Best 9 Grilled Game Hens With Moroccan Spices Recipes

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Indulge in a tantalizing culinary journey with our exquisite grilled game hens infused with the vibrant flavors of Moroccan spices. These succulent birds are meticulously prepared and marinated in a captivating blend of aromatic herbs and spices, promising a symphony of flavors in every bite. Perfectly grilled to achieve a golden-brown crispiness, the game hens are complemented by a delightful assortment of accompaniments. Savor the zesty flavors of a refreshing cucumber-tomato salad, the tangy sweetness of a honey-glazed carrot medley, and the fragrant allure of fluffy saffron rice. As you embark on this culinary adventure, be prepared to tantalize your taste buds and create a memorable dining experience.

Here are our top 9 tried and tested recipes!

GRILLED GAME HENS



Grilled Game Hens image

I love to cook and bake just about everything, but grilling is my specialty. These game hens pick up wonderful flavor from a sweet and refreshing marinade.-Kriss Erickson, Kalauea, Hawaii

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 40m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 Cornish game hens (20 to 24 ounces each), split lengthwise
1/2 cup olive oil
2/3 cup white wine vinegar
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 to 3 tablespoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Dash pepper

Steps:

  • Place hens in a large resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour half into bag; add the hens. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade. , Drain and discard marinade from hens. Place hens in a 13x9-in. disposable aluminum pan. Pour reserved marinade over hens; cover pan. , Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 35-40 minutes or until a thermometer reads 180° and meat juices run clear, basting frequently. Place hens directly over heat for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time, turning once.

Nutrition Facts :

GRILLED GAME HENS WITH MOROCCAN SPICES



Grilled Game Hens With Moroccan Spices image

Posting for ZWT6, a recipe from Steven Raichlen's "The BBQ Bible". Heres a dish for the poultry lovers that's fairly bursting with Moroccan spice flavors. Cumin, ginger, paprika and cilantro combine to transform a commonplace bird into a flame-cooked triumph. Time doesn't include the marinating time.

Provided by diner524

Categories     Poultry

Time 30m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

4 rock cornish game hens (each about 1 lb)
1 medium onion, grated
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
lemon wedge (to garnish)

Steps:

  • Remove and dicard the fat just inside the body cavities of the game hens. Remove any packages of giblets. Rinse the hens, inside and out, under cold running water, then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Cut each game hen lenghtwise in half with poultry shears. Place birds in a large, deep nonreactive bowl or baking dish and set aside while you make the marinade.
  • Combine the onion, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, oil, salt, cumin, paprika, ginger and pepper in a small bowl and whisk to mix. Pour the mixture over the game hens, turning them to thoroughly coat. Cover and let marinade in the refrigerate for 1 to 8 hours, (the longer the better) turning the birds occasionally.
  • Preheat the grill, one area for high heat and another area for medium heat.
  • When ready to cook, oil the grill grate. Remove the game hens from the marinade and arrange, skin side down, on the grate over the hotter section of the grill 3-5 minutes and then move to medium heat for another 5-7 minutes Using tongs turn the hens over (skin side up) and onto the high heat area and cook 3-5 minutes and then move over to the medium heat and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes or until juices run clear.
  • Transfer the hens to serving plates and serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges.

MOROCCAN-STYLE CORNISH GAME HENS



Moroccan-Style Cornish Game Hens image

Categories     Chicken     Game     Poultry     Vegetable     Roast     Dinner     Spice     Carrot     Fall     Winter     Bon Appétit     Paleo     Dairy Free     Wheat/Gluten-Free     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     Kosher

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoons cardamom seeds (from about 1 1/2 tablespoons cardamom pods)
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1/2 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 Cornish game hens (each 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds), rinsed, patted dry
1 pound carrots, peeled, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
Orange-Honey Sauce

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Finely grind first 7 ingredients in spice grinder or coffee grinder. Transfer to small bowl. Whisk in orange juice, oil and garlic. (Spice mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
  • Rub spice mixture all over hens; place hens in large roasting pan. Sprinkle hens inside and out with salt and pepper. Tie legs together to hold shape. Arrange carrots in pan around hens. Sprinkle carrots with salt and pepper. Roast 30 minutes. Add stock to roasting pan. Roast hens until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced and carrots are tender, basting hens occasionally with pan juices, about 35 minutes longer. Place 1 hen on each of 4 plates. Arrange carrots alongside. Spoon warm Orange-Honey Sauce over and serve.

GRILLED GAME HEN WITH MOROCCAN SPICES



Grilled Game Hen with Moroccan Spices image

Categories     Low Carb     Low/No Sugar     Wheat/Gluten-Free     Spice     Summer     Grill/Barbecue     Bon Appétit

Yield Makes 2 Servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic, mashed to paste
1 large Cornish game hen (about 1 1/2 pounds), quartered

Steps:

  • Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Stir curry powder, coriander, cumin and cayenne in heavy small skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add garlic to skillet; mix into spices.
  • Using fingertips, loosen skin of game hen pieces. Rub spice paste onto meat under skin. Sprinkle outside of pieces with salt and pepper.
  • Place hen pieces on grill. Cover with foil and grill 10 minutes. Uncover; turn pieces over. Cover and continue to grill until golden brown, cooked through and juices run clear when hen is pierced with small knife, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes for breast pieces and 15 minutes for leg-thigh pieces. Serve hot or at room temperature.

