Spatchcocked cornish hens marinaded and glazed with a spectacular, sticky, spicy Szechuan sauce, then grilled for smoky flavor. These Grilled Szechuan Cornish Hens are jam packed with flavor and easy enough for weeknight dinner, yet elegant enough for entertaining!
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There is something a lot of you, even if you do follow this blog, do not know about me. This is because what I am about to disclose is not something I talk about often… mostly because I don’t have fond memories, and I like to be an optimistic ray of sunshine type of chick versus a Debbie downer. But, I spent a few years as a line chef at a very high end Japanese steakhouse.
I lost spent countless hours of my life:
Making, and continually stirring, eel sauce
Braising Kakuni
Marinating and frying Karaage
Whisking and perfecting tempura batter
Grilling filet mignon, salmon, chicken…
The list goes on, but I won’t bore you!
One thing I never made at that restaurant? One of my favorite Asian dishes – Szechuan (Sechuan) Chicken. Not shocking, I suppose, since that is not a Japanese dish. Right? Regardless, whenever I cook anything Asian, I always reminisce (read: cringe) about the days I spent slaving away in that restaurant.
Anyways, when the opportunity arose to work with Tyson® and Kikkoman®, I knew I wanted to make a Szechuan inspired dish – Spatchcock and Grilled Szechuan Cornish Hens – to be exact.
Since I already divulged my dirty little restaurant life “secret”, there is something else I want you guys to know. I will never support or promote ANY brand here on NSN that I don’t actually use in my OWN kitchen. Tyson® and Kikkoman® are products I always utilize in my kitchen for so many reasons:
All Tyson® products, and Tyson® Cornish Hens, are all natural. With no artificial ingredients, preservatives, and zero added hormones or steroids, their brand of products is ideal for Boy and I. I like to feel good about what I put into our bodies. You understand.
Since Kikkoman® Light Soy Sauce is traditionally brewed, it is my go-to for all dishes where I need a punch of umami flavor. I used it here in the marinade to create succulent and juicy hens, perfect for grilling, and in the Szechuan glaze for enhanced flavor.
Now that we have those #FunFactsOfTheDay covered, let’s discuss these delicious little birds. If you have never had Cornish hens, you are seriously missing out on some scrumptiousness in your life! A lot of people (including my husband, before I forced him to see the light), have a misconception that Cornish hens are gamy tasting. Well, first of all Cornish hens are not game birds, they are a form of a broiler chicken. And, if you cook them properly, they won’t be gamy. At all. I spatchcocked the hens, meaning I removed the back bone and flattened them out, to gain more grill-to-hen surface area. This allows for the smoky char of the grill to really flavor the bird and cook evenly.
The result? Poultry that is crispity-crunchity-skin-tastically delicious on the outside; and extremely tender-riffic and mouthwateringly moist on the inside. Honestly, these Cornish hens will taste like the best dang chicken you have ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
But, that is just the plain ‘ole spatchcock and grilled hen. I went two steps further. The Szechuan marinade and glaze make these hens spectacular and jam packed with fabulous flavor. Sticky, savory, spicy, a tad sweet, slightly sour, and totally umami. These Cornish hens are the perfect example of easy (and exotic) elegance, with a home-style serving flare.
So, get your tookis over to Walmart, pick up the necessary ingredients, rock your grill, and your world, with these Szechuan Cornish Hens! Until next time, Cheers and Happy Spatchcocking!
