Rice and Sausage Stuffed Cornish Hens
Savory sausage stuffed Cornish hens are filled with a wild rice and sausage mixture and roasted to perfectly golden brown.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 929kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Sausage Stuffing
- ½ pound Italian sausage
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small shallot diced
- 1-2 celery stalks diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2-3 sprigs fresh oregano leaves removed and chopped
- ½ cup cooked wild rice
- ½ cup stock
Cornish Hens
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic grated or finely chopped
- 1-2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1-2 sprigs fresh oregano leaves removed and chopped
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 Cornish hens about 2 pounds each
Instructions
- Cook the filling. Bring a small skillet to medium-high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Once hot, add the Italian sausage and cook until caramelized and cook through. Use a spatula to break up the sausage.
- Add the chopped carrot, shallot and celery and continue cooking until the vegetable begin to soften, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the chopped garlic and herbs and continue sautéing for another minute, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Next, add the cooked wild rice and stir everything together. Pour water and deglaze the bottom of the pan by using a wooden spoon to scrape up any meaty stuck bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Continue sautéing for another minute until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture comes together. Then remove from heat and let cool slightly before stuffing the hens.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Next, in a small bowl, make the compound butter. Add the softened butter along with the olive oil, grated garlic, herbs, paprika, salt and pepper and mix to combine well.
- For the Cornish hens, use paper towels to pat the birds dry all over. Use a small spoon to stuff the rice sand sausage filling into the cavity of the birds, about ½-3/4 cup should fit nicely.
- Then rub the compound butter all over the Cornish hens and under the skin on the breast.
- Transfer the stuffed Cornish hens to a roasting dish or cast iron skillet and roast for 45 minutes, until the internal temperature is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If the skin begin to brown to quickly, place a sheet of foil over the top for the last 10 minutes.
- Once done, remove from the oven and let the hens rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting into.
Notes
- To ensure a crispy skin, pat the hens dry with paper towels before adding the compound butter or any other seasonings.
- If the hens are browning too quickly, cover them with foil for the last 10 minutes of roasting.
- Once roasted, let the Cornish hens rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting into.
Nutrition
Calories: 929kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 73g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 33g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 302mg | Sodium: 8246mg | Potassium: 922mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3319IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 4mg