ROASTED ORANGE-TARRAGON CORNISH HENS

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Roasted Orange-Tarragon Cornish Hens image

Cornish hens make for a beautiful presentation and are a great alternative to turkey when you're only expecting a small gathering. You can typically find them in the frozen section of your grocery store. Plan on 1 per person for a generous serving, or split in half if you're planning on serving plenty of sides.

Provided by France C

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Chicken     Cornish Hen Recipes

Time 2h20m

Yield 2

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 Cornish hens, thawed
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
kitchen twine

Steps:

  • Remove and discard giblet, if any. Rinse hens inside and out and pat dry. Loosen skin from the breasts and place hens in a large resealable plastic bag.
  • Whisk orange juice, orange zest, tarragon, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Whisking continually, slowly drizzle in olive oil until combined. Pour marinade over the hens in the bag, making sure to get some under the skin. Seal bag and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
  • Remove hens from the bag, letting excess marinade drip off; pour remaining marinade into a small saucepan and set aside. Place hens in a small roasting pan and season with salt and pepper. Tie legs together with kitchen twine and tuck wing tips underneath.
  • Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue cooking, basting with pan juices every 10 to 15 minutes, until hens are golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 25 to 30 minutes more.
  • Transfer hens to a serving plate, pouring any cavity juices back into the roasting pan. Tent with aluminum foil and keep warm.
  • Scrape pan juices and pour through a strainer into the saucepan with the reserved marinade. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Season sauce with salt and pepper, if necessary.
  • Serve Cornish hens whole or cut in half. Spoon pan sauce over hens to serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 837.6 calories, Carbohydrate 11.1 g, Cholesterol 339.4 mg, Fat 60.8 g, Fiber 2.1 g, Protein 58.7 g, SaturatedFat 14.9 g, Sodium 528 mg, Sugar 7.9 g

Ignacia Laguertk
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I made this recipe for a potluck, and it was a huge hit. Everyone loved the hens, and they couldn't stop talking about the sauce. I will definitely be making this again for future potlucks.


Shahraz Khan
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This recipe is a keeper! The hens were moist and flavorful, and the sauce was the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. I will definitely be making this again.


Mushfiqur Rahman
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I'm not a big fan of tarragon, but I really enjoyed this recipe. The orange-tarragon sauce was amazing, and it really complemented the hens. I will definitely be making this again.


Abdul Raheem nazakat
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This recipe is a bit time-consuming, but it's definitely worth the effort. The hens were moist and flavorful, and the sauce was to die for. I will definitely be making this again for special occasions.


Ryan To Flly
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I love the combination of orange and tarragon in this recipe. The hens were cooked perfectly, and the sauce was delicious. I will definitely be making this again.


RH Gaming Roni
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This recipe was easy to follow, and the hens turned out great. The sauce was also very good. I will definitely be making this again.


Azeem king
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I'm a big fan of Cornish hens, and this recipe did not disappoint. The hens were cooked perfectly, and the sauce was delicious. I will definitely be making this again.


Camper Pubg
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I made this recipe for a potluck, and it was a huge hit. Everyone loved the hens, and they couldn't stop talking about the sauce. I will definitely be making this again for future potlucks.


Haris Hafeez
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This recipe is a keeper! The hens were moist and flavorful, and the sauce was the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. I will definitely be making this again.


Faith Powell
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I've made this recipe several times now, and it's always a hit. The hens are always cooked perfectly, and the sauce is amazing. I love that this recipe is so versatile. I've used different types of citrus fruits, and I've even added different herbs t


Ishtiak Hosen
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I'm not a very experienced cook, so I was a bit nervous about making this recipe. But it turned out great! The hens were easy to prepare, and the sauce was simple to make. The hens were delicious, and my family loved them.


Mandy Judith
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I made this recipe for my husband's birthday dinner, and he loved it. He said it was the best Cornish hens he had ever had. The hens were cooked perfectly, and the sauce was so flavorful.


Zihan Ahmed
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This recipe is a bit time-consuming, but it's definitely worth the effort. The hens were absolutely delicious, and the sauce was to die for. I will definitely be making this again for special occasions.


Kathleen Ramirez
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I'm not a big fan of tarragon, so I was hesitant to try this recipe. But I'm so glad I did! The orange-tarragon sauce was amazing, and it really complemented the hens. The hens were also cooked perfectly, and they were so moist and tender.


Collins Kiarie
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I made this recipe for a dinner party, and it was a huge success. Everyone loved the hens, and they couldn't stop raving about the sauce. I will definitely be making this again for future parties.


Blessing Omukoro
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I followed the recipe exactly, and the hens turned out perfectly. The skin was crispy and golden brown, and the meat was juicy and tender. The orange-tarragon sauce was also delicious, and it really brought out the flavor of the hens.


Clement Soft
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This recipe was a hit with my family! The hens were moist and flavorful, and the orange-tarragon sauce was the perfect complement. I will definitely be making this again.