-xoxo-
Cheyanne
Photo Below: How your Tyson® Cornish Hen should look with the backbone removed
Grilled Szechuan Cornish Hens
Ingredients
- 2 Cornish Hens (about 1 pound each)
- Marinade:
- 3 Cloves Garlic – smashed and peeled
- 2 Scallions - roughly chopped
- 1 TBS Ginger – grated (from a 1 ½’’ knob)
- ½ Cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
- ¼ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 TBS Fresh Cilantro Leaves – roughly chopped
- 1 TBS Sesame Oil
- Glaze:
- 1 ½ tsp Whole Sichuan Peppercorns – seeds removed
- 1 Clove Garlic – peeled and smashed
- 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 TBS Light Brown Sugar
- 2 TBS Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
- 1 TBS Ginger – grated (from a 1 ½’’ knob)
- ¼ tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- 1 TBS Chili Oil
- 1 TBS Rice Wine Vinegar
- Garnish:
- Cilantro Leaves – roughly chopped
- Scallions – thinly sliced
- Toasted Sesame Seeds
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Prepare the Cornish Hens: Pat hens dry with a paper towel on a clean work surface. Place them breast side down and use sharp kitchen shears to remove the backbone by cutting along both sides of it. Discard. Turn the chicken over, laying it flat, and press down on the breasts to flatten.
- Marinate the Hens: Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a large Ziplock bag or mixing bowl. Add the hens to the Ziplock, seal and turn to coat. Alternatively add them to a large baking dish and pour marinade over hens. Transfer to the refrigerator. Allow to marinate for 6 hours up to overnight, turning to coat a few times.
- Meanwhile, Prepare the Glaze: Place a small skillet over medium heat and add Sichuan peppercorns. Toast, shaking often, until fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Add the remaining glaze ingredients and process until well combined. Transfer and divide between two large ramekins.
- Grill the Hens*: Heat half of the burners of a gas grill to medium high heat and oil grates. Cover and allow grill to preheat for 7-10 minutes. Alternatively, place a grill pan over medium high heat or light half a chimney full of charcoal and spread out evenly over half the grates.
- Remove the hens from the marinade and discard marinade. Transfer the hens* to the HOT side of the grill, skin side up. Cover and cook until lightly marked, about 5 minutes. Flip the hens over, brush with half of the glaze (from ONE ramekin, reserving the other), cover and continue to cook until golden brown, cooked through, and an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of breasts registers 150 degrees F., about 15 minutes. If the hens start to burn before being cooked through, move them over to the cool side of the grill. Alternatively, if using a grill pan, reduce heat.
- Remove from grill, transfer to a clean work surface, skin side up, and brush with remaining glaze (in second ramekin). Allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving or serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
That looks so amazing, especially the glaze and green onions. You make this look so effortless!! Pinned!
the fact that you said tookis and cornish hens in the same sentience makes me happy –> YES< going now. Need this recipe!
Is there anything more satisfying than spatchcocking a chicken? And this spicy version looks FABULOUS!! Pinning! 🙂
Wowza! This cornish hen recipe is so amazing! That is fascinating that you used to work at a high end Japanese restaurant – the stories you must have…and the sore arms from stirring that eel sauce lol. So two years ago my little sister (who is the only vegetarian in our meat eating family of 6) was set on grocery duties and bought cornish hens instead of a turkey! No joke! So every time I see hens i think of the thanksgiving debacle lol. This recipe though, deeelish, looks so amazing!
I’ve been wanting to spatchcock (what a weird word!) chicken for a while now and you’ve just given me all the motivation I need. This looks insane! I’m totally drooling over the crispy skin and the Szechuan flavours. Yum!!
Good lord I kept scrolling and scrolling to leave this comment and by the looks of that it’s definitely been a hit with your readers AND me!
Anything thats has “Sticky, savory, spicy, a tad sweet, slightly sour” I’m all in! Szechuan and cornish + spatchcock prep equals some tasty bird there Chey! Awesome idea, presentation and the glaze ingredients… wow! Hope you guys are having a great holiday weekend. 🙂
This chicken sounds amazing!! I don’t think I’ve even cooked cornish hen before. I’ll have to try!
Okay, my story would have been funnier if I had told it right in the first place! I realized that I had a brain fart. 🙁 The story was my mom used to make QUAILS when we were young, and she packed them in my sister’s school lunches. Sorry to confuse you, Chey! Your cornish hens still rock!!
This looks amazing! I could just eat this for my dinner tonight.
What a gorgeous plate Cheyanne! This is gorgeous enough for company – it looks like it came out of a fine chef’s kitchen. I’m definitely coming over to your house. Beautiful pictures too! Have a great weekend!
