice in a day or two, which I think might go really well.
The birds were delicious! We had to go out for a few hours and when we came back and opened the door, the smell of the cooking hens smelled so good. I did what you suggested and took them out of the crock pot after a little more than 5 hours on low. I put them in a shallow pan lined with foil and stuck them under the broiler for a few minutes to brown them up. The meat was so moist and was just fall off the bone and melt in your mouth. And the flavors really good. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for another great and easy to make recipe.
Amira
Oh YUM, these look sooo mouthwatering and I am craving them right now. It is super hard for these to go on sale where I like they are always around $9-$10 I think. Thank you so much for your detailed feedback and for the pictures. I am sure many will find your comment helpful. I am happy you liked them.
Sarah Kathryn
Seriously, never thought you could do a cornish in th crockpot, but I am trying it right now! Smells absolutely fantabulous, I changed some of the ingredients, should be done by the time my husband gets home! Thank you for great ideas!!!
Amira
Thank you Sarah for your feedback, I am happy that you like it.
Pamela
I had been searching for alternative methods to cook game hens. I am so happy to have found this, not only easy to prepare but a wonderful meal. I served with wild rice and broccoli. Loved it!! Thank you this will be added to my favorite recipes.
Amira
Pamela, your comment made my day <3, thank you so much for trying the recipe. I am happy you liked it.
Sarah Kaldas
Hello,
I have a question.
In the pictures it looks like you have a plastic cover on the slow cooker. What is that and why do you have it on there? Is it a special cooking plastic?
Amira
Sarah, these are slow cooker liners for easy cleaning. They are not a necessity for the recipe.
Scott Landry
Excellent recipe...very easy for a busy Saturday or Sunday.
A couple of notes:
I could not find cardamom so I used a mixture of clove/cinnamon/nutmeg and the flavors did wonders for the taste. Just need to make sure that they are minimized because they came through STRONG in the final meal.
Second comment is that I put some of the seasonings in the broth during the cooking process to get the taste infused in the entire bird.
GREAT RECIPE, it's in my little favorite recipe book.
Amira
Scott, thank you for trying this recipe and I am happy you liked it. Your notes are very important as not many people might have cardamom in their spice drawer, this is a great substitute. Thanks again.
Sara Solom
This was easy and everyone enjoyed dinner.
Amira
This is great, Sara. Thank you so much for the feedback.
May Bentley
These were delicious, I used butter instead and roasted them for 10 minutes in the oven after they were done.
Amira
Awesome, thanks for the feedback May!