A Month-of-Mediterranean: Rock Cornish Game Hens

We eat a lot of poultry and have for years. I even did a February Month-of-Chicken a few years ago. Check the archives on the right hand side to find the recipes for February 2013. You’ll find recipes for Mother and Child Reunion (chicken quiche), Mae West Stuffed Chicken Breasts, Popeye Chicken Casserole (with spinach of course), and Rule-of-Four Sweet Garlic Chicken, among others.

Mediterranean Diet Guidelines say to limit poultry. Not as much limitation as other meats, perhaps, but limiting portions of animal protein and upping plant protein is a principle that we are trying to get used to. To that end, today’s recipe serves 4 with two game hens split.

Even though you may be used to eating a whole game hen, you don’t really need that much meat to get the RDA of protein you need in this meal. When you surround that half game hen with brown rice or quinoa and a great big salad, you will feel very satisfied. I promise.

My recipe is a simple classic with orange and rosemary. I use rosemary because I have a bush right outside my kitchen door, but any favorite fresh herb will do.

Easy peasy. Quick to fix and pop in the oven. Then just wait for the aroma to fill your kitchen!

 

Rock Cornish Game Hens (serves 4)

2 game hens

½ medium orange, cut in half again

Handful of fresh rosemary

Butter-flavored non-stick spray

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray pan with non-stick spray.

Clean out the inside of the game hens. Rinse with water and pat dry.

Put into pan and squeeze orange sections over the top of each hen.

Stuff each game hen with 1 squeezed orange section, then the rosemary, then the second orange section.

Spray top of each hen with butter-flavored non-stick spray. Sprinkle coarse sea salt on top of each game hen.

Bake for one hour and twenty minutes or until meat thermometer registers 165 degrees.

Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Baste with pan juice.

From the top of the game hen, slice through the middle to the backbone to separate each bird into two pieces. Remove rosemary and orange sections.

Serve immediately, basting with additional pan juice.

DH’s Rating: 5 Tongues Up

“We haven’t had this in a while. That was tasty!”

Month-of-Chicken: Slow Lemon-Garlic Chicken

Did you ever notice I use a lot of garlic? I mean, a LOT! Love the stuff! And, we haven’t seen a vampire around in, oh, a dozen years or more! This stuff works!

I also cook a lot with citrus. I love the freshness and brightness of the flavors of citrus. You can try this recipe with orange or limes, if you’d like some variety.

This fall-off-the-bone chicken recipe is one that will have people asking, “How did you make this?” because of the flavor layers. And who doesn’t love a slow-cooker recipe? Not only is dinner ready when you are, the house smells amazing!

The first time I made this, I put the rosemary on top of the chicken for the last half hour. Waaay too strong a rosemary taste, so now I cook it with the broth. Much better!

Slow Lemon-Garlic Chicken (Serves 6)

1 T dried basil

½ t salt

½ t pepper

6-8 chicken thighs

2 T olive oil

1 T butter

zest of ½ lemon

½ lemon, juiced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 garlic cloves, sliced

½ packet Swanson Flavor Boost-Chicken (where bouillon is found)

½ c white wine

3 sprigs fresh rosemary or tarragon

Mix together basil, salt, and pepper. Spread on all sides of chicken thighs. Set aside while you heat olive oil and butter in a skillet.

Brown both sides of thighs in the oil and butter (~ 5 minutes per side). Remove from skillet and place thighs in slow cooker. Drain off the fat.

In the skillet mix together lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, Flavor Boost, rosemary, and wine. Bring to a boil. Throw out the rosemary sprigs and pour sauce over the chicken thighs. Cook on low for six hours.

Couscous or quinoa makes a nice side with this dish. Spoon some of the pot liquor over the chicken and carb on your plate.

DH’s Rating: 4 Tongues Up. He didn’t love the lemon of this dish and he wanted the thighs to be firmer. (Is there a message here for me, DH???) They were fall-off-the-bone tender.

Month-of-Chicken: GarLimey Chicken

Wow, naming this baby was tricky! Big Mama was very interested in the steps and ingredients in this chicken dish. In the recipe we ate, I used chili powder, but I dropped it out of this version. The false taste that chili powder gives really tainted the dish.

Every time I use chili powder, I vow not to do it again, but then I’m out of the cocoa chili powder blend I buy, so I have to make my own. Sigh!

On to this recipe, however. It’s not a hard dish, but it does have several steps. It’s not one of my fix-it-and-forget-it recipes (like Cocoa Chili Chicken). Still, the novelty of flavors makes it worth trying. It is a nuanced dish with much layering.

GarLimey Chicken (serves 6)

1/8 t paprika

1 t onion powder

2 t rosemary, divided

¼ t sage

1 t parsley

½ t salt

½ t pepper

3 large chicken breasts, cut in half

2 T olive oil

1 T butter

zest of one lime

juice of one lime

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ c white wine

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cut large breasts in half.

Combine paprika, onion powder, 1 t rosemary, sage, parsley, salt, and pepper. Rub all over the chicken pieces.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Place chicken into skillet and brown on both sides. Reduce heat to medium and put on a lid. Let chicken continue cooking through.

Zest one lime and then juice it. Mix zest and juice with garlic. Lift lid on chicken and spoon mixture over the top of each piece. Pour in wine around the chicken. Return lid and let simmer.

After ~5 minutes, remove lid and continue heating the pan liquid to reduce to a thick glaze. Spoon glaze over chicken pieces and sprinkle on the remaining rosemary. Serve.

We had quinoa with it and that was a great accompaniment to the spiciness of the chicken.

DH’s Rating: 4 Tongues Up. He is not a chili powder fan, and he didn’t like the off-taste, but he wants me to make it again. Big Mama liked it, too!