Rosemary Chicken

Succulent Oven Roasted Cornish Game Hens

Servings: 6-8 | Prep Time: 2 hrs 15 mins | Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins

How to make lemon rosemary chicken that's moist, savory and rich in flavor. The secret is brining the birds first. You may use a whole fryer, broiler, or roaster chicken, but in this recipe, we want to showcase cornish game hens. (If using larger birds, brine longer, even overnight.) Game hens are small but fairly meaty relative to their size. They're tender, cook quickly and make for a hearty presentation. The wonderful smell of rosemary will fill your kitchen as they roast in the oven. Serve half a cornish game hen and you've got white meat and dark meat all in one generous portion.

Rosemary chicken goes great with wild rice pilaf and sauteed vegetables. Want to serve this with a sauce? Try our spicy, garlicky Hmong hot sauce.

• 4 rock cornish game hens, thawed if frozen
• 12 sprigs rosemary
• 2 lemons, sliced into rounds
• 2 TBSP garlic, minced
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, fresh cracked

Brine
• 12 cups water, cold
• 2/3 cup salt

In a large non-reactive, nonporous container with lid, like a glass jar, mix salt into cold water and dissolve completely to make brine. Submerge cornish game hens into brine. Cover with lid. Refrigerate and brine for 2 hours.
Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and preheat oven to 375° F. Remove game hens from brine. Rinse in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels so the skin can get golden brown and crispy.
Combine garlic, olive oil, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub garlic mixture all over outside and under the skins of the game hens.
Stuff each game hen's cavity with 3 sprigs of rosemary and evenly distribute lemon slices between the four hens.
Line a large roasting pan with heavy duty aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Arrange game hens breast-side up on a wire rack, preferrably nonstick (otherwise, spray rack with Pam) and put into roasting pan. Make sure there's room for airflow under wire rack since game hens are small and we won't be flipping them. Tuck in all wing tips so they don't burn.
Bake at 375° F for 1 hour. Then broil for 3 minutes to get skin crispy.
Remove roasting pan from oven and let rosemary chickens rest for 5 minutes. Discard lemon slices and rosemary from cavities. Halve game hens lengthwise and serve hot. Enjoy!