Cornbread-Stuffed Cornish Hens
These hens are easy to make and don't take too long in the oven. They always look impressive but aren’t that difficult to make. You can serve them with Corn Maque Choux, like we did in the photo, and a hearty grain dish. They're juicy, tender, and full of flavor.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup onion chopped
- ½ cup celery chopped
- 1 ½ cup golden delicious or granny smith apples diced
- 2 tsp fresh sage chopped
- 2 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ tsp pepper
- 4 cups cornbread about 11 oz
- 1 large egg beaten
- ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese coarsely grated, about 2 oz
- 6 Tbsp apple juice or cider
- 4 Cornish game hens
- 1 Tbsp fresh sage chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ cup white wine
Instructions
Stuffing
- Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; sauté until beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Add apples; sauté until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Mix in sage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; transfer to large bowl. Let stand until almost cool, about 10 minutes.
- Mix cornbread into vegetables. Add egg and toss to blend. Mix in cheese, then enough apple cider by tablespoonfuls to form stuffing that is moist but not wet.
Hens
- Sprinkle cavity of each hen with salt and pepper. Pack 1 cup stuffing into each (place any leftover stuffing into buttered ramekins and cover with foil). Tuck wing tips under; tie legs together to hold shape. Mix sage, coarse salt, and pepper in small bowl; sprinkle over hens.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place hens in baking or roasting pan. Drizzle with a healthy amount of olive oil. Bake until the oil on the bottom starts to burn, add the wine and continue cooking until done, about 45-50 minutes total.
Notes
Although the picture shows two boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix, one should be enough for the stuffing.