Juicy hens are cooked in a fragrant vinegar-soy sauce laced with sugar, peppercorns and bay leaves until fall-off-the-bone tender in this mouthwatering dish made complete with jasmine rice.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 40 min |
| Prep: | 10 min |
| Cook: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 40 min |
| Prep: | 10 min |
| Cook: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 2 Cornish game hens (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds each)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 bunches scallions, trimmed
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
Instructions
- Cook the rice as the label directs. Meanwhile, cut the hens in half with kitchen shears, cutting along one side of the breastbone; season with salt and pepper. Heat the canola oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over high heat. Add the hens, skin-side down, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons oil from the pot. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Return the hens to the pot, skin-side up; add 2 cups water, the soy sauce, sugar, peppercorns and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Lay the scallions on top of the hens; cover and cook until the scallions are tender and the hens are cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Uncover the pot and add the vinegar (do not stir). Cook, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by about two-thirds, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the hens and scallions; discard the bay leaves from the pan sauce. Serve with the rice.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 652 calorie |
| Total Fat | 38 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 8 grams |
| Cholesterol | 168 milligrams |
| Sodium | 1694 milligrams |
| Carbohydrates | 44 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 grams |
| Protein | 35 grams |
| Calories | 652 calorie |
| Total Fat | 38 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 8 grams |
| Cholesterol | 168 milligrams |
| Sodium | 1694 milligrams |
| Carbohydrates | 44 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 grams |
| Protein | 35 grams |
Reviews
The Cornish hens were delicious! I added more garlic and cayenne pepper. Excellent recipe!
This recipe is the perfect example of simple and delicious! My partner and I use Food Network Magazine to plan our meals for the week. Cornish hens, while very novel, are a good way to mix up the meat/protein for our meals. The sauce was really flavorful and compliments the jasmine rice perfectly. At first, my partner was sure this would be our one and only time having cornish hens for dinner, but after cooking and eating this wonderful meal, he is ready to put it in the regular rotation (and even called it a great meal for a dinner party)!