Air fryer Cornish Hen – Store, Reheat and Serve with Sauces

With crispy golden meat from the outside, and tender juicy meat from the inside, the air fryer Cornish hen is one of the best delights to eat. Now cook it using the air-fryer to have a healthier alternative that is better in taste and nutrition and ensures a better dining experience.

Cornish hens are renowned for their rich taste, and it even gets better and healthier when it is cooked in the air fryer. In this article, we will tell you how you can cook and serve a restaurant like Cornish Hen by using an air fryer. Keep up with us to know hacks, tips, and recipes for making Cornish Hen in Air fryer

What is a Cornish hen?

Cornish hen refers to broiler chicken that is usually cooked and served young and immature. It is usually a crossbreed between the Cornish and White Plymouth Rock chicken. It is well known for its tender meat which absorbs spices and seasonings quickly and is not more than two pounds.

Ingredients required for cooking air fryer Cornish hen Recipe

The ingredients that are required to air fry Cornish hen include:

• Cornish Hen (Frozen or Fresh)
• Cooking Oil (preferably vegetable oil)
• Spices and seasoning
• Lemon (as per taste)
• Broth

How to Thaw Frozen Cornish hen before air frying

Mostly the Cornish hens available in the market are frozen. It is necessary to thaw them for even cooking. The most common mistake that people do is thawing them at room temperature. Never do this as it can lead to bacterial growth in poultry. Some people also try to thaw the chicken in microwave which is also wrong because the hen does not get thawed properly and starts cooking before that. Some right ways to thaw Cornish hen are as follow:

1. Refrigerator thawing: This is one of the safest and easiest ways to thaw the Cornish hen. Put the frozen hen into the fridge instead of the de freezer. As the temperature is low in the refrigerator, it would get thawed in overnight hopefully.
2. Water bath thawing: Another way to thaw it is to place the frozen hen into a bowl of water. Keep changing the water after every half hour, otherwise, the bacteria would grow into it. If you would use this method, you would be able to thaw the hen in 3 to 4 hours.

How to Make Air Fryer Cornish Hen?

Making or cooking Cornish hen in Air fryer is very easy. It only requires you the follow the below-mentioned steps:

1. Thaw the Cornish hen: To ensure that the Cornish hen cooks evenly, it is good to thaw it before cooking. Use any of the above-mentioned methods to thaw it.
2. Dry it: Once the hen is thawed, take it out of the packaging and dry it using a paper towel. Now let it rest and prepare for marination.
3. Make a marination: For the marination take a bowl; add oil, salt, pepper, and any other seasonings that you like and mix it well so that all the ingredients can get incorporated into it.
4. Apply the marination on the hen: Rub the marinated mixture on the Cornish hen. Make sure you cover all of its sides with the marination including inside the cavities. It will make it more your hen more delicious.
5. Preheat the air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. It is very important to preheat it because it ensures even cooking.
6. Cook the hen in the air fryer: Put the marinated hen into the air fryer. Make sure that their breast side is facing down. Cook them for 20 minutes. Once they are half done, flip the side so that the Air Fryer Cornish hen can turn golden brown and crispy from all sides. Insert a meat thermometer at the thickest part of the meat and check if the temperature has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Take it out and serve: Take out the hen from the air fryer. Let it rest at room temperature for a few minutes and then serve it.

Secret tips to follow while air frying Frozen Cornish hen

1. Preheating the air fryer is mandatory: Many people try to cook food directly into the air fryer without preheating them. However, it is mandatory to preheat it while you are cooking the Cornish hen into it. Preheating would ensure that your hens would cook evenly; they are not undercooked and get a perfectly golden and crispy texture.
2. Air Fry the Cornish hen Upside Down: To make a restaurant-like Cornish chicken, it is recommended to cook the hen upside down. It ensures even cooking and it does not dry out. Moreover, it makes the chicken crispy from all sides. Most importantly, this position allows fat from the legs and back to drip down onto the breast and make it more flavorful. It also ensures that the meat would remain tender and juicy.
3. Set the cooking timing as per the hen’s size: Cornish hens are not more than 2 pounds but all of them are of different sizes therefore, we need to set the timing of the air fryer accordingly. If the hen is one pound, it is recommended to cook it for around 35 minutes. If it is bigger than that, then it will take at least 40 minutes. use the meat thermometer to know whether the chicken has been cooked or not.
4. Truss the Cornish hen: According to the experts, it is necessary to tie the leg pieces of the Cornish hen with the silicon band or kitchen twine. It will ensure that the chicken will cook evenly, and leg pieces would not get dry during the cooking.

