Low Carb Holiday Cornish Hen w Bacon Green Bean Casserole Cups Recipe

Gluten Free
Lunch
Main Dishes
4.8/5
(2573 reviews)
Low Carb Holiday Cornish Hen w Bacon Green Bean Casserole Cups
Zylo Recipes

Description

Celebrate any occasion with the delightful simplicity of Cornish hens, a flavorful alternative to larger poultry options. These petite birds are perfectly portioned for an intimate dinner for two, or can be multiplied to serve a small gathering. Enjoy the added benefit of a significantly shorter cooking time compared to a whole turkey, freeing you from extended kitchen duty.

This recipe features Cornish hens adorned with a fragrant blend of fresh herbs and garlic, creating a classic and savory profile. Frequent basting with butter throughout the baking process ensures a beautifully crisp and golden skin, making each bite a textural delight. Complementing the hens are individual green bean casseroles, a charming twist on the traditional side dish.

These miniature casseroles are enriched with the smoky crunch of bacon and creamy dollops of cream cheese, offering a delightful contrast to the savory richness of the Cornish hen. This rendition of green bean casserole takes a fresh approach, omitting nuts and focusing on clean, wholesome ingredients. Eschewing typical fried onions and processed cream of mushroom soup, these casseroles offer a lighter, yet satisfying, accompaniment.

The result is a vibrant and flavorful side that perfectly balances the richness of the main course. This updated take on a classic dish brings a welcome lightness to any meal. Together, the savory Cornish hens and the inventive green bean casseroles create a memorable and satisfying meal, perfect for a special occasion or a comforting weeknight dinner.

Preparation Time

Prep Time
13 min
Cook Time
1 h 25 min
Total Time
1 h 38 min

Nutrition Information

Per 1 1/2 bird + 2 casserole cups serving
C
Calories
900 Kcal

C
Carbs
15 g
Fi
Fiber
5 g
Sugar
5 g

P
Protein
75 g

C
Fats
60 g
Saturated Fats 25 g
Unsaturated Fats 30 g

Cholestrol 250 mg
Sodium 700 mg
Potassium 600 mg
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Ingredients

    1.
    Chicken Cornish Game Hens Meat And Skin Raw
    Chicken Cornish Game Hens Meat And Skin Raw
    20 ounce
    2.
    Unsalted Butter
    Unsalted Butter
    ½ tablespoon
    3.
    Salt
    Salt
    ¼ teaspoon
    4.
    Black Pepper
    Black Pepper
    ⅛ teaspoon
    5.
    Onion Powder
    Onion Powder
    ⅛ teaspoon
    6.
    Garlic
    Garlic
    2 clove
    7.
    Spices Whole Cloves
    Spices Whole Cloves
    2 x 3 cloves
    8.
    Rosemary, Fresh
    Rosemary, Fresh
    1 gram
    9.
    Thyme, Fresh
    Thyme, Fresh
    1 gram
    10.
    Unsalted Butter
    Unsalted Butter
    ½ tablespoon
    11.
    Frozen Green Beans by Kroger
    Frozen Green Beans by Kroger
    4-undefined ounce
    12.
    Bacon
    Bacon
    2 slice - 6" long
    13.
    Cream Cheese
    Cream Cheese
    1-½ ounce
    14.
    Raw Egg
    Raw Egg
    3 large
    15.
    Cream Heavy Whipping
    Cream Heavy Whipping
    ½ tbsp
    16.
    Salt
    Salt
    ¼ teaspoon
    17.
    Black Pepper
    Black Pepper
    ⅛ teaspoon
    18.
    Onion Powder
    Onion Powder
    ⅛ tsp
    19.
    Nutmeg Ground
    Nutmeg Ground
    ⅛ tsp

Instructions

    1.
    Preheat an oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Prepare a cornish hen by removing any excess liquid from its packaging and pat the hen dry. Use a utility knife to cut through the breastplate of the hen and butterfly the entire carcass. This is called spatchcocking. Open the butterflied hen and flip it over onto your tray so you can see the wings and legs of the bird. Rub the first amount of butter all over the exposed skin until it melts and creates a thick layer on the hen. It 's okay if there are some dollops of butter spread across the bird.
    2.
    Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and onion powder across the bird. Then, use a paring knife to slices 5-6 slits into the meat. Smash and slice whole garlic cloves and wedge them into the slits. Push the whole cloves and whole sprigs of rosemary and thyme into the slits as well. If you 're having trouble fitting everything into the slits, arrange some of the herb springs under the wings of the bird, as pictured.
    3.
    Bake the cornish hen in your oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, melt the second amount of butter in a small dish in your microwave. Use a pastry brush or marinating brush to baste the cornish hen with half of that melted butter. Bake the hen for 15 more minutes. Then, baste it with the remaining bit of melted butter and bake for 15 more minutes. In total, your cornish hen should cook for 60 minutes.
    4.
    While the cornish hen is baking, it is best to prepare your green bean casseroles so they can go in the oven shortly after the hen is done. Line 4 muffin tins with paper liners. Fill each paper liner with 1 oz of THAWED green beans from frozen. If needed, chop the green beans up into smaller pieces. If you only have fresh green beans available, you can blanch and chop them. Just note that this will add prep time to your recipe.
    5.
    Cook the bacon to extra crispy on your stovetop. Once the bacon has cooled, cut into small bacon bits. Sprinkle the bacon bits over the green beans in the paper liners. Chop cold cream cheese into cubes and arrange 2-3 cubes over each casserole cup. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, salt, pepper, onion powder, and nutmeg.
    6.
    Pour the egg filling into each casserole cup, filling them all the way to the top. Let the liquid filling settle into each cup. Once your cornish hen is done, reduce your oven heat to 350 degrees. Bake the green bean casserole cups at 350 degrees for 25-27 minutes. The cream cheese at the top should be soft and slightly golden, and the egg filling should have no wiggle to them to know they 're cooked through.
    7.
    Allow the egg filling that rose during baking to settle down in the green bean casserole cups. At this point, your cornish hen should be rested and ready for serving. Each serving includes half a cornish hen with two green bean casserole cups. You can slice the cornish hen to your liking for serving. Each person would ideally receive 1 wing, 1 leg/thigh, and 1 breast.