Air Fryer Cornish Hen

Air fryer Cornish hen can be cooked from fresh or frozen for a delicious and impressive meal! The juicy meat and super crispy skin make these little birds irresistible.

I love finding new and exciting dishes to make in the air fryer. It makes everything so easy, and the result is delicious meals my whole family loves. This air fryer cornish hen recipe is a perfect example!

Thanks to the air fryer, these hens have super crispy skin on the outside and tender meat on the inside. And you don’t need a rotisserie air fryer for this recipe! The entire meal comes together in just five simple steps.

Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:

• How to cook 1 or 2 cornish hens in the air fryer
• How to prep game hens for freezing
• Cooking air fried cornish game hen from frozen
• How to reheat cornish hen in the air fryer
• Tips for the best ways to cook cornish hens in the air fryer

This is a perfect dish for celebrating a special occasion or impressing dinner guests. Air fried cornish hens turn out so delicious and juicy, and no one will ever guess how simple they were to make!

And if you love this game recipe, you’re going to love this air fryer whole chicken recipe where you can stick an entire chicken in the air fryer! Plus, you can check out all my other air fryer chicken recipes here.

What Are Cornish Hens?

A cornish hen is a certain breed of chicken.

A true cornish game hen is a young female cornish chicken, but most of the cornish hens you find in the store are a commercialized crossbreed that is much easier to raise and can be male or female.

How To Make A Cornish Hen in the Air Fryer

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

STEP ONE: Preheat your air fryer to 360 degrees.

STEP TWO: In a small bowl, combine the oil, salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and lemon zest.

STEP THREE: Pat the cornish hens dry with a paper towel, then brush them with the seasoning mixture both under and on top of the skin. Twist the wings to tuck under the bird.

STEP FOUR: Place the entire chicken in the air fryer basket, breast side down, and cook for 35 minutes. Only place as many hens as will fit in your air fryer.

You will need an air fryer oven or a larger square air fryer basket to make 2 cornish hens at the same time. The Cosori 6.8 QT works great for 2!

STEP FIVE: Flip the hens and cook for an additional 10 minutes to get the skin crispy. Check the internal temperature: hens are done when they reach 165 degrees F.

I love to use my Kizen Instant-Read Thermometer which works in less than 3 seconds to keep the air fryer as hot as possible when checking the food.

How Long to Cook Cornish Hen in the Air Fryer

Air fried cornish hen should take about 45 minutes to cook. This will get a crispy skin while cooking the inside of the game so it comes out with tender meat.

Use a digital thermometer to get a quick reading of the chicken to keep your chicken as tender and crispy as possible.

How to Cook Cornish Game Hen From Frozen

Want to prep your air fryer game and store it in the freezer for an easy future meal? No problem! 

You’ll mix the seasoning, pat the hens dry, and brush them with the seasoning mixture like usual. Then, seal them in plastic zipper bags, wrap the bags in foil, and store them in the freezer until you’re ready to cook.

To cook cornish game hen from frozen:

1. Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees.
2. Place the hen(s) in a single layer and spritz with cooking oil.
3. Cook for 40 minutes until heated through, flipping the hen(s) halfway to ensure even cooking.

Reheating Cornish Hens in the Air Fryer

You can store leftover cornish hen in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 to 3 days.

The best way to reheat them? In the air fryer! It keeps the crispy skin and doesn’t overcook the chicken. It’s like reheating it in the oven, but much quicker.

1. Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees.
2. Place the cooked cornish game hen in the basket and cook for 18 minutes until heated, flipping halfway through. If reheating a half hen, reheat for just 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Remove the game from the air fryer and enjoy!

Ideas for What to Serve with Cornish Hens

There are so many delicious recipes you can use as side dishes to air fried cornish hens. Enjoy some air fryer asparagus (or bacon-wrapped asparagus) that only takes a few minutes to cook while the game is resting. Or cook up some Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Glazed Carrots in the Instant Pot.

You could even pair it with some corn on the cob, sweet potatoes, or any of these other air fryer vegetable ideas.

Other Seasonings to try on Cornish Hen Game

I love switching up the spices on cornish hen. Here are few of my favorites!

• Montreal Chicken Seasoning
• Poultry Seasoning
• Cajun Seasoning
• Rosemary and Thyme
• Add some red pepper flakes for a nice kick

Recipe Tips

• Make sure the cornish hens are completely dry before adding the seasonings. Removing any excess moisture will get nice and crispy skin.

• Season the outside and insides of the chicken for the most flavor.

• Only cook as many cornish hens as you can fit in a single layer in the air fryer. Overcrowding the basket can cause your food to cook unevenly.

• Flip the bird over in the air fryer with 10 minutes left to allow the other side to get nice and crispy.

• If you want to crisp the air fryer game even further, increase the temperature to 400 degrees and let the cornish hens cook for about 3 extra minutes.

Other Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love:

• Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
• Air Fryer Chicken Breast
• Air Fryer Bone in Chicken Breasts
• Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer Chicken Katsu
• Air Fryer Fried Chicken

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