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Cooked cornish hen in the air fryer

Crispy Air Fryer Cornish Hen

Samantha Erb
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!
4.49 from 43 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Air Fryer Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 2 to 4 servings
Calories 399 kcal

Equipment

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

Serving: 1Calories: 399kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 29gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 168mgSodium: 1141mgFiber: 1g

This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.

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