Roasted Cornish Hens with Honeycrisp Apple & Cranberry Basmati Rice Stuffing
Roasted Cornish Hens with Honeycrisp Apple & Cranberry Basmati Rice Stuffing
Ingredients
For the Basmati Rice
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the Stuffing Mixture
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 Honeycrisp apple, cored and diced into small, uniform pieces
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced into small pieces
- 4 strips bacon, diced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
For the Cornish Hens
- 2 Cornish hens
- 1 teaspoon salt, or as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or as needed
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
For Garnish
- 4 fresh sage leaves
- 1/4 cup Honeycrisp apple, extra diced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Basmati Rice: In a medium pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir in 1 cup of Basmati rice and 1 tablespoon of butter. Stir once, then cover with a lid, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is light and fluffy. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
⏱️ 25 min
- 2
Prepare the Stuffing Mixture: While the rice cooks, finely chop 1 tablespoon of fresh sage and 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme. Core and dice 1 Honeycrisp apple into small, uniform pieces. Peel and dice 1 yellow onion into small pieces. Dice 4 strips of bacon.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Cook the Stuffing Base: In a large skillet, sauté the diced yellow onion over medium heat until it softens and begins to caramelize, about 5-7 minutes. Add the diced bacon to the skillet with the onions and cook until both are browned and rendered, about 8-10 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
⏱️ 17 min
- 4
Combine Stuffing Ingredients: Add the diced Honeycrisp apple and 1/2 cup of dried cranberries to the skillet with the onion and bacon mixture. Stir in the chopped fresh sage and thyme. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the apple slightly softens. Remove from heat. Combine this cooked fruit, herb, and meat mixture thoroughly with the prepared fluffy Basmati rice.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Preheat Oven and Prepare Hens: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Season the two Cornish hens generously with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper on all sides, including the cavities.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 400
- 6
Stuff and Arrange Hens: Carefully stuff each hen with the prepared Basmati rice, apple, cranberry, bacon, and herb mixture using a spoon. Do not overpack. In a cast-iron skillet or roasting pan, arrange a bed of roughly chopped celery stalks and carrots. Place the stuffed Cornish hens on top of the vegetable bed.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Roast the Hens: Brush the hens with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Place the skillet in the preheated oven and roast for 45-55 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh, and the skin is beautifully golden-brown. Baste the hens with melted butter or pan drippings every 15-20 minutes during baking to promote a rich, golden-brown skin and ensure moist meat.
⏱️ 55 min•🌡️ 400
- 8
Rest and Serve: Once cooked, carefully transfer the roasted Cornish hens from the skillet to a decorative serving platter. Let the hens rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve additional portions of the Basmati rice stuffing alongside or underneath the hens. Garnish with fresh sage leaves and extra diced apple pieces, if desired.
⏱️ 10 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Roasted Cornish Hens with Honeycrisp Apple & Cranberry Basmati Rice Stuffing
Ingredients
For the Basmati Rice
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the Stuffing Mixture
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 Honeycrisp apple, cored and diced into small, uniform pieces
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced into small pieces
- 4 strips bacon, diced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
For the Cornish Hens
- 2 Cornish hens
- 1 teaspoon salt, or as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or as needed
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
For Garnish
- 4 fresh sage leaves
- 1/4 cup Honeycrisp apple, extra diced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Basmati Rice: In a medium pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir in 1 cup of Basmati rice and 1 tablespoon of butter. Stir once, then cover with a lid, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is light and fluffy. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
⏱️ 25 min - 2
Prepare the Stuffing Mixture: While the rice cooks, finely chop 1 tablespoon of fresh sage and 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme. Core and dice 1 Honeycrisp apple into small, uniform pieces. Peel and dice 1 yellow onion into small pieces. Dice 4 strips of bacon.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Cook the Stuffing Base: In a large skillet, sauté the diced yellow onion over medium heat until it softens and begins to caramelize, about 5-7 minutes. Add the diced bacon to the skillet with the onions and cook until both are browned and rendered, about 8-10 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
⏱️ 17 min - 4
Combine Stuffing Ingredients: Add the diced Honeycrisp apple and 1/2 cup of dried cranberries to the skillet with the onion and bacon mixture. Stir in the chopped fresh sage and thyme. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the apple slightly softens. Remove from heat. Combine this cooked fruit, herb, and meat mixture thoroughly with the prepared fluffy Basmati rice.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Preheat Oven and Prepare Hens: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Season the two Cornish hens generously with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper on all sides, including the cavities.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 400 - 6
Stuff and Arrange Hens: Carefully stuff each hen with the prepared Basmati rice, apple, cranberry, bacon, and herb mixture using a spoon. Do not overpack. In a cast-iron skillet or roasting pan, arrange a bed of roughly chopped celery stalks and carrots. Place the stuffed Cornish hens on top of the vegetable bed.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Roast the Hens: Brush the hens with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Place the skillet in the preheated oven and roast for 45-55 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh, and the skin is beautifully golden-brown. Baste the hens with melted butter or pan drippings every 15-20 minutes during baking to promote a rich, golden-brown skin and ensure moist meat.
⏱️ 55 min•🌡️ 400 - 8
Rest and Serve: Once cooked, carefully transfer the roasted Cornish hens from the skillet to a decorative serving platter. Let the hens rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve additional portions of the Basmati rice stuffing alongside or underneath the hens. Garnish with fresh sage leaves and extra diced apple pieces, if desired.
⏱️ 10 min