Cornish Game Hens With Double Cranberry And Thyme Sauce Recipe

Name: Cornish Game Hens With Double Cranberry And Thyme Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: Serves 1 or more
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter; Golden Brown Sugar; Fresh Thyme; Cornish Hens; All Purpose Flour; Low Sodium Chicken Broth; White Grape Juice; Frozen Cranberry Juice Concentrate; Dried Sweetened Cranberries

Impress your loved one with this elegant and flavorful Cornish Game Hen dinner! Perfect for a romantic Valentine's Day meal, a cozy anniversary dinner, or any special occasion, this recipe features succulent game hens roasted to perfection and drizzled with a rich, double cranberry-thyme sauce. The complete menu includes a sophisticated side of sautéed green beans and wild mushrooms, a nutty wild rice pilaf, and a decadent chocolate mousse with rum-spiked whipped cream and crystallized ginger for dessert. This recipe is surprisingly easy to make and yields a restaurant-quality meal in under an hour.

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Calories 868.4 kcal

Protein 141g

Rating 4.6 (5 Reviews)

Cornish Game Hens With Double Cranberry And Thyme Sauce

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Recipe adapted from Food.com. Standardized by Forktionary.

Ingredients for Cornish Game Hens With Double Cranberry And Thyme Sauce

3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter
Golden Brown Sugar
Fresh Thyme
Cornish Hens
All Purpose Flour
Low Sodium Chicken Broth
White Grape Juice
Frozen Cranberry Juice Concentrate
Dried Sweetened Cranberries

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How to Make Cornish Game Hens With Double Cranberry And Thyme Sauce

Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C).
In a small bowl, cream together 2 tablespoons (28g) of butter, 1 tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves.
Season the Cornish hen halves generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Spread half of the butter-sugar-thyme mixture evenly over the skin of each hen half.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Place the hen halves, skin-side down, in the hot skillet.
Sear until the skin is deeply golden brown and crispy, about 4 minutes per side.
Flip the hens, skin-side up, and sear for 1 minute.
Remove the hens from the skillet and set aside.
Transfer the hen halves, skin-side up, to a small rimmed baking sheet.
In the same skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon (14g) of butter over medium heat.
Whisk in 1/2 tablespoon (7g) of all-purpose flour until smooth.
Gradually whisk in 1 cup (240ml) of chicken broth, 1/2 cup (120ml) of grape juice, 1/4 cup (60ml) of cranberry sauce concentrate, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking frequently, until the sauce has reduced to about 3/4 cup (180ml), about 7-10 minutes.
Stir in 1/2 cup (70g) fresh or frozen cranberries.
Simmer for another 2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
Roast the hen halves in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the juices run clear when pierced with a fork.
Serve the roasted Cornish hen halves topped generously with the cranberry-thyme sauce.