This Cornish game hen with citrus wild rice recipe is a great way to create tender meat whilst at the same time making a one-pot meal. The wild rice is cooked with aromatic onions, celery, carrots, and oranges, making it a special treat. Cornish game hens are then steamed on top of the rice as it finishes cooking.
This is a very flavorsome dish with the resulting citrus wild rice having many similar characteristics to a risotto. The Cornish game hens are very tender, and with a little longer cook, they will fall off the bone. You can either serve two very hearty portions or four lighter portions.
The instructions call for a deep 14-inch Dutch oven which is ideal but also fairly rare. However, as you can see, it also worked quite well cooked in a 12-inch shallow Dutch oven. Cooked with only heat from below it opens up the option to cook over a fire or on gas.
Cornish Game Hen with Wild Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion
- 3 ribs celery
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 cups wild rice
- 1 small bag baby carrots
- 1 large orange zested and juiced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 2 cans mandarin oranges
- 4 game hens
Equipment
- 14 inch deep Dutch oven
Directions
- Preheat the Dutch oven while dicing the onion and celery.
- Add the oil, rice, onions, celery, and baby carrots to the Dutch oven. Stir while cooking until lightly browned.
- Add the orange zest and juice along with the chicken stock, stir to combine then simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add to the Dutch oven the salt, garlic, pepper, and cans of mandarin oranges including the juice. Stir to combine then add the game hens evenly in the Dutch oven. Gently wiggle the hens to sink them down into the rice and vegetable mix.
- Place the lid on the Dutch oven then return back over the heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. It is best to check the internal temperature which should be about 165 degrees F (75 degrees C) as the chickens are effectively being boiled/steamed and will not brown, giving the appearance they are not cooked.
- Serve the whole game hens for a spectacular meal on a platter to get the full effect, or cut in half and serve as a normal-sized portion.
Nutritional Information
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