Curried Oriental Cornish hens

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PREP TIME

8 min

Makes

4 servings

* PLUS Cooking time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

4 Cornish hens
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp frozen undiluted orange juice concentrate
2 tsp dark sesame oil
2 tsp honey
2 tsp curry powder
1/4 cup water

Instructions

Thaw Cornish hens if frozen. Preheat oven to 425F (220C). Rinse hens under cold water, then pat dry with paper towels. Place in a 9×13-inch (3-L) baking dish or a small roasting pan just large enough to hold them. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk soy sauce with undiluted orange juice concentrate, sesame oil, honey and curry powder until honey dissolves.
Gently poke your thumb between skin and breast meat of one hen, lifting skin. Tilt bird upward. Pour about 1 tablespoon (15 mL) soy mixture under skin, then drizzle about 1/2 tablespoon (7 mL) in cavity. Repeat with remaining hens. Pour remainder of soy mixture over hens and rub evenly over skins. Tightly cover pan with foil. Roast in centre of 425F (220C) oven 40 minutes. Remove from oven and baste hens with liquid in pan. To prevent sauce from burning, stir water into pan juices.
Reduce oven temperature to 350F (180C). Return hens to oven and continue to roast, uncovered, basting every 10 minutes with liquid in pan, until a rich glaze forms on top and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thigh reads 170F (77C), about 20 more minutes. Remove pan from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Place hens on individual plates, then spoon pan juices overtop. Great with bok choy and our Easy Maple Squash, also in the Recipe File.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories
734,
Protein
59.4 g,
Carbohydrates
9.9 g,
Fat
49.2 g,
Fibre
0.5 g,
Sodium
2265 mg.

If you like roast chicken, you’ll love these tiny individual hens. Cornish hens have rich moist meat and look terrific glazed with a hint of sesame oil and golden honey.

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