Fast, simple, and delicious, this Air Fried Cornish Hen will be ready to eat and enjoy in less than 30 minutes of total time. With minimal prep time needed, this simple dinner recipe for two is one that you're not going to want to miss.
Are you looking for a simple way to air fry a cornish game hen? This is one of the best air fryer recipes.
Why make the instructions and steps more complicated than they really need to be? There's no denying the fact that these mini rotisserie chickens are not only fun to cook but they're fun to eat as well.
The simple ingredients create a fresh flavor that can only be described as perfection. Who can resist roast chicken with crispy skin? This easy air fryer chicken recipe shows you that you can easily cook a weeknight meal using one simple kitchen appliance.
You can also make multiples of this recipe to serve your dinner guests.
Ingredients and Equipment
Cornish hen: A 1.5 pound cornish hen is the perfect size to air fry. It fits nicely and leaves room for the air to circulate and cook. This is also a good size to feed two people.
Olive oil: I like extra virgin olive oil to rub on the skin of the chicken but you can use any type of oil that you want. Coconut oil would be a good choice too but it will add a bit of sweetness.
Salt/Pepper - Simple seasonings make for great flavor. If you want to add other seasonings you can. Some options are garlic powder, paprika, lemon pepper, thyme, rosemary, and any other fresh herbs that you enjoy the taste.
Air Fryer - I actually use the air fryer lid attachment on the Instant Pot and it works great. Any air fryer will work for cooking up this simple recipe.
How To Cook Air Fried Cornish Hen
Step 1 - Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees and spray the air fryer basket with non stick cooking spray.
Step 2 - Brush the oil and add on the salt and pepper. Place breast side down in the air fryer basket.
Step 3 - Cook for 12 minutes then flip and cook for another 12 minutes.
Common Questions
How To Serve Air Fried Cornish Hen
Using your air fryer to cook chicken makes for less mess. The air fryer does a great job of trapping in the grease so that it's less messy to clean up at the end.
Once you remove the cornish hen from the air fryer basket, it's ready to enjoy and eat. Serving the cornish hen with a side salad or diced potatoes makes a well-rounded and hearty meal. There are so many side dishes and vegetables to choose from.
Since this size is great for sharing, just cut the hen in half and serve. Each person can enjoy a moist and delicious chicken half and get to enjoy the outer crispy layer, too.
How do you know when the cornish hen is done cooking?
You'll want to use a meat thermometer for this reading. Once the cook time has passed, test out the internal temperature by putting the meat thermometer into the thick part of the bird, away from the bone. As long as it reads 165 degrees, that is a good indicator that it's cooked and safe to eat.
How do you keep Cornish hens from drying out?
The easiest way to keep the meat moist is to let it rest for about 5 minutes after removing it from the air fryer. This will give the juices time to soak back into the meat making every bite juicy.
Make sure that you're not overcooking it in the air fryer as well. Cooking it too long will result in the meat being chewy and dry.
Ways To Use Leftover Chicken
Lunch/Dinner Ideas - I'm a fan of eating leftover cold chicken but that doesn't mean that everyone is. If you have some of the meat left over, you can cut it up and add to soups, on top of salads like this Grilled Grapes & Brie Salad, or even make chicken sandwiches out of it as well.
Freeze it - Don't forget that not everything has to be eaten right away. You can add the leftovers to a freezer-safe bag and store them for a few months down the road. It will unthaw easily and retain all that great flavor.
You can also reheat and enjoy eating it the same way the next day. I'm a fan of leftovers so I don't mind eating the same meal again.
Loving this recipe? Try our Smoked Whole Chicken Air Fryer BBQ Chicken recipes next!
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb cornish hen
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 and spray the basket with cooking spray.
- Brush the cornish hen with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place breast side down in the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 12 minutes. Flip. Cook for an additional 12 minutes breast side up.
Justine
Love cornish hens! This was such a super simple recipe, but it came out crispy and juicy.
Brandy
Love how this cooks up in the air fryer! It was quick and easy yet seems like you spent hours cooking! Will definitely be making this again.
Mike
I was a skeptic of the air fryer. This changed that!