Cooking Cornish hens in the air fryer gives you the tastiest, juiciest meat with delicious crispy skin. Plus it's so easy and hands off—less than 5 minutes of prep time!
Preheat the air fryer to 375F. Brush or spray your basket or tray with olive oil.
Make sure your Cornish hens are fully thawed. Use a paper towel to pat them dry all over.
In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil and all the seasonings. Brush the seasonings all over the Cornish hens, making sure to get under the wings, thighs, and both the back and the breast sides.
Place the Cornish hens breast side down in the air basket or tray. Air fry at 375F for 25 minutes. Use tongs to carefully flip each hen so the breast side is up and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the thickest part of the thigh and the breast is 165F.
Let the Cornish hens rest for 5 minutes at room temperature before cutting into it and serving.
Notes
For "everyday" dinners, I cook 2 Cornish hens for 2-3 people and carve them before serving so everyone can grab their favorite pieces. For a fancy dinner party or a holiday dinner, cook 1 hen per person and place 1 whole hen on a plate for a beautiful presentation.My frozen Cornish hens took just over 2 days (48 hours) to fully thaw in the fridge. Many blogs say to "thaw overnight in the fridge" but that is definitely not enough time!Nutrition facts are estimated per 1 Cornish hen. You can reduce the calories and fat by eating only 4 oz of meat instead of a full Cornish hen and not eating all the skin.