Cornish Game Hens with Mushroom Rice

Cornish hens are so cute and elegant. Perfect for a romantic dinner for two or a charming entrée of an individual small chicken on each plate for a dinner party.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice

Pinch of salt

1 cup water

TIP! To enhance the flavor use chicken broth instead of water

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained and chopped

2 Cornish game hens, thawed

3 Tablespoons olive oil or melted butter

1 tablespoon poultry seasoning, or to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a cooking rack on top of it.

Bring water (or broth – my preference) to a boil in a saucepan with a lid. Add rice. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer 18-20 minutes until water absorbed. Fluff the rice with a fork.

While rice is cooking, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet. Add onion and mushroom. Cook 3-5 minutes until onion translucent.

Stir the mushrooms and onion into the cooked rice.

Rinse the game hens, inside and out, and pat dry.

Lightly stuff the Cornish hen with the rice mixture, and tie the legs together with cooking twine to hold in the stuffing.

Mix olive oil or melted butter with poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Brush onto game hens.

Bake until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 45 to 50 minutes.