Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. If you have a convection oven use that setting.
Rough chop the vegetables into equal-sized pieces and place them in the bottom of a roasting pan or oven-safe braiser. Pour about ½ cup of water into the bottom of the pan to keep the vegetables from drying out.
Pat the game hens dry making sure the inside of the cavity is as dry as possible. Coat each chicken generously with oil and season with the poultry rub. Make sure you season the inside of the cavity, too – this adds extra flavor! Add salt to the inside of the hen. This will result in juicier meat!
Place the cornish game hens on top of the vegetables (breast side up) and roast uncovered in the preheated oven until juices run clear and the temperature reaches a minimum internal temp of 165-170 degrees F when read with an instant-read thermometer.Baste the chicken with pan juices about every 10 minutes during the last 30 minutes of cooking to help crisp up the skin.
Remove the chicken from the oven. Allow the chicken to rest 10 minutes (uncovered) before carving.
Serve the cornish game hens with the roasted vegetables drizzled with pan drippings.
Notes
Try to purchase hens that are about the same size to cook in about the same amount of time.
Don’t forget to season the inside of the chicken. This results in better cooking and more flavor. Feel free to add fresh herbs and lemon wedges to the cavity for even more flavor.
For crispy skin: DO NOT COVER OR TENT WITH FOIL.
Dry the hens completely before seasoning
Use the convection bake setting on your oven.
Baste the chicken with the pan juices every 10 minutes during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Use an instant-read meat thermometer to help monitor the temperature to ensure the meat is done and not overcooked. Read the thickest part of the chicken: the breast and around the thigh.
Rest the chicken at least 10 minutes before carving to maintain moisture loss.
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