Christmas dinner at its finest includes making Glazed Cornish Hens with Pomegranate-Rice Stuffing. Elegant, but incredibly easy to make, and gorgeous, too.
Christmas wouldn't be the same (in this modern world of ours) without Christmas dinner and the specials on TV. I love finding the same classic movies on over and over again, starting around Thanksgiving. Nothing quite makes you smile like the distant hum of all the Whos down in Whoville, or when Linus gives his Christmas monologue. That is the meaning of Christmas, Charlie Brown.
So what do Christmas specials have to do with food? Not a whole lot. But, these Cornish hens reminded me of the humble Christmas dinner that Bob Cratchit served to his family. That's another Christmas classic my dad would always watch late at night, after everyone was in bed, and he stayed up making sure all the presents looked just so.
Cornish game hens are the perfect portion for a small family/friends get together for the holidays. And they cook faster than a big roasted turkey. The pomegranate-rice stuffing is an interesting take on traditional stuffing and really dressing thins up a bit.
I hope your Christmas dinner is magically perfect.
Holiday meals can become quite the extravagant feasts. If you are looking to fill yours out a little, try these recipes! So Good!
Home-Style Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Green Beans
Slow Cooker Rum Soaked Fig Cranberry Sauce
Double Cheddar Biscuits
If you’ve tried my Cornish Game Hens with Pomegranate-Rice stuffing recipe or any other recipe on passthesushi.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also follow along for more good eats and travel tips on Instagram @passthesushi & @girlcarnivore, Twitter & Facebook.
Glazed Cornish Hens with Pomegranate-Rice Stuffing
Christmas dinner at its finest includes making Glazed Cornish Hens with Pomegranate-Rice Stuffing. Elegant, but incredibly easy to make, and gorgeous, too.
Ingredients
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 Cornish hens (about 1 ¼ pounds each), rinsed and dried
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups wild rice blend (I used a box of Uncle Bill’s Wild Rice blend without the seasoning package).
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds, plus more for serving*
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus sprigs for serving
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, plus sprigs for serving
- 3 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
Instructions
- Mix the cinnamon, 4 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper in a bowl; sprinkle all over the hens and inside the cavities.
- Place the hens on a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Bring the chicken broth and 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan; add the rice blend and cook as the label directs. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, ginger and cumin and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat; add the cooked rice, pomegranate seeds, and chopped parsley and cilantro; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the egg yolks and stir to combine.
Make the glaze:
- Bring the orange juice and pomegranate molasses to a boil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
Stuff the Hens:
- Fill the cavity of each hen with about ½ cup of the rice mixture (reserve the rest); tie the legs together with twine.
- Roast 20 minutes, then brush with the pomegranate glaze.
- Continue roasting, glazing every 10 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees F to 170 degrees F, 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes. (Rotate the hens halfway through cooking; if the skin gets too dark, cover loosely with foil.)
- Spoon the reserved rice into a pie dish, sprinkle with water and cover with foil.
- After the hens have roasted about 20 minutes, transfer the rice to the oven and cook until heated through, about 45 minutes. Keep an eye it because it goes for browning to dark brown in a matter of moments as evident by my pics.
- Transfer the hens to a platter and add some parsley and cilantro sprigs and pomegranate seeds.
Notes
*I got enough seeds from one pomegranate to use for the rice and to serve. To remove the seeds, cut the pomegranate in half over a paper towel and in a bowl of cool water, rub your thumbs over the seeds to extract them, as seen in this video.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 559Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 284mgSodium: 227mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 35g
Nutrition information provided is an estimate from nutritionix.com. For specific health concerns, please put the recipe into your Dr recommended nutrition calculator.
Now that Christmas dinner is taken care of...
Exciting News! Today I bring the cookies to Katrina's Kitchen! Please go check out my Grasshopper Pie Cookies on her site. I can't tell you how excited I am to be featured on Katrina's site and how much fun it was coming up with this cookie recipe for her cookie exchange. I would love for you to go over and check out my recipe and all the other wonderful cookie recipes my foodie friends have been sharing all month on Katrina's site.
