Cornish Game Hens
at 400°F
40 min – 50 min Cornish Game Hens take about 40 min – 50 min in a 400°F oven. Done is 165°F on a food thermometer, plus a 10-minute rest — never the clock alone.
When is it actually done?
165°F internal The USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature for this cut is 165°F, followed by a rest of about 10 minutes. The clock estimates; the thermometer decides. Every time on this page is a planning range, not a doneness test.
Sizing: Times are per typical 1.25–1.5 lb hen. Four hens on one pan roast in the same time as one — give them space so they roast rather than steam.
Worth knowing before you start
- One hen per person looks generous; a 1.5 lb bird is genuinely two modest servings — halve them along the backbone after resting.
- They are small enough to dry out fast: check early, and probe the thigh exactly as you would a full chicken.
- Everything true of a whole chicken is true here at two-thirds scale, including the 165°F thigh reading.
Answers people ask
How long does Cornish game hens take at 400°F?
About 40 min – 50 min at 400°F (times are per typical 1.25–1.5 lb hen. Four hens on one pan roast in the same time as one — give them space so they roast rather than steam.). It is done at 165°F internal on a food thermometer, not by the clock.
What internal temperature is Cornish game hens done at?
165°F, measured with a food thermometer in the thickest part, then rested about 10 minutes. That is the USDA FSIS safe minimum.
Is 400°F a good temperature for Cornish game hens?
It is one of 3 temperatures this site publishes for this cut (350°F, 375°F, 400°F). Lower runs longer and more forgiving; higher runs faster with more browning. 375°F is the most common choice.
More chicken timings
Where these numbers come from
Ranges are anchored to USDA FSIS published timetables where they exist, and derived from that anchor plus cross-checked published sources where they do not — widened to cover the disagreement between sources rather than split down the middle. The full reasoning is on the method page. If a figure here looks wrong, say so — corrections are prioritised.