Air Fryer Cornish Hens (Juicy with Crispy Skin!) - Little Sunny Kitchen (2024)

Air fried Cornish hen is made with a simple 4-ingredient dry rub and has a delicious golden crispy skin with lean juicy meat. They present so beautifully as mini rotisserie chickens perfect for a single serving. An impressive dinner idea for special occasions but so simple to pull together on a casual weeknight.

I adore roasted Cornish hens and grilled Cornish hens so I wanted to try cooking a cornish hen in the Air Fryer just to see if the results would be similar in slightly less time overall. This recipe did not disappoint! Air fryer Cornish hen makes this, once considered a delicacy, super accessible, and easy for everyone.

Cooking methods that don’t take up any extra room in the oven or the stovetop, especially when you’ve got so many other side dishes happening, are so efficient!

You could also try grilled Cornish hens by going the spatchco*ck route. I highly recommend doing this for backyard summer BBQs, showers, and moonlit dinner parties.

I mean, just because it’s a super easy dinner idea, doesn’t mean we can’t level it up a bit 😉

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

1. Delicious. Using the air fryer is a guaranteed way to get that delicious, slightly salty, well-seasoned crispy skin. Cornish hens tend to have quite a bit of meat to them, which is succulent and super flavorful.
2. Easy. It’s a matter of seasoning the hens and popping them in the air fryer. Flipping halfway is the extent of your breaking a sweat.
3. Impressive. Cornish hens will always impress your guests and are always an easy way to feed a crowd even on the fanciest of occasions.
4. Perfect portion. Although they are no more than 2 lbs each, they are always served whole because of how small they are. This means that each serving provides the same if not more tender meat than had a person received from a piece of “regular” chicken.

Cornish Hens vs Chickens

Ok, so you might be wondering what the deal is with these seemingly miniature chickens, and whether or not that’s what they actually are? Just small chickens?

Yes and no! Cornish hens are immature chickens that are not given the chance to grow into full size. This means the meat is more tender, and for this reason, there is a slightly higher price point per pound than a regular chicken. Despite the name Hen, they can be either male or female.

Ingredients Needed

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

• Cornish hens – I used 3 hens about 1-1.5 lbs each. They fit nicely in my favorite XL Cosori air fryer all at once. Depending on how many people you’re serving you may need to add a few more and cook in batches.
• Dry rub – Smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper is a simple seasoning that packs a punch.
• Olive oil – Needed to coat the chicken and help the skin to crisp up and the seasoning to adhere to the hens.

How to Cook Cornish Hens in the Air Fryer

1. Preheat the air fryer and pre the dry rub. Set your air fryer to 350°F/180°C and while it’s heating up, combine the dry rub ingredients into a small bowl.
2. Season the hens. Coat the Cornish hens with a drizzle of olive oil and then season with a dry rub.

1. Cook the hens. Place as many hens that fit in your basket, breast side up and air fry for 40 minutes, flipping halfway (20 minutes per side). Flip one last time for an additional 5 minutes to get all sides super crispy.

1. Check for doneness. Using a meat thermometer, check the thickest part of the breast. If it reads at least 165°F/74°C, your hens are ready.
2. Remove and rest. Remove the hens from the air fryer basket and transfer them onto a plate. Allow them to rest for 10-15 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute and settle before slicing.
3. Serve. Presenting a whole chicken is part of the appeal of these little hens, so I like to serve them with a fresh squeeze of lemon and maybe a couple of extra lemon wedges, and allow everyone to slice their own.

Top Tips

• Switch up the seasoning in this recipe to the flavors you love. Italian seasoning is one I like to use sometimes as well as a poultry seasoning from time to time. The great thing about using different combinations of spices and herbs is it’ll give you an entirely different taste every time.
• Remember to preheat your air fryer. You may notice that some recipes, depending on what they are, require no preheating. This one does!
• Bringing your hens to room temperature at least 30-40 minutes before air frying can help with even cooking.
• For much easier clean-up and to help with a nonstick surface, use parchment lining for the air fryer basket.
• Always use a thermometer to check the internal temperature. It’s the most accurate way to tell if your cooked Cornish game hen is fully cooked.

Ways to Serve Cornish Hens

The holidays: Cornish hens are perfect individual portions when you don’t feel like cooking up a big Ham or Thanksgiving Turkey. Pair along with the same classic sides like Cranberry Sauce, a Creamy Broccoli Casserole, Mashed Potatoes, and Roasted Broccolini.

A special occasion dinner: Instant Pot Red Potatoes, Roasted Carrot Soup, Sautéed Mushrooms and Onions, or Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms are great sides that would pair well when cooking up a storm for someone special. Perhaps a Greek Orzo Salad or Carrot Raisin Salad for a fresh, vibrant side salad.

Wednesday night: Need quick sides for an easy dinner throughout the week? These Texas Roadhouse Rolls and a Creamy Crunchy Coleslaw are all you need to complete this meal! In fact, if you pull apart the meat from the chicken, add it to the bun, top it with coleslaw, you’ve got a great chicken sandwich for small hands!

FAQs

As much as I love a good traditional roast chicken, there are just some days it’s nice to switch it up! If you feel the same, I know you’re going to love this Air Fryer Cornish hen recipe. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!