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.
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.