Enjoy bacon-wrapped air-fryer Cornish hens in just 35 minutes

Cornish hens, often known as Rock Cornish sport hens or Cornish sport hens, are usually not really sport birds, nor are all of them females! The identify is given to a rooster that has been slaughtered at a youthful age than the typical rooster, which implies they will weigh as little as one pound and are often by no means greater than about two kilos.

Warmth your air fryer for 10 minutes. After experimenting with completely different temperatures, I discovered air frying at 380 F in a preheated air fryer gave the most effective outcomes, turning the pores and skin a deep golden-brown with out drying out the inside.

Modify the cook dinner time in response to measurement. Because the sizes of Cornish hens can differ from 1 to 2 kilos, the smaller measurement hen will solely take round 35 minutes to air fry. In case you air-fry a 2-pound Cornish hen, it may take as much as 40 minutes. For bigger hens, begin checking the inner temperature at 35 minutes within the thickest a part of the thigh.

A hack for repairing a tear within the pores and skin masking the breast

Some Cornish hens are offered frozen or defrosted, which may harm the fragile breast pores and skin. Some are even offered with tears. To repair this, thereby stopping the meat from drying out, pull the pores and skin over the uncovered space and use a toothpick to safe the pores and skin in place. Or pull the pores and skin over the uncovered space after which cowl the hen with a slice of bacon, securing the bacon in place with a toothpick beneath the hen. No tear? This recipe provides you the choice so as to add the bacon regardless. As a result of, why not?

• 2 (1 to 1 1/4-pound) Cornish hens
• 1/2 small lemon
• 2 giant sprigs recent rosemary
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning, or 1/2 teaspoon floor sage plus 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 3/4 teaspoon candy paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly floor black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 slices bacon (elective)

1. Pat two Cornish hens dry with paper towels, together with behind the wings, legs, and contained in the cavity. Place on a wire rack fitted over a big plate. Refrigerate uncovered for at the least 1 hour, or as much as in a single day to dry the outside and assist create crispy pores and skin.

2. Warmth an air fryer to 380 F for 10 minutes. In the meantime, put together the next: Minimize 1/2 small lemon in half once more to create 2 quarters and take away any seen seeds. Minimize 1 of the massive rosemary sprigs in half crosswise. Place 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 3/4 teaspoon onion powder, 3/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar in a small bowl and stir to mix.

3. Pat the Cornish hens dry once more with paper towels. Rub 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on every hen, together with the underside, wings, and thighs. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the spice combination inside every the cavity of every hen. Sprinkle the skin of the hens with the remaining spice combination, liberally rubbing the spices into the oil to create a good coating in order that there are not any spice clumps, which is able to burn within the air fryer. Place 1 lemon quarter and half a rosemary sprig inside every cavity. Wrap 1 slice bacon lengthwise over the middle of every hen, and safe with a toothpick beneath, if utilizing.

4. Brush the air fryer basket with a really skinny layer of the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, reserving the remaining. Fastidiously place each hens within the air fryer basket breast-side down. When you’ve got a small basket, alternate the course of the hens, in order that they face one another to make sure they snugly match within the basket. You could want to make use of tongs to rearrange the hens within the basket. Drizzle any remaining olive oil over each hens.

5. Air fry for 20 minutes. Flip the hens and proceed air frying till an instant-read thermometer registers 165 F within the thickest a part of the thigh, 15 to twenty minutes extra. In the meantime, decide the leaves from the remaining giant rosemary sprig and finely chop till you may have about 1 teaspoon.

6. Switch the Cornish hens from the air fryer with tongs to a big plate or clear reducing board. Let relaxation for 10 minutes. Discard any toothpicks and garnish with the chopped rosemary. Take away the lemon wedge from the cavity with a fork and thoroughly squeeze the juice over the Cornish hen if desired.

• Cornish hens can vary from 1 pound to 2 kilos; for air frying, the smaller measurement (1 to 1 1/4 kilos) is healthier, as you may match two hens within the basket. In case you can solely get the bigger 2-pound Cornish hens (which will be shared between two individuals), the cooking time will probably be longer if cooking two bigger hens without delay (if they will slot in your basket). Begin checking the inner temperature after half-hour. When you’ve got an air fryer with a small basket, chances are you’ll solely be capable to match one 2-pound hen in without delay.

• To serve a bigger 2-pound hen to share, use kitchen shears to chop every hen in half down the breast bone and alongside the spine.

• Leftovers will be refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 4 days.

(Tara Holland is a contributor to TheKitchn.com, a nationally identified weblog for individuals who love meals and residential cooking. Submit any feedback or inquiries to editorial@thekitchn.com.)