Moroccan Style Balsamic Cornish Game Hens
Transport your taste buds to the vibrant streets of Morocco with these Moroccan Style Balsamic Cornish Game Hens—a luxurious dish brimming with bold spices and rich flavors. Whole Cornish hens are bathed in a marinade of balsamic vinegar, honey, and aromatic spices like cumin, coriander, and cinnamon, infusing every bite with a tantalizing blend of sweet, savory, and earthy notes. Roasted atop a bed of caramelized carrots, red onions, and sweet dried apricots, and finished with a sprinkle of toasted almonds and fresh parsley, this dish delivers an impressive presentation and incredible depth of flavor. Perfect for dinner parties or an elegant family feast, this recipe pairs beautifully with a side of couscous or warm flatbread. Easy to prepare yet stunning in execution, these succulent hens will quickly become a favorite centerpiece for any special occasion.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2 whole Cornish game hens
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Honey
- 4 minced Garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Ground coriander
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1.5 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 whole, juiced and zested Lemon
- 2 tablespoons, chopped Fresh parsley
- 0.5 cup Chicken broth
- 3 whole, cut into chunks Carrots
- 1 whole, cut into wedges Red onion
- 0.5 cup, chopped Dried apricots
- 0.25 cup, toasted Slivered almonds
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Pat the Cornish game hens dry with a paper towel and set them aside on a plate.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, minced garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, smoked paprika, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Add the lemon juice and zest, and stir well to create a marinade.
Rub the marinade all over the Cornish game hens, making sure to coat them thoroughly, including the cavity.
Allow the hens to marinate at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours for more intense flavor.
Meanwhile, prepare a roasting pan or large baking dish. Arrange the carrots, red onion wedges, and dried apricots in the bottom of the pan.
Place the marinated Cornish game hens on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan. Pour the chicken broth around the base of the hens to keep the vegetables moist during cooking.
Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and roast the hens for about 50-60 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) when measured in the thickest part of the thigh.
Baste the hens with the pan juices halfway through the cooking process to enhance their flavor and promote even browning.
Once cooked, remove the pan from the oven and let the hens rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Garnish the roasted hens with chopped fresh parsley and toasted slivered almonds. Serve alongside the roasted vegetables and apricots for a complete meal.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
746 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 38.8 g | 50% | |
| Saturated Fat | 8.9 g | 45% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 200 mg | 67% | |
| Sodium | 1014 mg | 44% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 37.0 g | 13% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 5.8 g | 21% | |
| Total Sugars | 25.4 g | ||
| Protein | 61.5 g | 123% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.6 mcg | 3% | |
| Calcium | 120 mg | 9% | |
| Iron | 4.9 mg | 27% | |
| Potassium | 1165 mg | 25% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