Jeannette says
wow, that looks SOOO goood. can you come over to my house and make me xmas dinner? ;P
my favorite christmas special is the charlie brown christmas. i haven't watched it in YEARS but i like that it's still on tv every year for the younger generations to enjoy. heck, i don't even think MY generation grew up with charlie brown.
Jeannette says
i am a facebook fan!
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i follow you on twitter as @whmsicalcupcake
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i tweeted this giveaway!
https://twitter.com/#!/whmsicalcupcake/status/149452331434512384
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i subscribe to rss via google reader
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and "i like it" on stumbleupon!! merry christmas!!
Liz says
What stunning Cornish hens!!! Perfect for any celebration. And such a great giveaway, too!
I'm only going to enter once since I own that great cookbook...but I do follow you everywhere :)....and will stumble your post! My favorite holiday special is The Grinch Who Stole Christmas! Merry Christmas, my friend.
Leah Castle says
My favorite special is Home Alone. Does that count??? I love that movie
Evelyn R says
My favorite holiday special is the classic Charlie Brown Christmas.
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I like Pass the Sushi on Facebook
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Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
Thank you for bringing the cookies! I've been waiting for this post you know? Ever since you tweeted that you had cornish hens. 😀 I just knew that you were going to do something awesome with them.
You do all in one comments/entries, yes? I follow on Facebook, Twitter, RSS. I stumbled and tweeted 😉
Belinda @zomppa says
What a fantastic meal this is - the stuffing is awesome.
Sommer J says
These hens looks absolutely fabulous!
Carolyn says
Those are gorgeous, Kita and I agree...perfect portion control for a smaller family. My fave holiday special? I always loved the really old one with Rudolph and Baby New Year, where the baby has the big ears he wants to hide under his hat all the time.
bekee says
my favorite holiday special is a christmas story! hands down. the grinch who stole christmas is a second, and rudolph (the stop-motion animation) is third.
i also subscribe to your rss feed.
The Mom Chef ~ Taking on Magazines One Recipe at a Time says
Merry Christmas! I think your cornish hens look SO much better than the ones in the magazine! I have the recipe tabbed but don't think I'll be able to get to it before the end of the year. Now you're making me really want to. The hens look fantastic.
The original Grinch will probably always be my favorite (who can resist Max?), but we've grown fond of Shrek Christmas. Dudette watching it a jillion times this season has absolutely nothing to do with that.
Wishing you and yours the best!
Debbi Hook says
What an outstanding dish! I'm definitely saving it to make soon.
My favorite Christmas special...hmmm, so many to choose from!
I'm old school - I love to watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer with my adult kids 🙂 and the grandchildren. My middle son used to watch it year-round on video tape (back in the days when we had a Beta video player...and you're probably too young to know what that is!)
Joy says
The hens look wonderful. That is one of my favorite thing to make for the holidays. I have to say my favorite dish to make is prime rib. Happy Holidays!
Kari says
My favorite holiday special is The Mickey Mouse Christmas Carol.
amanda @ fake ginger says
Those look awesome! You really can't go wrong with pomegranates.
I'm not much of a Christmas show person although I have watched Elf approximately 27 times already this year.
amanda @ fake ginger says
I like you on FB! (and we're friends on there so I should get 2 entries, right? Right?! :P)
amanda @ fake ginger says
I follow on Twitter
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Grubarazzi (@Grubarazzi) says
What a great recipe! I always love cornish hens; however, they usually look like murder victims instead of little jewels, like yours 🙂 Very pretty!
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
My favorite special is always It's A Wonderful Life. But you know... I REALLY miss the the Claymation Christmas special from growing up. BTW I'm dying to find some hens and cook them up. I bet they'd be really fun and would probably spark some pretty hilarious comments from the kids.
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
I follow you on fb
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I follow you on twitter
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I get your feed
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Stumbled 🙂
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
We tweet 🙂
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
just tweeted! 😉
Melissa says
My favorite is the Grinch who stole Christmas
Melissa says
I'm an RSS subscriber
Lisa @ Sweet as Sugar Cookies says
My favorite holiday special is Garfield's Christmas.
Shari says
I never miss the Charlie Brown Christmas special, as it is just about the only one anymore that gets to the REAL meaning of Christmas.
Shari says
I've "liked" you on Facebook.
