Recipes / Mains / Air fryer
◆  Air fryer  ·  serves 2

Air-Fryer Cornish Hen

A tiny roast chicken moment: crisp skin, tender meat, and dinner for two from one basket.

10m
45m
2 servings
Easy

This is a volume-friendly air-fryer article in the best sense: familiar food, a real photo, and a slightly different lane from the version already in the archive. A tiny roast chicken moment: crisp skin, tender meat, and dinner for two from one basket.

The basket does the useful work here — concentrated heat, browned edges, and less oil than the stovetop version. Keep the pieces even, shake once or twice, and let the last two minutes decide the colour.

Method

ii.
  1. 01

    Season

    Pat the hen dry. Rub with oil, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper.

  2. 02

    Start breast-side down

    Cook at 360°F breast-side down for 20 minutes.

  3. 03

    Flip

    Turn breast-side up and cook 12–18 minutes more, until thigh reaches 165°F.

  4. 04

    Rest

    Rest 10 minutes before splitting. Squeeze lemon over the top.