Every time I come here I feel like someone’s who’s been lost in the wilderness for a couple of weeks and is just completely STARVED. You make me go from “ehh…not really hungry” to “MUST.EAT.NOW!” And you always manage to make things that I absolutely LOVE. #GreatMinds First of all, it’s so great that you are genuine with the products you share…I really appreciate that as a reader and love to see bloggers sharing all natural products <3 Secondly, Szechuan is my favorite Asian dish too!! There used to be this tiny hole in the wall place near UCLA that made an awesome Szechuan chicken, which I'd go to every week when I was in college. So. freakin. good. This looks amazing…I can just SEE the crispy exterior..wow!! And last, but not least, I am a BIG fan of cornish hens. When I go to Persian restaurants, they give you an option when you order chicken kabobs whether you want to do regular chicken kabobs or a cornish hen version….the cornish hen is 10x better. So good to know Tyson sells a natural one…I will have to definitely go and pick one up and make this recipe because I am drooling all over my keyboard!! Fantastic, Cheyanne!!! P.S. So glad you left the restaurant business and decided to share your talents with us…I love your blog!! XOXO
I am not quite sure if I’ve ever eaten a cornish hen!! They look kind of adorable, and make for a great presentation.
This looks too good to eat! No I changed my mind. I would eat it. But it looks wonderful! Pinned :).
My mom used to make cornish hens when we were young. My youngest sister mentioned that when she was little, while all the other kids pulled bologna and peanut butter sandwiches out of their lunch bags, she would pull a cornish hen out of hers from time to time! I was on the floor laughing! Thanks goodness Mom didn’t do that to me!
If I send these little lovlies with my husband for lunch, he would be dreaming of lunch all day! What beautiful color and caramelization! And the soy, ginger, garlic, sesame, brown sugar, cilantro…I can taste it now. I’m drooling!
Ha! Yeah, I definitely learned a lot.. so I AM thankful for that! So glad I could provide a little inspiration! Honestly, that makes my soul smile! Thank you for the kind comment AND the pin, girlfriend! Cheers to YOU and a fab weekend!! 😉
Interesting secret there… I’m sure you learned a lot but glad to hear you can pretty much move on from those unpleasant days. Still, you have such a fabulous culinary repertoire under your belt already! And hello, szechuan loveliness here! While I do love Cornish hens, I have definitely never had them like this! You are inspiring me to break out of my comfort zone because this sounds simply amazing! Pinning and looking forward to getting my spatchcock on 😉
WOW!! Look at you! I didn’t know you used to be a chef at a Japanese restaurant!! That’s awesome!! …this looks amazing! 🙂 What a beautiful recipe!
Thank you so much, Cailee!! I hope you have a fantastic Holiday Weekend!! Cheers! 🙂
You a re full of surprises Cheyanne. I dropped by to see what you’re cooking today and find out you’re practically a five star Japanese chef. (OR is five stars for generals only?) No matter. Close enough. Loving this awesome szechuan chicken. You nailed this. Looks absolutely mouthwatering. Have an awesome weekend when it gets here!
HAHAHAHA! Omg, I wouldn’t say I am a 5 star Japanese Chef! (Probably need to be Japanese for that!) Michelin only goes up to 3 stars… but I feel like when most people hear “oh I went to a three star restaurant”, they would think it was some mediocre crap. lol. Anyways! Thank you SO very much for the super sweet comment, Allie! You always make me laugh! Hope YOU and your family have a beautiful weekend! <3
So cool that you were a line cook at a Japanese restaurant but totally bites that you weren’t treated well. So glad you aren’t there anymore. This chicken looks simply flawless though! I’d love to try making spatchcock chicken one day!
Thanks Kelly! At least I got the experience, well that’s what I tell myself anyways! You should try spatchcocking – it really easy super easy! Cheers to a fabulous Holiday weekend!
