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This Air Fryer Cornish Hen Recipe gives you the best of everything: incredibly juicy meat, extra-crispy golden skin, and a restaurant-worthy flavor with almost zero effort. Cornish hens cook fast and evenly in the air fryer, making them perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or a small holiday meal.
With simple seasoning and a foolproof method, the results are tender, succulent meat every single time! Even better, there’s no babysitting, no complicated steps, just a beautifully cooked hen ready to serve. Just like my air fryer whole roasted chicken.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review
This came out very good and moist. Thanks!
-LT
Quick Look At This Recipe
- ✨ Flavor: Juicy, tender meat with a crispy golden skin that tastes like a mini rotisserie chicken.
- ⏱️ Prep time: 5 + 10 minutes resting
- 🔥 Cook time: 25-30 minutes, depending on the size of the hens
- ⏲️ Total time: 40-45 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 2 – 4
- 🥄 Tools: Basket air fryer, meat thermometer, tongs, and paper towels for drying the hen.
- ❄️ Freezer friendly: Cooked Cornish hen freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight and reheat in the air fryer.
- 👩🏻🍳 Tip: Pat the hen very dry and start it breast-side down for extra-crispy skin and perfectly cooked meat every time.
SUMMARIZE AND SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Cornish hens are the perfect personal-size entrée! They’re elegant enough for a holiday dinner or date night, but easy enough for a cozy weeknight meal. These petite birds usually weigh around two pounds and are actually a small breed of chicken, created by crossing Cornish hens with White Plymouth Rocks.
Because they’re harvested young, they have tender meat, a higher ratio of white meat, and far less fat than a traditional chicken, which makes them cook quickly and stay wonderfully juicy in the air fryer.
If you love simple, reliable air-fried poultry recipes, try my air fryer chicken thighs and air fryer chicken cutlets next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Mini Rotisserie Vibes: These little hens look and taste like adorable rotisserie chickens . Tender, juicy, and flavorful enough to win over even picky eaters.
- Simple, Minimal Ingredients: All you need is olive oil, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. That’s it!
- Fast Weeknight-Friendly: Thanks to the air fryer, they cook up beautifully in a fraction of the time.
- Scales for Any Occasion: Keep it simple for an easy weeknight, or dress it up for a small holiday dinner. And when you need something a bit bigger, try my air fried turkey breast.
New to air frying? Check out the top questions about air frying I get!
Ingredients
- Cornish Hens: Find these small birds in the poultry section of the grocery store.
- Olive oil: Rubbed over the game hens before air frying. It helps the seasoning adhere to the skin but also aids in crisping up the skin. You can also use avocado oil or melted butter.
- Seasoning: I use homemade poultry seasoning, a simple blend of thyme, rosemary, and sage along with some salt and pepper. I also use a similar seasoning blend for air frying chicken bites.
Variations
The herbs I use are my favorite seasonings and make the hens have crispy skin and juicy meat. It’s super easy to switch up the seasoning blend for variety and to your tastes.
- Swap the Seasonings: Experiment with Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, lemon pepper seasoning, or a favorite dry rub. These all work great to add flavor. You could even rub your air fryer Cornish hens with some cowboy butter.
- Classic Rotisserie-Style: If you love rotisserie chicken, use a combination of olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, and dried rosemary to season the game hens.
- Garlic Butter: Combine melted butter with minced garlic, parsley, and paprika. In addition to rubbing it on the skin, be sure to get some under the skin for extra richness. If you love this flavor combo, try my air fryer garlic butter shrimp too!
- Mediterranean: Rub with olive oil mixed with chopped fresh oregano, basil, garlic, and a generous squeeze of fresh lemon. Love Mediterranean flavors, then you need to add these air fried Greek meatballs to your list of recipes to try!
How to Cook Cornish Hens in the Air Fryer
To get started, preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees F. While the air fryer is preheating, remove the hens from the package and discard any giblets package that may be inside the hens.
- Pat the game hends dry with a paper towel.
- Rub them with olive oil and sprinkle the seasonings. Be sure to get all both sides, and all the crevices.
- Place hens breast side down in the preheated air fryer basket.
- Air fry Cornish hens at 380° F for 15 minutes, and then flip to the other side. Continue air frying for an additional 10-15 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to confirm the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Remove the air fried Cornish hens and let them rest for 5-10 minutes in their own juices before slicing and serving. Serve with air fryer roasted vegetables and air fryer roasted potatoes, or even a simple green salad to complete your meal! The hens are so versatile they go with almost any easy side dish!
Cornish Hen Air Fryer Cook Times (380°F)
Tested in a Cosori 5.7L / 1700-watt basket-style air fryer.
- 1.0–1.25 lb: 22–25 minutes
- 1.25–1.5 lb: 25–28 minutes
- 1.5–2.0 lb: 28–32 minutes
- 2.0+ lb: 32–35+ minutes
⭐️ Always use a meat thermometer. No matter the size, your Cornish hen is fully cooked when the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F.
