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Thai Grilled Cornish Game Hens

By Danielle on , Updated

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These Grilled Cornish Game Hens are marinated in a delicious blend of Thai spices, then grilled to juicy perfection in just a matter of minutes for the most perfect easy-to-make Thai BBQ! A must for the summer grilling season!

 2 grilled cornish game hens covered in sauce and cilantro with lime

Guys, if you're looking for one of the easiest BBQ recipes ever, this Thai marinated cornish game hen recipe is it. This is what you've been searching for your whole life.

The marinade is packed full of the most amazingly delicious umami flavors (think soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic...all the good stuff guys) with just enough coconut sugar for a hint of sweet, these grilled cornish game hens are SO AWESOME.

And they're just so much fun - kind of like these cheesy Stuffed Cornish Hens and these apple cider marinated Grilled Cornish Hens.

And absolutely perfect for that summer BBQ! The recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, quadrupled, etc. etc. have fun with it! 

Let me also reiterate how incredibly awesome the marinade is.

3 tacos on a platter with shrimp and toppingsvietnamese pork noodle bowl with fresh veggies and herbs**It's similar to the marinade used in these Shrimp Tacos or this Vietnamese Pork Noodle Bowl - slightly spicy and packed with umami flavor**

An overnight Thai marinade and a few minutes on the grill is all it takes to get these cornish hens tasting amazing.

Ingredients

Some of the below may contain affiliate links. I earn a small commission if you buy through these links.

The main ingredients for the marinade are fish sauce, lemongrass, coconut sugar and chili garlic sauce. The full list of ingredients is found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

I always recommend using Red Boat 40 fish sauce as I believe it has the best flavor. You can buy it HERE on Amazon (affiliate link).

Fresh lemongrass can be used here, but I tend to use lemongrass paste as it is easier to find and use - and I believe the flavor is comparable to fresh.

Chili garlic sauce is widely available at grocery stores now, but you can also buy it HERE if you can't find it.

You can substitute brown sugar for the coconut sugar, but I have really come to love the flavor of coconut sugar.

Step By Step Instructions

This grilled cornish game hen recipe calls for spatchcocking your hens. If you've never spatchcocked a chicken, don't worry, it's not hard.

You're pretty much just removing the spine. But if it's your first time, you should totally check out this tutorial from Martha Stewart to learn how to spatchcock a chicken (or in this case a cornish game hen).

Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.

sauce in a bowl with cilantro

Place hens in a freezer bag and add marinade (reserve ⅛ cup marinade for serving). Refrigerate overnight.

raw chicken in bag with marinade

Now reserving the marinade is optional, but I 100% recommend it. I love to have just a touch of marinade left over to drizzle over the hens.

Heat grill to 450F. Grill the hens for 6-8 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. I use this Thermapen to get a quick, accurate reading. 

Let them rest for 10 minutes and serve with reserved marinade and fresh limes.

spatchcocked cornish game hens covered in sauce and cilantro with lime

Expert Tips

  1. This marinade would also be delicious on beef, pork, shrimp, fish, or shoe rubber.
  2. The internal temperature of the hens should be 160F when removed from the grill. I like to use an instant read thermometer like this Thermapen to get a good temperature reading.
  3. If the skin starts to get too dark turn down the heat or move to a cooler part of the grill.

2 cornish game hens covered in sauce and cilantro with lime

Did you make these grilled cornish game hens? Rate the recipe and leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out.

grilled cornish game hens covered in sauce and cilantro with lime

Thai Grilled Cornish Game Hens

Cornish game hens marinated in Thai spices then grilled to juicy, crispy perfection.
4.62 from 13 votes
Print
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Thai
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Marinade: 1 day
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 519kcal
Author: Danielle Wolter

Ingredients

  • 2 cornish game hens spatchcocked
  • 2 limes

Marinade:

Instructions

  • Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.
  • Place hens in a freezer bag and add marinade (reserve ⅛ cup marinade for serving). Refrigerate overnight up to 24 hours.
  • Heat grill to 450 degrees. Grill the hens for 7-10 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
  • Let rest for 10 minutes and serve with reserved marinade and fresh limes.

Expert Tips:

  1. This marinade would also be delicious on beef, pork, shrimp, fish, or shoe rubber. 
  2. The internal temperature of the hens should be 160F when removed from the grill. I like to use an instant read thermometer like this Thermapen to get a good temperature reading.
  3. If the skin starts to get too dark turn down the heat or move to a cooler part of the grill. 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5hen | Calories: 519kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 227mg | Sodium: 1598mg | Potassium: 644mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 327IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg
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Thai Grilled Cornish Game Hens
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Diane

    5 stars
    I have a couple of hens marinating in my fridge right now. I do not however, have a grill, but I can roast these in the oven. Do you think I can/should start than in cast iron? I am wondering if the sugar in the marinade will cause the skin to burn if I try to put a sear on it.

    • Danielle

      I would skip the cast iron and roast in the oven. You can crisp the skin up in the broiler when it's done if you want it s little crisper.

  2. Dale McGill

    You can’t drizzle marinade from raw chickens over cooked chicken....gross!

    • Danielle

      You cook the marinade before using it. It cooks out all the bacteria. However, you definitely don't have to use it if you prefer not to, they are still good!

    • ChefBoyardee

      It says to reserve 1/8 cup of the marinade, so that much doesn't touch the raw chicken

  3. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary

    5 stars
    I seriously love me some cornish hens!!! Especially when they are grilled! Needless to say, I am totally swooning over these! This is a must make this summer! Cheers!

    • Danielle

      Cornish hens are so fun! I love having my own personal bird to eat 🙂 Hope you get a chance to make it Cheyanne!

  4. Helen of Fuss Free Flavours

    5 stars
    Marinated meats are so tasty when cooked on the BBQ. This recipe sounds amazing, with loads of delicious flavours. Perfect for summer dining.

    • Danielle

      Thanks Helen. I love grilled marinated meats!

  5. Nathan Wyper

    5 stars
    This looks absolutely amazing, love thai spices and chicken. Can't wait to try with my next BBQ!

    • Danielle

      Thanks! I hope you love it 🙂

  6. Demeter

    The spices on this sounds ah-mazing! Such a fun dinner for when company is over too...definitley will impress the guests!

    • Danielle

      Totally! Thanks Demeter!

  7. Linda Nortje

    5 stars
    We love Thai food and I always wanted to make Cornish hens ! Thanks for sharing a great recipe !

    • Danielle

      I hope you get a chance to try this Linda!

  8. Dannii

    5 stars
    That looks like some perfectly cooked chicken and that Thai marinade sounds amazing. I love Thai food.

    • Danielle

      Thanks Dannii! Thai food is the best!

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