Garlic-Lime Cornish Game Hens

By the time my husband and daughter returned from their afternoon outing yesterday at the neighborhood playground our house was filled with the comforting aromas of garlic-roasted Cornish game hens. They knew they were in for a real treat.

Ever since I first spatchcocked Cornish game hens on my panini grill I’ve been a big fan of these little gals. They roast so quickly and are just as juicy and flavorful as their larger counterparts.  So when I found a recipe for what sounded like a zesty, flavorful garlic-lime chicken marinade on the side of a garlic powder bottle, I immediately nixed the boneless, skinless chicken breasts it called for in favor of hens. Instead of garlic powder, dried cilantro and lime juice I freshened things up a bit with fresh garlic and cilantro and lime zest.  These aromatics tucked under the skin gave the hens a real zing, while the cumin and cayenne pepper in the rub added a welcome touch of smoky heat.

I’m sure the original recipe would have been delicious too, but my version is a bit more to my taste. With some savory Mexican rice on the side this was a meal anyone would look forward to coming home to.

Garlic-Lime Cornish Game Hens

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20 Comments

  1. Mindy wrote:

    This looks beautiful! I need to expand my chicken roasting recipes, and this may be the next one I try!

    Posted 4.27.09 Reply
  2. Risa wrote:

    This recipe looks like something I would be afraid to make, but you make it sound pretty easy. Thanks!

    Risa’s last blog post..Cookie Dough Pops

    Posted 4.27.09 Reply
    • Kathy wrote:

      Oh, it was incredibly easy! And didn’t take all that long either, which I find to be a plus 🙂

      Posted 4.27.09 Reply
  3. Dani wrote:

    sounds very appetizing!! 🙂

    Dani’s last blog post..#57) Hawaiian Drops

    Posted 4.27.09 Reply
  4. A little cornish hen is one of the tastiest birds. So tender. Your cilantro/lime basting is nice.

    The Duo Dishes’s last blog post..Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: Teach a Man to Fish

    Posted 4.27.09 Reply
  5. Maria wrote:

    You can’t go wrong with garlic and lime. Great combo!

    Maria’s last blog post..Artisan Bread in Five Pizza Party!

    Posted 4.27.09 Reply
  6. Pam wrote:

    This looks wonderful. I’ve never tried cornish hens – I’ll be on the lookout for them. The garlic and lime are a great combination of flavors.

    Pam’s last blog post..Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Roasted Marinara Sauce

    Posted 4.27.09 Reply
  7. Melissa wrote:

    That looks great Kathy. Cornish hens are delicious and yes, totally easy. I really need a new recipe for my household though, been making the same ones for so long. Thanks for the ideas!

    Melissa’s last blog post..a weekend project

    Posted 4.27.09 Reply
  8. Esi wrote:

    This looks like a great, fresh recipe. You’re obsessed with spatchcocking (lol). I just got a young chicken to try it again!

    Esi’s last blog post..Daring Bakers April Challenge: Cheesecake

    Posted 4.27.09 Reply
  9. Elissa wrote:

    This looks so easy and utterly delicious… I’ll have to convince my parents to make it tonight!

    Elissa’s last blog post..Chocolate Marble Cheesecake with Coconut, Lemongrass, and Kaffir Lime – 17 and Baking does Daring Bakers

    Posted 4.27.09 Reply
  10. Sandie wrote:

    A bottle of McCormick’s spice helped inspire this gorgeous meal? I better head for the pantry and give my spice bottles a proper once over!

    Sandie’s last blog post..Inns That Cook: B&B Getaways and Cooking Classes

    Posted 4.29.09 Reply
    • Kathy wrote:

      You’ll be amazed at what you’ll find!

      Posted 4.29.09 Reply
  11. Gloria wrote:

    This recipe looks delicious and easy to do.I’m going to try it tonight.

    Posted 11.8.09 Reply
    • Kathy wrote:

      Terrific – I hope you enjoy it!

      Posted 11.8.09 Reply
  12. Paula wrote:

    Wow, this was an awesome recipe! I was searching for something with cornish hens and lime just because I had both in the fridge and wanted to use them together. 🙂 I didn’t have fresh cilantro on hand but I did have some dried cilantro leaves so I used that instead…Otherwise, I had all the rest of the ingredients on hand. Served it with a simple mashed potato and some green peas…Really great! Next time, I am going to get the fresh cilantro and do a mexican rice like you did. Thank you so much!!

    Posted 12.12.10 Reply
    • Kathy wrote:

      That’s terrific – I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

      Posted 12.12.10 Reply
  13. Josie wrote:

    My boyfriend ran across this recipe when we were trying to find something to go with a bottle of dry white wine and use an extra lime we had lying around. This was perfect and easy to make. Plus the Cornish hens make the meal more sophisticated. I am glad we found this website in the process. I am making this again for the second time and I can’t wait!

    Posted 2.19.13 Reply