Splitting Cornish hens in half might make for awfully small servings. The hens (which are, in fact, small chickens, but are not, in fact, necessarily female) tend to weigh around one and a quarter pounds, so if you’re going to split them, try to find ones that are on the larger end of the acceptable scale at two pounds. In the alternative, consider getting Rock Cornish game hens, which are slightly larger at around two and a half pounds.
A family recipe provided by Jennifer Kiel of Washington, DC, from her mother-in-law’s collection, started in Kent, Ohio.
Cornish Hens With Parsley Sauce
3 Cornish hens, split in half
4 Tbsp. flour
4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
6 Tbsp. butter
Generous pinch of dried marjoram
Pinch of dried thyme
Pinch of dried sage
3/4 tsp. chili powder
3/4 tsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. sherry or 1/4 cup white table wine
1 cup parsley, chopped
Wash and dry chicken thoroughly. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a pepper in a paper bag. Shake chicken pieces in flour mixture to coat evenly. Melt butter in heavy skillet or Dutch oven with cover. Stir in spices. When warm and bubbly, add chicken pieces, a few at a time, browning evenly on all sides. Arrange chicken in skillet and cover tightly. Cook over low heat till chicken is fork tender. Place on a warm platter; put in a warm place.
Add wine to skillet in which chicken was browned; stir to remove brown particles. Add parsley; cook 2 min. Pour over chicken. Yield: 6 servings.