Grilled Cornish Game Hens
Enjoy Grilled Cornish Game Hens any time of year for a family or holiday meal! Marinate ahead of time for a delicious main dish.
Friends, we had one of our favorite grilling moments this past weekend, serving these Grilled Cornish Game Hens to our guests. Kingsford Original Charcoal made it super easy, as we buzzed in to our local Home Depot to pick up a bag of charcoal.
Bringing people together for the holidays is so special. And it’s even more special when you have a delicious menu planned with no-fuss cooking!
How to marinate Cornish game hens
What I love about this recipe today is that it’s way less complicated than brining and cooking or roasting a turkey. I certainly enjoy turkey, but let’s be honest–sometimes it’s fun to change things up!
With this simple marinade, you can prepare these Cornish game hens a couple days in advance, and pop on the grill right before guests arrive.
In a medium bowl, mix the marinade ingredients together.
Rinse and dry each hen, cutting in half. Place in a baking pan (or you can use a plastic Ziploc bag). Pour the marinade over the top and cover (or seal the bag).
Love this option: You can marinate for 4 hours, OR you can make these up 2 days in advance. I love to plan ahead, so this method is super easy and I can check it off my list.
Then it’s on to the side dishes … :)
How to grill Cornish game hens
As mentioned, we took a short trip to town to pick up our Kingsford Charcoal Briquettes, an 18.6 lbs 2-Pack from Home Depot.
On our front deck, we got the coals nice and hot, and in less than 30 minutes, the hens were cooked to perfection.
Side dishes that pair well with Grilled Cornish Game Hens
Now the side dishes are fantastic too, so today I’m sharing a few of our family’s favorites that pair well with these Grilled Cornish Game Hens.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onions, Brie and Sage
Grilled Stuffed Dates (recipe coming soon)
Pumpkin Gingersnap Crunch Parfaits
Grilled Cornish Game Hens
Oh, and the most beautiful part about Cornish game hens? Look how beautifully you can plate them, with fresh herbs (sage) and citrus.
Usually this feast would feel like sheer gluttony, but game hens are a game changer!
The holidays have never looked and tasted so good!
Get the Recipe:
Grilled Cornish Game Hens
Ingredients
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. squeeze garlic, or 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. celery salt
- 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. salt
- 4 1 1/2 pound Cornish game hens, rinsed and dried (with paper towels), cut in half
- Garnish: fresh sage leaves, 2 small apples and 2 small clementines, cut in half
This post is in partnership with The Home Depot and Kingsford Original Charcoal. I acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with me to participate in the promotional program described above (the “Program”). As a part of the Program, I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services, for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. My post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
This is such a great idea for Fall cooking outside!
The presentation is just stunning! Love this easy recipe!
I love this! So flavorful and perfectly grilled!
I absolutely LOVE that you grilled Cornish game hens. What a beautiful recipe!
Just wow ‘n yum. I am giving thanks this year for YOU, dear one! I love you and your receipes and ideas how to make things interesting and pretty—just like you! <3
Such a fun way to entertain.
I’ve roasted Cornish game hens numerous times, but marinating and grilling is even better! Thanks for the outstanding recipe!
I LOVED all the flavors in this recipe.
Such a great recipe for the holidays
I LOVE cornish game hens. They are so easy to serve and people (especially kids) love them. As soon as summer comes I will make this recipe again. Thanks.
This looks fabulous Sandy!! We grill all year long and while I mostly grill with gas, there’s nothing better than grilling with charcoal. I remember growing up my mom and dad had 2 weber grills (gas and charcoal) – my dad always swore certain thing HAD to be cooked on the charcoal grill – and he always used Kingsford!!
Beautiful dish! I have to try it!
Can this recipe be done in the oven? If so, at what Temperature and cooking time.
Thank you for the great ideas.
Anna
Hi Anna, yes it can. Let me get back with you on the baking time!
I’m really excited to make these. We love Cornish Game Hens, and I’ve never thought about grilling them!