Instant Pot Cornish Hens (From Fresh Or Frozen) (2024)

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These Instant Pot cornish hens are so tender and mouthwatering! Juicy meat truly falls off the bone!

There is something about cornish hens that makes them a more festive meal than regular chicken :) Cornish hens are basically miniature chickens, they are often sold in packages of two. They taste exactly like regular-size chicken but are usually more tender.

Before I got my Instant Pot, I oftenbaked cornish hens in the oven. And now I successfully made them in my Instant Pot!

The process for cooking cornish hens in the Instant Pot is the same as cooking the whole chicken in the Instant Pot. The difference is that while only one regular-size chicken can fit in the Instant Pot, multiple cornish hens can fit in the Instant Pot at once!

Just like Instant Pot rotisserie chicken can be cooked from fresh or frozen, Instant Pot cornish hens can also be cooked from fresh or frozen. Being able to cook meat straight from frozen is one of my favorite Instant Pot features!

How To Cook Cornish Hens In The Instant Pot

Since cornish hens are usually sold in packages of two, I find two cornish hens to be the perfect amount to cook in the Instant Pot at once. Just put 2 fresh or frozen cornish hens in the Instant Pot along with 1 cup of water (you can put the hens directly in the pot, trivet is optional). Season the cornish hens beforehand with your favorite seasonings (and if they are frozen, just sprinkle the seasonings on top). Pressure cook the cornish hens on Manual High Pressure for 20 minutes for fresh or 50 minutes for frozen, quick release (QR) the steam and they are ready!

Want to cook just one cornish hen? No problem, just reduce cooking time by 5 minutes. Want to cook more than two cornish hens? Just add 5 minutes to the cooking time :)

If you want the skin of the cornish hens to be crispy and brown, you can broil them in a pre-heated oven for 5 minutes after they are done cooking.

Like the sweet potatoes that I served with these cornish hens? They are made in the 2nd Instant Pot :) Check out my Instant Pot roasted sweet potatoes recipeor browse all my Instant Pot recipes.