Air Fryer Differences
Every air fryer runs a little differently:
- Lower wattage models (1400–1500 watts): Add 3–6 extra minutes.
- Higher wattage / Pro models (1800+ watts): May cook 2–4 minutes faster.
- Air fryer ovens: Often cook slightly slower than basket fryers so plan to add 2–5 minutes and keep hens on the middle rack if possible.
- Overcrowding: Cooking more than two hens at a time may increase cook time; leave space between birds for best browning. For smaller air fryers, you may need to cook one at a time.
Recipe Tips
- Pat the hen very dry. Moisture is the enemy of crispy skin when making an air fryer game hen. Blot all sides with paper towels before seasoning so the skin can brown evenly in the air fryer.
- Start breast-side down. This protects the lean breast meat from overcooking and allows the back skin to crisp first. Flip halfway for even browning.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket. Air fryers need space for circulation. If cooking two hens, make sure they’re not touching or overlapping.
- Check early if your hen is small. Cornish hens vary a lot in size. Start checking internal temperature a few minutes before you expect it to be done.
- Use a thermometer every time. Cornish hens cook quickly. The only way to guarantee juicy meat is to pull them from the air fryer as soon as they reach 165°F.
- Let it rest. A short 5–10 minute rest helps the juices settle so the meat stays moist when cut.
Storing and Reheating
- Storing Leftovers: Let leftover Cornish hens cool to room temperature before storing. You can also remove the meat from the bones if you want easier storage and reheating. Place leftovers in an airtight container or Ziploc bag and refrigerate for 3–4 days.
- Reheating: Place the leftovers in the air fryer and cook for 3–5 minutes, or until warmed through. Check frequently to avoid over-cooking and drying out the meat.
- Repurpose: You can use the leftover meat in place of dishes to make dishes like air fryer chicken taquitos or stuff them into air fried taco shells along with your favorite toppings.
Air Fryer Cornish Hen Recipe FAQs
For the crispiest skin, pat the hen completely dry, rub it with a little oil or butter, and season well. Start cooking breast-side down, then flip halfway through. Make sure your air fryer basket isn’t crowded, because air circulation is what makes the skin golden and crisp.
One Cornish hen typically serves one adult. You can stretch it to two servings if you pair it with plenty of sides, but for heartier appetites, plan on one hen per person.
A Cornish hen usually takes 25–30 minutes at 380°F, depending on its size. Smaller hens cook faster, while larger birds may need a few extra minutes. Always use a meat thermometer and pull the hen out when the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F.
You can, but I don’t recommend it. Frozen hens cook unevenly and the skin won’t crisp properly. If you’re in a pinch, start cooking at a lower temperature to partially thaw, then increase the heat. But really, for the best texture and safest results, thaw the hen fully before cooking.
The safest way is to thaw your game hens in the refrigerator for 24–48 hours, depending on its size. If you’re short on time, you can use the cold water method by placing the wrapped hen in a bowl of cold water and changing the water every 30 minutes until thawed. Never thaw at room temperature.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
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Air Fryer Cornish Hen Recipe
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 Cornish Hens
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning, If you don't have poultry seasoning, use ½ teaspoon thyme½ teaspoon rosemary½ teaspoon sage
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 380° F. If you don't have a preheat option, let your air fryer run on 380 degrees F for 3-5 minutes.
- Prepare the hens by patting them dry with a paper towel. Remove any giblets package that may be inside the hens. (They usually are already removed.)
- Brush the hens with olive oil, coating both sides, then sprinkle the poultry seasoning and salt and pepper, also on both sides of the hens.
- Place hens breast side down in the preheated air fryer basket.
- Air fry the hens at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Then flip to the other side, and and air fry for an additional 10-15 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to confirm the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Let the hens rest for 5-10 minutes in their own juices before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Blot the hen thoroughly with paper towels so the skin browns evenly and crisps.
- Start breast-side down. This keeps the breast meat tender and lets the back crisp first.
- Avoid overcrowding. Leave space between hens so the air circulates and the skin gets crispy.
- Check early for smaller hens. Cornish hens vary in size, so start checking doneness a bit before the end of the cooking time.
- Use a thermometer and pull the hen from the air fryer as soon as it reaches 165°F in the thigh.
- Let the hen sit for 5–10 minutes so the juices redistribute and the meat stays moist.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have a square af. Also it comes with a rotisserie. How long would I need to cook it?
You will need to adjust the cook time according to the wattage of your air fryer. This recipe was made with a Cosori 5.8 and that is at 1700 watts, so you may need to adjust your cook time by adding or taking away a little time. Either way, it should be close to the same time within a couple of minutes I would guess.
This came out very good and moist. Thanks!
Thank you! I’m so glad you liked it!