Crispy Air Fryer Cornish Hen

4.56 from 49 votes

This air fryer cornish hen gets a super crispy skin with little prepping time and it's made with simple ingredients, so the air fryer does all the hard work!

Prep Time5

Cook Time45

Total Time50

Course: Air Fryer Recipes

Cuisine: American

Servings: to 4 servings

Calories: 399kcal

Author: Samantha Erb

Equipment

My favorite air fryer

Ingredients

2 cornish hens about 1.5 pounds each
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest or 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine the oil and salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and lemon zest/juice.
Pat the cornish game hens dry with a paper towel then brush them with the seasoning mixture under and on top of the skin. Twist wings to tuck under the bird.
Place the hen(s) in the air fryer basket, breast side down, and cook for 35 minutes.
Flip the hens and cook for an additional 10 minutes to get the skin crispy (45 minutes total). They are done cooking once they reach 165 degrees F.

Video

Notes

Pat the cornish hens dry before cooking using a paper towel to help the oil stick better for crispier skin.
Flip them with 10 minutes left to air fry. While I don't flip every food in the air fryer, flipping these helps get both sides nice and crispy without overcooking one side too much.
Tuck the wings under the hen. This helps keep them in place and prevents them from cooking too quickly and burning.
Leave enough space for cooking the birds. I can fit one in my older smaller air fryer and two cornish hens in my square Cosori basket with enough space to still allow the hot air to circulate.
Let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the juices to reabsorb into the meat.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheat leftovers in a preheated air fryer at 360 degrees F for about 15 minutes until warmed thoroughly. Turn the temperature up to 400 degrees F for a few minutes if the skin needs to get a little crispier.

Nutrition