11/18/2025
Fore more tips to make quick and tasty meals at home from Sara Moulton, watch season 14 of Sara's Weeknight Meals, now airing on public television.
Check local listings or stream anytime with the PBS App!
Having a small Thanksgiving dinner this year? Just you and the meaningful other or maybe a few friends? Well, why not opt for stuffed mini “turkeys,” a.k.a. Cornish Game Hens and then everyone can get their own personal bird with all the fixins. Here’s the recipe:
Start to finish: 2 hours 15 minutes (40 active)
Servings: 8
For the stuffing:
1/2 pound firm white, homemade-style sandwich bread
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup finely diced celery
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon lemon zest
6 cooked breakfast sausages (about 6 ounces raw) sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick
½ - ¾ cup chicken broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the hens:
4 Cornish hens (about 2 pounds each)
oil for brushing the skin
Make the stuffing:
Preheat the oven to 250°F Cut the bread into 1/2-inch cubes and on a baking sheet spread the cubes in a single layer. Bake them until barely golden, about 40 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
In a medium skillet cook the onion and celery in the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer the vegetables and butter to a medium bowl. Stir in the herbs, lemon zest, bread, sausages, and enough of the stock to moisten the cubes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Make the hens: Preheat the oven to 450 F. Stuff each hen with ½ cup of the stuffing and tie the legs. Rub the oil over all the hens and arrange them in one layer on a rack in a large roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast the hens 35 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the leg thigh joint registers 165 F. Transfer the hens from the roasting pan to a platter and let them rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
To serve: cut each hen in half and transfer to 8 plates with the stuffing side down.
Stay tuned for my gravy recipe this week.