Cornish Game Hens & Wild Rice Stuffing
Hands down, Cornish Game Hens & Wild Rice Stuffing is one of my favorite fall meals! This recipe is pretty easy but makes for a beautiful presentation and it’s a break from the norm. I usually cut them in half to serve, no one can usually get through a whole one on their own. Adding the dried cranberries and apricots enhances the wild rice with a little pop of fall colors. And the slivered almonds adds a crunch with every bite. Impress your family and friends with this delicious dish!
This is a recipe that I usually make once a year, about this time but sometimes I forget about it. It’s one that always reminds me of my dad because it’s one we made together in my kitchen during his visits from New Zealand and he always loved it! I’ve made it slightly different each time because I never found a favorite recipe that offered everything I was looking for in the dish. I wanted it to be savory and sweet with a slight crunch. I love wild rice…there’s something about the chew and the texture that is magical, especially in this recipe.
When you find recipes like this, hold on to them. They make entertaining so much more enjoyable when you’re not running around the kitchen in a hot mess. Everyone else can relax if you’re relaxed. I consider it one of the best compliments when people come over and say “how are you so cool, calm and collected?”. In the back of my mind, I know I am pretty A-type and sometimes slightly OCD, so when people notice that I’m calm, I know I’ve got it figured out….give this one a try, you’ll be happy you did!
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Total Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Course
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
6 servings
Ingredients
3 Cornish Game Hens
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
3 cups Chicken Stock
2 cups Wild Rice
Butter
1 shallot, diced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp. dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1/2 cup Dried Apricots, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp. Slivered Almonds
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
Glaze:
1/2 Orange Juiced
2 Tablespoons Apricot Preserves
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
2 Tbsp. butter
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400F (you may need to remove your top rack), pat the game hens completely dry and rub with extra virgin olive oil, set them on a roasting rack in a large roasting pan. Salt and pepper all sides, along with inside the cavity. Allow to sit out at room temp while you prepare the stuffing.
Make the wild rice stuffing. Add 3 cups of chicken stock, 1 tsp. salt, ½ tsp. pepper to a covered saucepan, bring to a boil. Add 2 cups of wild rice, cover, and reduce heat to low and cook, covered for 45 minutes, or according to package directions. Remove from heat, leave lid on and let steam for an additional 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and remove lid to let cool.
In a separate skillet, add 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil and 1 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add shallot, celery, minced garlic, salt & pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes until vegetables are softened. Add to the wild rice and stir to combine.
Add the diced dried cranberries, apricots, slivered almonds, fresh thyme and parsley, salt and pepper to the wild rice and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning, add more salt and pepper if needed. Divide the rice in half, reserve the rest for serving, this way you are not contaminating the wild rice you are serving with raw poultry. Place a few large spoonfuls to loosely stuff each game hen, allowing air to circulate.
Roast the game hens on the center rack for 30 mins.
Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. In a saucepan over medium heat, squeeze half an orange, 2 Tbsp. apricot preserves, Grand Marnier and the remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter. Bring to a simmer and stir to combine. Turn off the heat.
After 30 mins of cooking time, brush the glaze over the game hens and roast for another 30 mins, repeating the glaze every 30 mins until they are cooked. Cooking time will vary based on size of the game hens, but will probably take close to an hour and a half total. Make sure they reach at least 165F to be sure the stuffing has also reached food safe temp. Check them periodically, if they're getting too brown, you can cover the breast with aluminum foil.
To serve, cut each hen in half lengthwise and let the wild rice stuffing fall onto each plate. Add a little extra rice from the baking dish and you have a perfect fall meal!