The female cornish game chicken is perfect as a main dish for dinner. Its small size makes it easy for you to season it to the fullest with ingredients like lemon, garlic, and rosemary. Cornish game chicken cooks faster than full-size regular chicken, and can be served whole for one person. Try grilling them in the oven for moist, tender meat, or grilling them for crispy grilled chicken.
Ingredients
Roasted Cornish Chicken (with Oven)
- 6 cornish game chickens
- 1 cup (240 ml) lemon juice
- cup (170 grams) melted unsalted butter
- tsp. (2 grams) paprika
- 1 tsp. (2 grams) dry thyme, divided
- 1 tsp. (5 grams) seasoned salt, divided
- 1 tsp. (4 grams) garlic powder, divided
- tsp. (2 grams) salt
- tsp. (½ gram) black pepper powder
Produces 6 roasted cornish game chickens
Grilled Cornish Chicken
- 4 cornish game chickens
- 1 tbsp. (20 grams) kosher salt
- 1 tsp. (2 grams) black pepper powder
- 2 tbsp. (4 grams) rosemary leaves (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. (5 grams) grated lemon zest
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 tbsp. (30 ml) olive oil
Produces 4 grilled cornish game chickens
Step
Method 1 of 2: Baking Cornish Game Chicken in the Oven
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 190 °C and place the chicken in the roasting pan
Place a wire rack in the bottom of a large roasting pan, then place 6 cornish game chickens on top. If you don't have a wire rack that fits the pan, spread a few sheets of aluminum foil on the bottom of the pan.
You can reduce the ingredients in this recipe easily, halving or third if you only want to cook 2 or 3 chickens. Remember, the cooking time remains the same
Step 2. Whisk the lemon juice, butter, paprika and other seasonings in a bowl
Place 1 cup (240 ml) of lemon juice in a bowl, then add cup (170 grams) melted butter and tsp. (2 grams) paprika. After that, add 1 tsp. (1 gram) dry thyme, 1 tsp. (5 grams) seasoned salt, and 1 tsp. (3 grams) garlic powder to make a soft sauce.
If you want to use fresh herbs, loosen the skin near the chicken breasts and tuck about 6 fresh sage leaves behind each chicken skin
Step 3. Pour half of the sauce over the chicken
Excess sauce will fall to the bottom of the pan via the wire rack. Set aside the remaining sauce in the bowl to spread on the chicken when you grill it later.
If desired, apply half of the sauce to the chicken using a brush instead of pouring. You can adjust the amount of sauce more easily if you spread it
Step 4. Mix the remaining seasonings in another bowl and sprinkle over the chicken
Take a small bowl, then add tsp. (½ gram) dry thyme, tsp. (1 gram) seasoned salt, tsp. (1 gram) garlic powder, tsp. (1.5 grams) salt, and tsp. (½ gram) of black pepper into it. Stir all the spices until well blended, then sprinkle over the chicken thoroughly.
You can also fill the inside of the chicken with bread or rice
Step 5. Bake the chicken for 1 hour and spread the seasoning in the middle of the roasting process
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake the chicken for 30 minutes without the lid. Next, dip a basting brush into the sauce you prepared and apply it to the chicken. Re-roast the chicken for 30 minutes.
- When done, the chicken will turn golden brown.
- To make the chicken skin crispier, brush the chicken frequently in the last 30 minutes of roasting.
Variations with a slow cooker:
If you want to cook the chicken effortlessly, reduce the recipe by a third and place the 2 cornish chickens in the slow cooker. Cook the chicken on a LOW setting for 6-8 hours, or HIGH for about 4 hours.
Step 6. Remove the chicken when it reaches 75°C
When you estimate the chicken is done, stick a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken thigh. It should be at least 75°C before you take it out of the oven.
- Cornish chicken with added stuffing may take an additional 20-30 minutes to complete roasting.
- If you are adding stuffing to the chicken, also check to see if it has reached 75°C.
Step 7. Cover the freshly baked chicken and wait for 5 minutes before you serve it
Place a sheet of aluminum foil on top of the chicken still in the roasting pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. The juices will spread back into the meat, and the chicken will finish cooking. While waiting, try serving side dishes to serve with the chicken, such as mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables, or cornbread.
Place the remaining roasted cornish chicken in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for a maximum of 3-4 days
Method 2 of 2: Burning Cornish Game Chicken
Step 1. Dry 4 cornish chickens and cut off the backbone
For easier handling, dry the chicken by patting it with a paper towel. Next, use kitchen shears or a sharp knife to cut the chicken breast. Turn the chicken over, then cut the backbone and remove it from the meat.
- If you don't want to use 4 chickens, you can burn them as much as you like. Remember, the roasting time remains the same although you'll need to burn it gradually if you're using a lot of chicken.
- Remove or save the chicken backbone to make the broth.
Step 2. Flatten each chicken and insert a skewer horizontally through the meat
Once the backbone is removed, turn all the chicken over so the breast is on top. Press the chicken breast firmly until it is flat and wide. Next, push the skewer across from the thigh to the chest and out the other thigh.
To prevent the chicken wings from scorching during baking, tuck the wing tips behind the breasts
Step 3. Use a bowl to mix the salt, pepper, lemon juice, rosemary, lemon zest, garlic, and oil
Take a bowl and pour 1 tbsp. (15 ml) lemon juice and 2 tbsp. (30 ml) olive oil. Add 1 tbsp. (20 grams) kosher salt, 1 tsp. (2 grams) ground black pepper, 2 tbsp. (4 grams) finely chopped rosemary leaves, 1 tbsp. (6 grams) grated lemon zest, and 3 cloves of minced garlic.
Variation:
To make simple barbecue condiments, mix the following ingredients:
1 tbsp. (20 grams) brown sugar
tsp. (3 grams) salt
1 tsp. (2 grams) smoked paprika
2 tsp. (4 grams) paprika
1 tsp. (3 grams) garlic powder
tsp. (1 gram) red chili powder
tsp. (½ gram) black pepper
Step 4. Rub the spice mixture on the chicken
Use your fingers to take the spice mixture and rub it gently on the chicken skin. All chicken should be thoroughly coated in seasoning.
Step 5. Turn on the charcoal or gas grill on medium-high heat
On a gas grill, turn the burner setting (the part that emits heat) only halfway. If using a charcoal grill, fill half the chimney with charcoal and light it. When the charcoal is hot and slightly coated in ash, pour the charcoal over half of the grill.
Cover the grill and let it heat up for about 5 minutes before you place the chicken on the grill bars
Step 6. Grill the chicken over direct heat for 20-30 minutes
Place the chicken on the preheated grill with the breast on top. Try to place it directly over the burner or charcoal, then close the grill. Let the chicken cook there for 5 minutes, then open the lid to flip the chicken over. Close the grill again and cook the chicken for 15-25 minutes.
The chicken will be crispy and brown in color with a few signs of burning in places
Tip:
If the chicken browns too quickly and looks charred, carefully move the chicken to the less hot side of the grill to complete the cooking process.
Step 7. Take the chicken when the temperature has reached 75°C
To see if the chicken is ready to be removed from the grill, stick a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. When the temperature has reached at least 75°C, transfer the chicken to a plate using tongs.
If you don't have a meat thermometer, slice the chicken near the thigh and breast and see if the juice is clear
Step 8. Cover the freshly grilled chicken and wait for 5 minutes before you serve it
Once everything is placed on a plate, cover the chicken with aluminum foil loosely and let it rest. The chicken will complete the cooking process and the juices will be dispersed back into the meat.
