This bacon-wrapped maple baked cornish game hen recipe is an easy dinner that only has three ingredients! Easy and delicious, this cornish hen recipe is guaranteed to become a family favorite!
Are you still wondering what to make for your holiday dinner?
If you don’t need a large turkey, why not consider baking a cornish hen for your holiday dinner? I guarantee it will turn out as moist and flavorful as a turkey! (And a bonus, you can easily cook two game hens in your oven at the same time!)
This recipe has only three simple ingredients: bacon, maple syrup, and Cornish game hens. It won’t get much easier than this. If you are entertaining for the holidays or looking for an easy dinner recipe, this is for you. There are many recipes for Cornish game hens, but this one is wrapped in bacon, making it hard to resist.
If you are looking for more delicious dinner recipes, check out all of my gluten free dinner recipes!
What is a Cornish Game Hen?
A Cornish game hen is a hybrid of a chicken that is a lot smaller! These birds are sold whole in most grocery stores.
Our family is enjoying our first experience with cornish game hens. Have you tried baking one of these hens yet? They look like teeny, tiny little chickens, and they have just enough meat to fill up one adult or one very hungry growing teenager!
Usually, I hate when the house smells like what I cook, but I can forgive bacon the bacon smells. Bacon makes everything great, including my house :-). (I suspect our dog won’t agree…it probably made her very tempted to steal a game, hen!)
There is an added bonus to the smell of bacon cooking. It is quite magical. Did you know bacon smells make teenagers come out of their caves? (If you have teens, you know exactly what I mean!!)
My teens’ reactions were actually quite funny. I could hear their desk chairs move. Then, doors opened…and I sprinted downstairs. They were so excited to try a Cornish game hen. My son, the die-hard carnivore, ate a whole hen by himself! I hope you love this recipe as much as my family did :-).
Step-By-Step Directions:
Step 1: Rub the game hens with natural maple syrup. You can use either Grade A or Grade B maple syrup. Next is wrapping these hens in bacon!
Step 2: Wrap the hens in bacon and bake for 50 minutes to one hour. Baking time will vary depending on the size of the Cornish hens.
Be sure your hens are completely thawed before baking! You can also cook these hens in your air fryer. See below for the many ways you can cook Cornish hens.
Ways to Cook a Cornish Hen:
- Marinate the hen and cook it on the grill.
- Stuff the hen with fresh oranges and stuffing, and bake it!
- Cook your hens in a slow cooker with fresh vegetables.
- If you have a smoker, try smoking your game, hens. Smoking adds a rich flavor that penetrates the whole hen!
- Roast them like in my Roasted Cornish Hens recipe.
- Try my Air Fryer Cornish Hens recipe if you love using your air fryer.
Storage:
Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will keep fresh for up to 3 days. You can also freeze any leftovers in a freezer-safe container.
Recipe FAQ:
Cornish game hen’s cooking time is very similar to chicken. Make sure the internal temperature is 165º F when finished. Use a digital thermometer to verify the temperature.
Most bacon is gluten free. Always check the labels.
I like to use Applewood smoked bacon, but you can use any kind!
You can not use frozen Cornish hens in this recipe. The cooking time becomes too uneven, and you end up with a burnt hen and a raw inside.
Serve With These Side Dishes:
You may also love this Ham Steak Dinner recipe.
- Mashed Rutabagas – These are creamy and delicious with cornish game hens.
- This tasty Christmas Rice is also nice!
- Bacon Ricotta Scalloped Potatoes – This is a winner if you love cheesy potatoes.
- My kid’s favorite Pan Fried Sweet Potatoes.
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. This helps others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Bacon Wrapped Maple Cornish Game Hens
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 Cornish game hens thawed
- 8 slices bacon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Remove the Cornish game hens from wrapping. Place in a pan.
- Drizzle maple syrup over the chicken.
- Wrap the raw bacon around the hens. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 30 minutes, or until the cornish game hens reach 165º F internal temperature.
Notes
- You can use grade A or B maple syrup. Be sure to use 100% real syrup and not imitation syrup.
- Be sure your Cornish hens are completely thawed before baking!!
- These Cornish hens will keep up to 3 days in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Can I substitute Manuka Honey, for the maple syrup?
Hi Alice, I have not used honey so I am not sure. Maple and bacon flavors impart in the recipe…and honey and maple are very different in their flavor profile. If you do try it, please do come back and let us know how it turned out.
I tried this recipe for Thanksgiving 2018 and it was absolutely fabulous! It was delicious and turned out beautiful! Thank you for the recipe!
I am SOOOO glad you liked this recipe Donna. It is one of our very favorites too. Thank you for coming back to let me know.
Gorgeous pictures Sandi! They looked soooo good, I had to try and make bacon wrapped maple cornish game hens. I used your suggestion and used 8 slices of raw bacon. Thx for sharing!
I am so glad you like this recipe Jill. Thank you so, so much 🙂
Hi Sandi,
Wow!! This looks incredibly delicious. And This looks AMAZING! I will have to try it. These sound fantastic, wrapping anything in bacon makes it better, well almost better… That snickers bar did not work out too well.Thanks for reminding us to think of the people in the New york.
Anything bacon wrapped is a winner with me and even better when it has maple syrup.
Thank you so much Dannii 🙂
Bacon definitely does make everything better! I love these little hens, they look so delicious and I love anything mini. I can’t describe why lol, I just like little things and think they’re cute! We’re definitely going to try these Cornish hens soon, my fiancé loves anything bacon wrapped!
They definitely are little, but fun to eat 🙂
These look lovely, such a good dinner party dish 🙂
Thank you so much Amy 🙂
I’ve never tried a Cornish Hen and can’t buy them where I live. Love the idea of stuffing poultry with orange though – a fresh and unusual twist.
Thank you Sally 🙂
These sound fantastic, wrapping anything in bacon makes it better, well almost better… That snickers bar did not work out too well 😮
I am in awe of you trying to wrap a Snickers in bacon :-0
This looks amazingly delicious!
Thank you 🙂
You had me at bacon wrapped! Love this!
They look impressive!
Thanks Lauren 🙂
Wow!! This looks incredibly delicious!!!
Thank you Katerina 🙂
I haven’t made a game hen in forever! this looks like the perfect recipe to introduce them to my boys!
I hope they like these Des 🙂
My husband will eat anything that’s wrapped in bacon! This is a perfect dinner for him!
He and my husband think alike 🙂
Bacon wrapped anything is sure to be amazing! These look incredible! I’ve never had cornish game hen before, but these look so festive and pretty for Christmas!
I hope you like these Michelle 🙂