MOROCCAN STYLE BALSAMIC CORNISH GAME HENS



Moroccan Style Balsamic Cornish Game Hens image

I've made this recipe often in the past, and while putting together my LJ recipe entry list (see http://www.julesong.com/cook/LJentry-recipes.htm ) I discovered it again! I adapted it to our tastes. It was one of our favorites, is perfect for romantic dinners, and it's absolutely delicious! Although it's easy to make, it takes a bit of time but is worth every minute. In my Sunday, February 10th, 2002 LJ entry, and her original was posted by KC at Gail's Recipe Swap. Thanks, KC! She said "I always add lots of extra olives and dates. They taste wonderful. I have even caught friends in the kitchen looking through the pan for more olives and dates."

Provided by Julesong

Categories     Poultry

Time 1h40m

Yield 2 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 large orange, thinly sliced
2 Cornish hens
6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, divided
1 cup tawny port
1 cup sherry wine
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (balsamic preferred) or 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (balsamic preferred)
2 tablespoons honey, to taste
20 whole pitted dates (or more to taste)
10 large green pitted olives (or more to taste)
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon butter, for sauce (optional)

Steps:

  • Rinse the game hens under running water. Pat dry and cut them in half lengthwise (kitchen scissors work fine).
  • Arrange orange slices in bottom of a 9x13" glass baking dish. Top with game hens.
  • Mix 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped garlic and 1 1/4 teaspoons cumin in bowl. Rub mixture all over hens. Wash your hands well with soap and hot water.
  • Whisk together port, sherry, oil, vinegar, and honey in small bowl. Taste it to see if the mixture is to your taste, then if it is, pour over hens. (There is quite a difference between the taste of balsamic vinegar - which is sweet - and red wine vinegar, so if you use wine vinegar you'll definitely want to taste the mixture and adjust the amount of honey to your preference before pouring it over the hens.).
  • Tuck dates and olives between hens and season with salt and pepper.
  • Cover and refrigerate at least 12 hours or overnight, turning hens once. (I've made this recipe beginning in the morning and marinated it 6-8 hrs during the day, too, and it was still delicious.).
  • Remove hens from refrigerator and place on counter, covered, for at least 30 minutes. (You don't want to put a chilled baking dish straight into a preheated oven.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Turn the hens skin side up, then bake hens with marinade, dates and olives until hens are cooked through, basting occasionally, about 40 minutes.
  • Transfer hens, dates and olives to serving platter. Discard orange slices. Pour the pan juices into a heavy small saucepan.
  • Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon cumin and 1 tsp butter and simmer until reduced to about half, whisking frequently, about 5 minutes.
  • Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spoon some sauce over hens. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro.
  • Serve, passing remaining sauce separately in a gravy or sauce bowl.
  • Note: when I first made this recipe, I didn't have fresh cilantro on hand, and couldn't even find dried in our herb stash, which surprised me. Mike collects herbs and spices, and we have a huge collection in the pantry. (I call him Condiment Man.) I had a bunch of a nice Italian dried herb mix (basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage), so used that instead. I know it's not really an equivalent to cilantro, but it smelled wonderful anyhow and it tasted great, too. I also add lots more green olives and dates, which the recipe reflects :)
  • Note #2: if you want/need to serve more than two people, you can use the above marinade for up to 6 hens, then you'll need to begin adding more ingredients.

MOROCCAN-STYLE CORNISH HENS WITH COUSCOUS



Moroccan-Style Cornish Hens with Couscous image

Couscous with onions and raisins and seasoned with cumin delivers many levels of flavor with rich little Cornish hens, massaged with spices. How many birds you need for four guests will be determined by their size (the birds' and perhaps the guests', too). Whether you grill or roast them depends on your mood, your kitchen and the weather. The couscous could even be stuffing for smaller hens, one per person, roasted at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes.

Provided by Florence Fabricant

Categories     dinner, main course

Time 1h30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt
pepper
4 small (less than 1 1/2 pounds) or 2 large Cornish hens, split in half
Juice of 2 lemons
1 1/2 cups medium-grain couscous, cooked in chicken stock according to package directions
1 large onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon minced cilantro leaves

Steps:

  • Mix 3 tablespoons of the oil with the paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Rub inside surfaces of hens with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, then smear them, inside and out, with the spice paste. Set aside 1 hour.
  • Sauté onions in remaining oil in a skillet over medium heat until golden. Stir in raisins and remaining cumin and cook until onions are lightly browned. Fold in cooked couscous and season with salt and pepper.
  • Preheat grill or heat oven to 375 degrees. If grilling, sear hens on the skin side over medium heat, then turn them over, basting a couple of times with remaining lemon juice, until cooked through, about 35 minutes. If using oven, roast hen halves skin side up in a roasting pan until cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes, basting a couple of times with remaining lemon juice.
  • Reheat couscous, fold in cilantro, and mound on a platter. Arrange hen halves around couscous and serve hot or warm.