My husband has been a line chef in a lot of places where he doesn’t want to remember, too. It’s how you get to where you get, I guess. Now, I totally need to make this (or have him make it) because I need some of that crispity-crunchity-skin-tastically chicken! [client]
LOL! Well, your husband and I have the desire to forget a few things in common! But, you are right, that experience is a necessary evil! Hope you do have your hubs make these cornish hens, because they are so good!! Cheers and thank you so much for stopping by and leaving a comment! (And for your help with Social Fabric!) 🙂
Okay, so you should know that I have a long-standing LOVE of all hens Cornish. No joke. When I was a kid, I always asked my mom to make Cornish hen for my birthday dinner. If that sounds weird, it probably is. But we’re talking about me here.
And this looks PERFECT.
Who doesn’t love Kikkoman? I dip my sushi into it ALL WEEK LONG. It’s the best!
LOL, You are Cornish Hen crushin’ huh? Well, I just learned something new about you! But, I can Toe-ts understand your love obsession! They are delicious and I love that you can have your own little bird serving! I do the Kikkoman Sushi Dip all week long too! #GreatMinds! Cheers, pretty lady!
Wow! You were a line chef at Japanese restaurant? No wonder your your dishes are just AH-MAZING! 🙂 I love everything about this droolicious dish. I flavors, the colors and the photos. Everything I see here is just beyond AWESOME. Such a beautiful share, Cheyanne! Loving it! 🙂
Aw, Thank you SO much, Anu!! You totally just put the biggest smile on my face! 😀 Cheers to a day as fabulous as YOU! <3
I’ve made other szechuan dishes before and the spice just makes me so happy every time! It’s my favorite.
I feel the same EXACT way, Joanne! Spice makes me feel Oh So Nice! 🙂 Cheers, lovely lady!
I’ve never seen cornish hen look so good! Love all the spices. 🙂
Thank you so much, Christin! Cheers to a fabulous Labor Day weekend!
I’ve heard of spatchcock chicken, but haven’t tried it before. I definitely think I need to because this looks so fantastic and full of flavor! Such a gorgeous dish!
Danielle, you should TOTALLY try spatchcocking! It is super easy and it makes the bird cook pretty fast! Thank you so much for the sweet comment! Cheers to a beautiful weekend!
I’ve never heard of spatchcock before, and I’ve never tried a Cornish hen! But this meal looks so succulent, I’ve got to try this!
OMG, Marsha! You need to get your cornish hen AND your spatchcocking on! 🙂 lol Cheers, girlie- to a beautiful Labor Day weekend!!
Oh no, not a great experience, but a good story to tell!
I have never done spatchcock, as I always thought it was really difficult, but this looks pretty simple and I love your szechuan twist too.
Exactly, Dannii! Most of the time bad experiences do lead to pretty dang good stories… and I have A LOT from that place! Spatchcocking is VERY easy… like, stupid easy! You should try it! Thanks so much for the sweet comment, girlfriend! Cheers to a fabulous weekend!
I’ve never been a line cook, but I’ve been a waitress and I have to give the full disclosure: I suck! We do that split business when we smoke whole chickens or turkeys – we just didn’t know that there is an official name for it! 🙂 This spicy sauce sounds like something Chris would totally love and I would be a weenie about, so we will do it here with a his and hers. But seriously, dude – eel sauce? No thanks! I would totally quit that job too!
I was a waitress for years too, Rachelle!! Except I didn’t suck. I was actually really good at it, which is quiet shocking because I don’t really like being told what to do! 😉 Yes, the whole “split business” does have a name! And the name is quiet funny… or at least i’m immature, so I think it’s funny. The sauce isn’t TOO spicy.. but if you reduced the crushed red peppers in it, it would be a lot more tame for your weenie taste buds! And FYI – eel sauce has NO eel in it! 😉 Cheers, pretty lady!