Top 3 seasonings For Air Fryer Cornish Hen

1. French Herb Blends Seasoning: It is one of the best seasonings for Cornish chicken. It consists of French herb blends including thyme, rosemary, savory, marjoram, and oregano.
2. Lemon Pepper Seasoning: It is a perfect blend for those who crave species with the meat. The lemon zest and juice combined with the black pepper would take the spice game a level up.
3. Garlic and Onion Seasoning: If you want to enjoy a sweet flavor with your air fryer Cornish hen, this one is perfect for that. You need to add garlic and onion powder along with salt and pepper to balance a sweet and salty flavor.

Best air-fried vegetables to serve with Air Fryer Cornish Hen Frozen

Air-fried Cornish hen always goes best with air-fried vegetables. Some of the best vegetable options are as follows:

1. Potato Wedges: Cut potatoes into the shape of wages. Spray a little bit of oil and add some seasoning like cumin, paprika, salt, etc., and air fry them.
2. Mushrooms: Cut some mushrooms and coat them with your favorite seasoning. Air fry them and enjoy them with the Cornish hen.
3. Bell Pepper Strips: Take all of your favorite-colored bell paper and cut them into pieces. Put it into a mixture of oil, salt, and pepper and air fry them.
4. Carrot and zucchini fries: Cut carrots and zucchini into fries shapes and toss them in olive oil and your favorite seasoning. Air fry them and enjoy with Cornish hen.

Nutritional benefits of Cornish hen fried in Air Fyrer

Air-fried food is always better than deep-fried or baked food. Air fryer Cornish hen is filled with nutritional benefits which are as follows:

1. Less Fat: One of the biggest advantages of air frying Cornish hen is that it has less fat content because much less oil is used for its cooking. It makes the hen a healthier option to consume.
2. Low calories: As less oil is used in cooking Cornish hen in air fryer, it has fewer overall calories. Hence, if you want to reduce your calorie intake, air frying them is a better option.
3. Retained nutrition: Air frying Cornish hen does not burn its nutrition, rather many of the nutrients like vitamins and minerals are retained in it.

Can we restore the leftover Air fryer Cornish hen?

Of course, you can easily restore the Cornish hen. Here are some ideas of how you can do this:

1. Make a hen salad: Shred the leftover hen and mix it with leafy vegetables, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and your favorite dressing.
2. Make hen fried rice: Cut the leftover hen into small pieces and stir fry it with the cooked rice, vegetables, and soya sauce to make a delicious rice dish.
3. Hen Soup: boil the leftover hen bones in water to make chicken broth. Once it is done, strain the broth, and add vegetables, leftover shredded hen, and noodles.

Is it possible to reheat the frozen Cornish hen?

Yes, it is possible to reheat the Cornish hen in the air fryer. Follow the below-mentioned steps to do this:

1. Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the hen into the air fryer basket and let it cook. Increase the timing of the hen cooking up to 50 percent to ensure that the hen cooks evenly.
3. Flip it halfway to the cooking.
4. Check the internal temperature and if it has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit, remove it from the air fryer.
5. Cool it down for a few minutes and serve it.

FAQs Regarding Air Fryer Cornish Hen

How long does it take to cook Cornish hens in an air fryer?

It depends on the size and weight of the Cornish hen. Check the secret tips part to understand it better. The general guideline is to cook it until its internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

How many people can eat a full Air Fryer Cornish hen?

A one-pound Cornish hen is enough for one person and a two-pound hen can be served for two people. However, if you are serving Air Fryer Cornish with side dishes like vegetables, rice, etc., it could fill the appetite of more than 2 people.

Should we wash the Cornish hen before air frying?

No, it is not recommended to wash the Cornish hen before air frying. It has porous skin and if we would wash it, the bacteria would spread deeper into the chicken.

Is it necessary to thaw the hen or we can cook a frozen Cornish hen?

No, you can cook the Cornish hen without thawing as well. However, it will take more time to cook, and it will not be very crispy.

What is the ideal temp to cook Cornish hen in Air Fryer?

The ideal temperature to cook Cornish hen is 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Conclusion

Air Fryer Cornish hen is a rich in-taste poultry food that can now be cooked using the air fryer. The air fryer not only makes it crispy and tasty but also retains its nutrition. This article has highlighted some recipes and hacks that can be used to cook the Cornish hen in the air fryer. We hope that by using it, you will be able to enjoy a very delicious Cornish hen meal at your home.