Rinse hens inside and out with cool water. Drain all excess water and pat hens dry with a paper towel.
2 cornish hens
Salt and pepper inside of hens
salt, pepper
Add about ½ cup of stuffing to each cavity
1 cup wild rice stuffing
Cross legs over tie with cooking twine. Trim excess twine.
Rub skin with softened butter
¼ cup butter
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and fresh herbs
½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, ½ teaspoon fresh thyme
Place hens in a pan lined with a baking rack. Pour a bit of chicken stock into the bottom of the pan. You want enough to cover the bottom of the pan.
1 cup chicken broth
Bake in preheated 400°F oven for 50-65 minutes until cooked through. The temperature should reach 180°F in the thickest part of the thigh and the stuffing needs to reach 165°F.
Halfway through baking time, remove hens, add a bit more butter to each hen and add additional broth to the pan if the pan is drying out. Rotate pan when returning to oven.
Allow hens to rest for 10 minutes before serving
Notes
Don't overstuff your hens. You can usually fit about ½ cup of stuffing.
Tying the legs together is enough to hold the stuffing in the hen. No need to truss like you would a turkey.
Use a baking rack. Any kind will do as long as it fits in your pan. When I just do two hens, I use a smaller dish and an adjustable rack. If I do more, I use my roasting pan with a larger rack.
Rotate pan halfway through cooking time to help ensure even browning
Allow cornish hens to rest at least 10 minutes before serving