Sing this to music: “I know where you worked!” Hahahahahahahaha! Yes, I want my own little bird and it has to be extra Sichuan spicy please. This is the perfect grilling recipe for an end of the summer BBQ party. So elegant too 🙂 #fancypants
HAHAHAHA! I know YOU know, Karrie! But, of course you do… hello #FoodieBesties4EVA! 🙂 I knew you would aprechiate this dish, because who doesn’t want their OWN teeny tiny lil bird? Hope this didn’t make you look at your own chickens in a creepy light – like “I wonder what youuuuu would look like if I spatchcocked you?” lol AND heck yeah, #fancypants all day, every day! Cheers, my sweets! <3
I made spatchcock chicken last year and loved how evenly it cooked — I love that you did that with cornish hens! And that sauce — this just looks like it bursts with flavor, Cheyanne. Gorgeous dish! 🙂
Spatchcocking totally rocks, right Marcie!! It does help the bird cook SO evenly, AND quickly! Thank you SO much for the lovely comment! Cheers and warm wishes for a fantastic Labor Day weekend!!
OMG! So sorry to hear that it clearly wasn’t a great experience…but WOW! What a background!
I bet you are karaage-ed out though, hmm…? 😉
Now back to this. Noah. WOAH! Check out those flavours!! I love that you made this with spatchcock too. Pinning!!
LOL! No need to be sorry, Nagi! I did learn A LOT! Mostly about what I am NOT willing to put up with! And yes, I am karaage-ed out! But, I guarantee if someone made some and put it in front of me I would go to town eating it! 🙂 Thank you so much for the sweet comment and pin, girlfriend! Cheers to a fab weekend!
Wow – a line cook at a high-end Japanese restaurant? I bet you have some stories girl! This dish is everything I love. No joke, I always have the gallon can of Kikkoman soy sauce on hand. It was always in my parents cabinet, and now it’s always in mine 🙂
This dish has some serious flavors going on! That glaze is ON POINT and I think I could use that on just about anything! A must-make dish!
Ha! I do have a bunch of stories from that place… not a lot of them good ones though!! 😉 I always have an excess amount of Kikkoman in my house too! They make some dang good soy sauce! Thanks so much for the kind words, Kathleen! And you are right, that glaze would be pretty good on anything! Cheers and warm wishes for a beautiful Labor Day weekend! <3
Ok, this recipe is fantastic and it’s got my husband’s name ALL over it. He loves cornish hens, he’s on a total spicy kick lately, and Chinese food is his bff. So this is a total hat-trick! Definitely pinning for him. Also, I spent many years working in a professional kitchen too, and all I can say is, I feel your pain. Onward and upward!
lol, I love that Chinese food is your hubby’s bff! That’s hilarious! I had no clue you worked in a professional kitchen! I totally agree – onward and upward! Cheers, girlfriend!
Girl, we can commiserate on being line cooks. I was a line cook in a French restaurant. Man, was that insane. I worked the egg station and Mother’s Day brunch just about killed me. Ha! I kind of weirdly miss it. I mean, it’s exciting at times and weirdly fun and you have such an interesting bond (and annoyance!) with the people you work with. Anyways, I’ve been dying to spatchcock a chicken or cornish game hen. Or maybe even my Thanksgiving turkey this year. That would be some adventure!
OMG, I LOVE that you were a line cook too, Liz!! #FemaleLineChefsRock I weirdly miss the rush of it at times, so I feel you! Spatchcocking a turkey would make a pretty stellar thanksgiving dinner… and it sounds like quiet a fete! 🙂 Cheers, pretty lady – to a wonderful holiday weekend!
I’d never even heard of “spatchcock” before, this is too cool and such a neat technique! This looks so delicious, Cheyenne, and how neat you were a line cook (even if the memories aren’t so fond)! 🙂
Whaaaaa? Well, I am glad I could introduce you to spatchcocking, Sam!! It’s a great technique to ensure the bird cooks evenly, and it cooks so much more quickly! Cheers, girlfriend- to a fabulous holiday weekend!
Oh that’s so interesting!! haha I love hearing about people’s dirty little secrets! 🙂
This sounds fantastic! That glaze! I’ve actually never cooked a cornish hen myself! Madness!!
