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!
Slip the coated game hens, in batches according to the size of your fryer, into the hot oil, and fry for 13 minutes, until beautifully golden brown. Place each fried hen on the wire-rack-fitted sheet tray, and hold in the warm oven.
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.
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.
Deep Fried Cornish Hen
FAQ
How do you know when a Cornish hen is done?
How old are Cornish hens when butchered?
Can you microwave an entire Cornish hen to cook it thoroughly Why or why not?
Are Cornish hens pink when cooked?
How do you deep fry a Cornish hen?
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.
How long do you deep fry a hen?
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.
How do you Cook Cornish hens?
Place the cornish hens in a large bowl, and pour in the brine. Brine for 4 hour, or overnight. Remove the hens from the brine, pat dry, then cut the backbone off of the hens. Grab all of the herbs & garlic, and grind them down into a paste. Rub the hens down with the paste, then season the hens with the salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
How to cook a hen in a fryer?
Heat your fryer to about 350°F. You can use a popcorn kernel to test the oil. Drop the grain into the oil, and if it pops, then the temperature is just fine. Put the hen into the pot and leave for 10 minutes. Turn the hen over to allow the other side to fry also. Bring out the hen and use a meat thermometer to check if it is well cooked.