Cornish Game Hens With Cilantro Butter

Cilantro, garlic, butter, and lime zest give these roasted Cornish game hens a unique flavor. The game hens are roasted to perfection with the butter mixture. This is an excellent main dish for Sunday dinner.

Recipe Variations

• Replace the cilantro and lemon zest with basil and lemon zest.
• Instead of cilantro, use Italian flat-leaf parsley.

Cornish Game Hens With Cilantro Butter

Diana

Try this delicious recipe for Cornish game hens with cilantro butter. Roasted to perfection, they make the perfect main dish for a Sunday dinner or special occasion.

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Servings 4 to 6 servings

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Course Sunday Dinner

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Ingredients

  

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• 4 Cornish game hens, about 1 3/4 pounds each
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, crushed and finely minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 375 F.
• In a bowl, combine the softened butter with the lime zest, juice, minced garlic, and the fresh chopped cilantro. Mash and blend well with a fork.
• Gently separate the skin from the breast meat and tuck a few teaspoons of the cilantro butter mixture evenly under the skin of each hen.
• Arrange the game hens in a roasting pan.
• Put any remaining cilantro butter mixture in the cavity of the birds or rub some over the skin. Sprinkle the hens lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Roast the Cornish game hens for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the birds register at least 165 F on an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh of a hen.

Keyword cornish game hens

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