LOL, I love when people share their dirty little secrets too! I’m nosy. 😉 You need to hop on board the cooking cornish hen yourself train, girlfriend! Because I KNOW however you season it, it will be awesome! Cheers, girlie!
The fact you were a line cook gives you serious street cred. As does this delicious looking cornish hen that is spatchcocked, a feat I’m incredibly scared to try.
Ha! Thank you Nicole! I’ll take a little street cred any day! 🙂 Don’t be scared to try spatchcocking! I PROMISE it is easy. Just use kitchen sheers and snip on both sides of the back bone to remove it… easy peasy! Cheers, lovely lady!
Wow Chey, these sound crazy good! My Mom used to make cornish hens when we were young. I always loved the taste, but they never looked this good! I love the idea of Szechuan! I have to try spatchcocking! Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you so much, Mary Ann! My mother never prepared us cornish hens, they are something I had to discover on my own! You are lucky you got to grow up eating them, because they are delicious! Spatchcocking rocks… I totally recommend you give it a go! Cheers, pretty lady!
This looks amazing! And all that beautiful charring, I’m in love. Your story took me back to my days as a “salad girl” in the kitchen of a local restaurant in my teens. Not my favorite job, I couldn’t stomach lettuce for a long time, lol.
Thank you so much, Stacey! Ha, I can TOTALLY understand why you couldn’t stand lettuce for a long time after being a “salad girl”! Thankfully, I still LOVE Japanese food… would have been a huge bummer if I needed a break after working there because I live for sushi! 😉 Cheers and warm wishes for a beautiful day!
Look at that chicken! I need to learn how to spatchcock!
Spatchcocking is SUPER easy, Matt! You can DO IT! 😉 Cheers, buddy!
Wait you were a line cook before – do you miss the energy?
Love this – I have to try spatchcocking!
Lol… well that is a VERY loaded question, Naomi! I miss the energy, YES… the long hours, the treatment… NO! 🙂 You should toe-ts try spatchcocking! For grilling a whole bird it is the BEST way to go! Cheers, lovely!
You were a line cook at the restaurant?! What a surprise! Bring it on! More details, please! Did you ever screw your dish or station? Did your ever get your food being returned? Did the chef ever yell at you? And many other things! Oh, I’m so pumped to hear them! Indeed, I’ve never heard of this dish, but I don’t care about the names when it comes to something delicious! Well done, Chey!
Ha! I was, Ben. And you will need to provide some sort of bribery to get ALL that information out of me! I accept payments in cash. 😉 I’m glad you have never heard of szechuan cornish hens… because I am preeeettty sure I have never seen it before. So YAY! I like being original. Cheers, buddy!
Would you accept a bribary in donuts? Haha
This chicken looks beyond! The flavor is sensational!
Thank you so much, Jocelyn! Cheers and Happy Hump Day!
This recipe is EVERYTHING. I’ve never even HEARD of “spatchcock” before OR have I tried a Cornish hen…I KNOW, I TOTALLY LIVE UNDER A ROCK. So I am clearly going to get my face all up in this for dinner. Lovelovelove that szechuan goodness!!!! PINNED!
OMG… Get out from under your rock (that we clearly share, because YOU have taught me SO much!) and DO the spatchcock Num Num Shuffle! You will love it, Tay! Thanks for the love! Cheers, pretty lady! xo
Wow, you were a line chef at a Japanese steakhouse?! I love that! you must have so many stories . . 🙂 I’ve always wanted to try the spatchcock method! I hear it’s the best way to ensure even cooking and a perfectly cooked bird! I love this and love the szechuan flava!!
I do have WAY to many stories from those days, Alice… The sad part is that A LOT of them aren’t happy. Like 90%. Being a FEMALE line cook IN a JAPANESE restaurant is the equivalent of being a fish out of water. I wasn’t treated well. BUT I learned a lot… about a lot of things! Anyways, Spatchcocking is AWESOME! It definitely ensures a juicy and evenly cooked bird! Try it! Thanks for the love, as always, girlfriend! Cheers!