how to cook cornish hen in air fryer

Air Fryer Cornish Hen is a super delicious dish that's also quick and easy to make! Just the thing for Sunday suppers, meal prep and fuss-free weekday meals.

Suitable for gluten free and low carb diets. Post includes Weight Watchers Points.

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finished air fryer cornish hen inside the air fryer basket

Easy low maintenance dinners are my current jam. Like this delicious Air Fryer Cornish Hen. Quick and simple to make in just 30 minutes. Yeap, simple maintenance-free recipes like this are what it's aaaalllllll about.

Related Link : Instant Pot Cornish Hen and Gravy.

Why You'll ♡ This

Can be made with fresh or frozen defrosted Cornish hen.
It is meal prep and freezer friendly.
Really flexible for ingredient swaps.
Great for Sunday lunches, easy dinners, date night and more.

What Is A Cornish Hen?

A Cornish hen, also known as a 'Cornish game hen' is a small chicken usually between 1 lb and 2.5 lb from the county of Cornwall in the UK.

They taste exactly the same as regular chicken. If you get smaller hens, you can serve each person their very own hen, which looks seriously impressive.

air fryer cornish hen on a white plate and ready to serve

Tools Needed

An Air Fryer.
Your regular mixing bowl or plate.
The best Air Fryer Accessories.
Best ever sea salt flakes.

So, go on and grab your everyday ingredients and let's get to work on this cornish game hen air fryer recipe!!

How to Make Air Fryer Cornish Hen

Preheat the air fryer to 350F / 180C.
Pat the hen dry. Combine oil, Shawarma seasoning mix and salt (if desired) then rub onto the hen.
Place the hen backbone side up in the air fryer basket and cook for 15 minutes.
Then flip and cook for another 15 minutes on the other side, depending on the size of your bird.
It is important to check that the internal temperature is at least 165F / 75C using a meat thermometer before serving.
Let the Air Fried Cornish Hen rest for a few minutes before serving.

image collage showing the steps for making air fryer cornish hen

Recipe Tips

Here are a few tips to make sure you get the best Air Fryer Cornish Game Hen ever.

Make sure your chicken is dry prior to adding the rub. A rub works well in the air fryer, and you don't want your dry rub to not stick.
Start with the hen breast side down in the air fryer, then turn over about halfway through the cooking time.
Do make sure the entire hen is coated in the rub, so every mouthful is full of flavor.

How To Make Instant Pot Cornish Hen

Looking for a different, yet still easy, way to cook your Cornish Hen? Check out my Instant Pot Cornish Hen and Gravy recipe post and learn just how easy it is to make Cornish hen Instant Pot style!

close up view of the instant pot cornish hen

Seasoning Varitations

Blackened Seasoning.
Greek Seasoning.
Fajita Seasoning.
Poultry Seasoning Recipe.
Easy Homemade spice blends.

top down view of air fryer cornish hen inside the air fryer basket

Meal Prep And Prep Ahead

Prep Ahead – Yeap, this Air Fried Cornish Game Hen recipe is a greatmeal prep solution. You can absolutely make this ahead of time andstore for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

How To Use For Meals – in addition to eating as is, use them as suggested below:

Air Fryer Chicken Fried Rice.
Air Fryer Chicken Quesadilla.
Chicken Salad.

FAQs

What is Shawarma Seasoning?

Shawarma is a well loved traditional Middle Eastern street food. Just imagine fragrantly spiced marinated piece of chicken, lamb, pork cooking and continually rotating on rotisserie stick.

And now you can easily recreate this taste at home with this shawarma spice mix. This easy-to-whip-up DIY spice made with a mix of spices akaingredients you already own in your spice cupboard = authentic shawarma flavor.Just think fragrant, smoky, warming, middle eastern flavors in one jar. Thanks tosmoked paprika, cinnamon, cumin, and more.

Cooking Time

Wondering how long to cook Cornish hen in your air fryer? Cooking time can be anytime between 30-45mins depending on their size.

Mine was large and took about 35 minutes. When cooking this for the first time, I recommend aiming for 30 mins and then checking the internal temperature.

cornish hen inside the air fryer and ready to serve

Cooking Temperature

The temperature for cooking the air fryer roast chicken in this recipe is 350F /180C.

The most important thing is to make sure that the cooked chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165F / 75 C before serving. Use a meat thermometer to check.

More Air Fryer Recipes

Air Fryer Fried Chicken.
Air Fryer Shrimp Po Boy.
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks.
Air Fryer Burgers.
Air Fryer Shrimp Hibachi.
Air Fryer Chickpea Tacos.
Air Fryer Whole Chicken.
Air Fryer Pork Chops.
Instant Pot Cornish Hen <= for Instant Pot lovers.

Serving Suggestions

Air Fryer Green Beans.
Air Fryer Asparagus.
Squash Casserole.
Air Fryer Baked Potatoes.

Weight Watchers Points

There are 7 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

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Air Fryer Cornish Hen

Air Fryer Cornish Hen is a super flavorful meal that's quick and easy to make!

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Western

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie

Servings: 8

Calories: 245 kcal

▢ 2 lb (907g) Cornish Hen 1 large Cornish Hen
▢ 1 Tablespoon olive oil
▢ 1 Tablespoon Shawarma spice mix or another spice blend
▢ Salt if needed and to taste

Preheat the Air Fryer to 400F / 204C.
Pat the hen dry. Combine oil, Shawarma seasoning mix and salt (if desired) then rub onto the hen.
Place hen in the air fryer basket with the backbone side facing up and cook for about 15 mins.
Turn over and cook for another 15 mins, until golden and crispy.
Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature to make sure it has reached 165F / 75C and is cooked thoroughly.
Allow the Air Fryer Cornish Hen rest a few mins before serving.

Get your Air Fryer Recipe Binder and Ebook to keep all your recipes and tips organized in one place.

Get your Instant Pot Recipe Binder to keep all your recipes and tips organized in one place.

Make sure your chicken is dry prior to adding the rub. A rub works well in the air fryer, and you don't want your dry rub to not stick.
Start with the hen breast side down in the air fryer, then turn over about halfway through the cooking time.
Do make sure the entire hen is coated in the rub, so every mouthful is full of flavor.
It is important to make sure that the cooked chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165F / 75 C before serving. Use a meat thermometer to check this.

There are 7 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.