Shari says
I follow you on Twitter -- @sharinlilbit
Shari says
I just tweeted about the giveaway here: https://twitter.com/#!/sharinlilbit/status/149583684931026944
Shari says
I'm subscribed to your RSS feed via Google Reader
Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray says
My favorite holiday special is Mickey's Christmas Carol!! Throwback. 🙂
Carmen says
I love Miracle on 34th Street (the Maureen O'Hara version)
Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray says
I follow Pass the Sushi on Facebook.
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And I follow you on Twitter.
Carmen says
I follow @passthesushi (cmouse01)
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Tweeted the giveaway: https://twitter.com/#!/ChipChipHooray/status/149589476014960640
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I subscribe to you via RSS Feed (Google Reader).
Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray says
Just thumbs-upped you via StumbleUpon.
Teresa Improta says
My favorite Holiday special is The Wizard of Oz.
Teresa Improta says
Just started following you on Twitter.
Teresa Improta says
I just tweeted about your giveaway.
alyssa says
I love the original grinch movie, an specifically the grinch song, which we watch over and over on youtube.
Teresa Improta says
I subscribed to your RSS feed just yesterday, does that count?
sara says
Gorgeous hens! My fav holiday special is A Christmas Story.
sara says
I subscribe to your rss feed.
Dana Hannsgen says
My favorite Christmas special that I whip out for the holidays is definitely my 7 layer cookies. They take a bit more time and work, but it is so worth it in the end. Definitely a show stopper for the holidays. My favorite thing you have made here are the maple bacon cupcakes. Such an underrated combination that I think everyone should have on Christmas morning 🙂
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts says
Loved the cookies at Katrina's! The dinner looks amazing, and the giveaway is a great one! So many good things going on in one day!!
my favorite holiday special - Frosty the Snowman!
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts says
I like you on facebook
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Eliot says
It just dawned on my that the only Christmas special we have watched this year was a new Ice Age one. (It really didn't measure up to the old classics.) The best ever holiday classic has to be Christmas Story---don't shoot your eye out! 🙂 Happy Holidays!
Sail2byzantium says
Tweeted, followed, I think I'm subscribed, I stumbled, and I've rss'ed, *knead* an awesome bread book 🙂
Ann says
What a great post! I love Linus's monologue, too! I think it's one of the all-time best Christmas moments!
Thank you for the amazing giveaway! I "like" your Facebook page
Ann says
I am subscribed! WooHoo!
Ann says
....and you know I follow you on Twitter!
Barbara Lyons says
Just liked you on FB; site looks great!
Bunny Perry says
It's so hard to choose, my mother-in-laws broccoli salad or my daughter's breakfast or bread pudding!!
nicole says
I like you on FB
nicole says
I love Charlie Brown Christmas. We DVR'd it last week. So much fun to watch
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I suscribe to your RSS feed
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I tweeted https://twitter.com/#!/iamahoneybee/status/149919013353431041
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Athena says
I love "Polar Express" and "Elf"...both great movies.
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I already follow you on FB.
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I subscribe via email.
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I'm following you on Twitter.
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I'm following via Google reader.
Athena says
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/GoddessFoodie/status/149980133120425984
MikeW says
My favorite holiday special? The Dr Who Christmas Special.
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I'm following Pass the Sushi on Facebook
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Jenny @ Savour the Senses says
My favorite holiday food is simple, garlic whipped potatoes that my mom makes. But just so you know I can't stop thinking about your Blueberry Cheesecake Martini!
Jenny @ Savour the Senses says
Already like you on facebook (Savour the Senses by Jenny Morris) =)
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Already follow you on twitter =) @savourthesenses
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Tweeted this giveaway
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Already subscribed to your RSS feed =)
Jenny @ Savour the Senses says
Stumbled this post too!
Stacey says
Even though I've seen it a thousand times, I still like to watch Elf every year 🙂
Stacey says
I follow you on Twitter
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Tweet
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Thumbs up on Stumble
Peggy says
Oh girl, these are the sexiest hens I've ever seen! I'd almost feel dirty eating these babies - but trust me, I would enjoy every bite. Yeah... I'm a little loopy, but you're still fabulous!