GRILLED GAME HENS WITH MOROCCAN SPICES



Grilled Game Hens With Moroccan Spices image

Number Of Ingredients 12

4 Cornish hens or game hen, (each about 1 pound)
1 onion, medium, grated
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped, fresh Italian (flat-leaf)
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped fresh
3 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground
1/2 teaspoon paprika, sweet or hot
1/2 teaspoon ginger, ground
1/2 teaspoon white pepper, freshly ground
lemon wedges, for garnish

Steps:

  • 1. Remove and discard the fat just inside the body cavities of the game hens. Remove the packages of giblets (if any) and set aside for another use. Rinse the hens, inside and out, under cold running water, then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Spatchcook the game hens or cut each one lengthwise in half with poultry shears. Place the birds in a large, deep nonreactive bowl or baking dish and set aside while you prepare the marinade.2. Combine the onion, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, oil, salt, cumin, paprika, ginger, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk to mix. Pour the mixture over the game hens in the large bowl and turn the birds to coat thoroughly. Cover and let marinate, in the refrigerator, for 1 to 8 hours (the longer the better), turning the birds occasionally.3. Preheat the grill, using the two-tiered method.4. When ready to cook, oil the grill grate. Remove the game hens from the marinade and arrange, skin side down, on the grate over the hotter section of the grill and cook. The total cooking time will be 25 to 35 minutes.5. Transfer the hens to serving plates or a platter and serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges.Serves 4

Nutrition Facts : Nutritional Facts Serves

MARINATED GRILLED GAME HENS



Marinated Grilled Game Hens image

An easy overnight marinade spiced with cinnamon and cumin adds wonderful flavor to these game hens. "My family enjoys them often during the grilling season," writes Marcia Bland of North Platte, Nebraska.

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 35m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 cup lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
4 Cornish game hens (20 to 24 ounces each), halved

Steps:

  • In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the lime juice, oil, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper; add the hens. Seal bag and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight, turning once. , Drain and discard marinade. Grill hens, covered, over medium heat for 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer reads 180°, turning occasionally.

Nutrition Facts : Fat 49 g fat (13 g saturated fat), Cholesterol 349 mg cholesterol, Sodium 365 mg sodium, Carbohydrate 7 g carbohydrate, Fiber 1 g fiber, Protein 60 g protein.

GRILLED HERBED CORNISH GAME HENS



Grilled Herbed Cornish Game Hens image

I found this one in a 2002 issue of Fine Cooking. I am posting here so I don't lose. Sounds easy and delicious.

Provided by TXOLDHAM

Categories     Poultry

Time 40m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 7

4 -6 Cornish hens
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, flattened
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Steps:

  • Heat a grill to high. Remove the backbone of each hen. Turn the hens skin side up and press on the breast bone to flatten. If desired you can cut through the breast to half the hens. Rinse each hen and dry.
  • Spread the hens out flat on a large shallow baking sheet and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Bend the wings under the breasts to protect them from burning.
  • Pour 1/4 cup of the olive oil into a small bowl and add the garlic, a generous amount of pepper, and all but 1 teaspoon each of the thyme and rosemary. Brush the hens liberally on both sides with the seasoned oil and more pepper.
  • Grill the hens skin side down, uncovered, until the skin develops nice grill marks (rotate a quarter turn after first 3 minutes to create a crosshatch pattern). Turn the hens over and sear on the second side, again uncovered for about 4 minutes. Sprinkle the skin side with the reserved herbs and salt, reduce the heat and close the lid. If using a charcoal grill, move to side of coals to cook indirectly. Cook until the hens are tender and the skin is crisp and golden. A instant-read thermometer inserted into the thick part of the thigh should read 180 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Put the hens on a large serving platter. Whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the lemon juice. Serve the hens drizzled with the lemon oil. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 522, Fat 35, SaturatedFat 5.8, Cholesterol 217.5, Sodium 163.7, Carbohydrate 1.5, Fiber 0.3, Sugar 0.2, Protein 48.1

Tips:

  • Mise en Place: Before you start cooking, make sure you have all of your ingredients prepped and measured. This will help you stay organized and ensure that you don't miss anything.
  • Choosing the Right Game Hens: Look for game hens that are plump and have moist skin. Avoid any hens that have bruises or discoloration.
  • Marinating the Game Hens: The marinade is what will give your game hens their delicious flavor. Be sure to marinate the hens for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight. The longer you marinate them, the more flavorful they will be.
  • Grilling the Game Hens: When grilling the game hens, be sure to cook them over medium heat. This will help to prevent them from burning on the outside while remaining raw on the inside.
  • Check the Internal Temperature: Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the game hens. They are done cooking when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Let the Game Hens Rest: After grilling, let the game hens rest for 5-10 minutes before carving. This will help the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a more tender and flavorful dish.

Conclusion:

Grilled game hens with Moroccan spices are a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a special occasion or a weeknight meal. The marinade, made with a blend of Moroccan spices, gives the game hens a unique and flavorful taste. Serve the game hens with your favorite sides, such as rice, vegetables, or salad. You can also use the leftover marinade to make a delicious sauce.

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