This Cornish Game Hen with Citrus Rice recipe is a great way to create tender meat whilst at the same time making a one-pot-meal.

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 be fall off the bone.

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 in a 12 inch shallow. Cooked with only heat from below it opens up the option to cook over a fire or on gas.

Recipe Directions

1. Preheat the Dutch oven while dicing the onion and celery.

2. Add the oil, rice, onion, celery, and baby carrots to the Dutch oven. Stir while cooking until lightly browned.

3. Add the orange zest and juice along with the chicken stock, stir to combine then simmer for 20 minutes.

4. 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 and gently wiggle to sink down into the rice and vegetable mix.

5. Place the lid on then return back over the heat and 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 and giving the appearance they are not cooked.

6. Serve whole for a spectacular meal, on a platter to get full effect or cut in half and serve as a normal-sized portion.