Ingredients For Cornish Hen in Air Fryer:

1. Two fully thawed one- to one-and-a-half-pound cornish hens
2. one teaspoon each of onion and garlic powder
3. One tablespoon olive oil
4. one tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
5. one teaspoon Kosher salt
6. one-half teaspoon black pepper
7. one teaspoon paprika or smoky paprika

Direction For Cornish Hen in Air Fryer:

1. Remove the cornish hens from the refrigerator and use a few sheets of paper towels to pat dry each side of the birds. As you work on the rub, let them relax.
2. Stir in the seasoning. In a small bowl, stir together the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
   Oil the meat: Coat the cornish chickens from top to bottom and inside and out with olive oil.
3. Season the hens: Distribute the seasoning evenly over the skin and in the cavity area of the birds.
4. Set the air fryer’s temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or 176 degrees Celsius.
5. Hens in the air fryer: Gently take out the basket and arrange the seasoned cornish hens in a single layer, breast side down.
6. Air fry: Place the bird in the air for 20 minutes, then flip it and continue to air fry for another 15 to 17 minutes, or until the thickest section of the bird reaches 165 degrees on a thermometer. The skin need to be crispy and golden brown.
7. Rest and serve: Before serving, carefully take the cornish chickens out of the air fryer and give them ten minutes of rest.

Note;

• Prepare: Before placing your hens in the air fryer, make sure their skin is completely dry. aTo get perfectly crispy skin, remove as much moisture as possible from your chickens before cooking.
• Cooking time: Acorn hens weighing between one and a half and one pound were used to test this recipe. The amount of time spent air-frying a bird is directly related to its size. Depending on their size, I would suggest grilling your larger birds for an extra 5 to 10 minutes.
• Thaw: Before putting the Cornish Hens in the air fryer, I strongly advise letting them come to room temperature. You can be sure that the meat cooks through in the air fryer and ends up with a crispy surface by fully thawing it.
  Place the cornish hens in the basket with their breasts facing down when you add the meat to the air fryer. In order to keep the breasts from cooking before the other birds, this is a crucial step.
• Legs should be tied; this is an optional step. But when they’re air-fried, it helps to ensure that they maintain their shape and appearance.
• Resting time: Prior to serving, make sure the meat has rested for ten minutes. This period of resting enables the meat to reabsorb its fluids, making the poultry dish delicious.
• Ideas for serving: What should I serve them with? These are some of the side dishes we like to pair with this meal.
• Store: Air-fried cornish chickens should be brought to room temperature and kept in the refrigerator for up to three days in an airtight container.
• Reheat: To reheat the leftovers, you have two options:

In the air fryer: Cook the cornish game birds for four to five minutes after preheating the fryer to 400 degrees. During the reheating process, turn the birds halfway through and keep an eye on the meat to prevent overcooking.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. To keep the flesh moist, put the chicken in a baking dish with a few tablespoons of water added. The hen will take around ten minutes to thaw in the oven.