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Home/Recipes/Grilled Lemon and Garlic Cornish Hens with Classic Gremolata

Grilled Lemon and Garlic Cornish Hens with Classic Gremolata

Serves 4
Time 1 hr 40 min
Cornish game hens always look elegant on the dinner table. You can have your butcher butterfly them for you, if you like. Serve the classic gremolata in this recipe with pork chops or grilled chicken breasts, too.
Special Diets:
Dairy-Free
Gluten-Free
Sugar-Conscious
Wheat-Free
Ingredients
  • Cornish Hens
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 2 lemons, juiced and zested
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 Cornish hens, butterflied (backbone removed)
  • Classic Gremolata
  • 2 lemons, juiced and zested
  • 5 cloves garlic, rough chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, stemmed and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
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Method

For the Cornish hens, mix first 5 ingredients together.

Rub hens with marinade.

Place hens in a bowl or zip top bag (pour any remaining marinade over the hens).

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cooking, up to 8 hours.

Meanwhile, for the gremolata, place lemon zest, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender.

Pulse to just combine.

Add water (about 1/4 cup) if needed.

Mixture should not be smooth, but rustic and textured.

Adjust seasoning to taste. Refrigerate until needed.

To finish the Cornish hens, heat grill to medium.

Remove hens from marinade and place on grill.

Cook 10 minutes per side, until golden and crisp.

The hens should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

Remove from grill and allow to rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with gremolata drizzled on top of the hens and in a bowl for passing.

Nutritional Info:
Per serving: 830 calories (560 from fat), 63g total fat, 15g saturated fat, 335mg cholesterol, 540mg sodium, 7g carbohydrates (1g dietary fiber, 1g sugar), 58g protein.
Note: We've provided special diet and nutritional information for educational purposes. But remember - we're cooks, not doctors! You should follow the advice of your health-care provider. And since product formulations change, check product labels for the most recent ingredient information.
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Ingredients
  • Cornish Hens
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 2 lemons, juiced and zested
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 Cornish hens, butterflied (backbone removed)
  • Classic Gremolata
  • 2 lemons, juiced and zested
  • 5 cloves garlic, rough chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, stemmed and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Shop with Prime

Exclusively for Prime members in select ZIP codes.