These easy-to-make deep fried cornish hens have crispy golden brown skin rubbed with spices and seasonings and a juicy interior, perfect for a weeknight or holiday dinner!
Why this recipe works
If you love fried chicken, you’ll love deep fried cornish hens. With cornish game hens, the meat is even more tender compared to regular chicken. Top that with crispy crunchy fried skin and you have a year-round dinner that’s great for serving a smaller crowd.
You can make cornish hens multiple different ways from baking, deep frying, and even air frying them. They’re like mini whole chickens, bred specifically for their meat. We’ll begin by smothering the hens in a wet rub then transfer them to a deep fryer for a hot bath that crisps the skin and cooks the meat until it’s perfectly moist.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CORNISH HEN – We used two cornish hens each weighing 24 ounces. You will want your hens to be thawed before beginning. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or until no longer frozen. To help them thaw a little quicker you can add them (in their packaging) to a bowl of cold water, switching the water out as needed to keep it cold.
WET RUB – The rub is a combination of olive oil, onion powder, garlic salt, smoked paprika, chili powder, and black pepper. Feel free to substitute with your favorite blend of spices and seasonings.
How to Make Deep Fried Cornish Hens
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat deep fryer to 375 F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all wet rub ingredients.
- Dab the Cornish hens with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Using gloved hands, rub the oil and spice mixture all over the outside of both hens.
- Place a prepared hen into the deep fryer basket, breast side up.
- Deep fry hen for 20 minutes. Raise basket and use tongs to flip the hen over. Deep fry for another 15 minutes.
- Remove to paper towels and allow to drain and rest for 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Store leftover fried cornish hen in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer using the reheat function or in the oven set to 350F until warmed through. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
Cornish hens are cooked through when they reach 165F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the meat.
Cornish hens are a breed of English game chicken which are much smaller in size and are typically bred for their meat due to their poor egg production.
Serving Suggestions
Deep fried cornish hens are a great option if you have fewer mouths to feed and don’t want to make entire roasted chicken. They’re also popularly served during the holidays alongside turkey and ham as another option for guests.
Enjoy cornish hen with a side of roasted potatoes, green beans, broccoli, asparagus, and carrots. Other good sides include mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, couscous, mushrooms, creamed spinach, or classic Thanksgiving or Christmas side dishes!
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Deep Fried Cornish Hens
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 48 ounces Cornish hens two 24 ounce hens
- vegetable oil for frying
Wet Rub
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- We used two cornish hens each weighing 24 ounces. You will want your hens to be thawed before beginning. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or until no longer frozen. To help them thaw a little quicker you can add them (in their packaging) to a bowl of cold water, switching the water out as needed to keep it cold.
- Depending on the size and brand of your deep fryer, you may have to work in batches. Our basket only holds one Cornish hen at a time.
- Cornish hens are cooked through when they reach 165F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the meat.
- Store leftover fried cornish hen in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer using the reheat function or in the oven set to 350F until warmed through. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
Instructions
- Preheat deep fryer to 375 F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all wet rub ingredients.
- Dab the Cornish hens with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Using gloved hands, rub the oil and spice mixture all over the outside of both hens.
- Place a prepared hen into the deep fryer basket, breast side up.
- Deep fry hen for 20 minutes. Raise basket and use tongs to flip the hen over. Deep fry for another 15 minutes.
- Remove to paper towels and allow to drain and rest for 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Chef Antoine Davis
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Freda says
I fried 3 Cornish Hens today and they were delicious. I didn’t put the chili powder on them. And I basted the inside and out with melted butter. I will make these again.