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Grilled Cornish Game Hen Teriyaki Stir Fry Bowls: Your New Weeknight Favorite

Discover the ultimate solution for quick, delicious, and healthy weeknight dinners with these Grilled Cornish Game Hen Teriyaki Stir Fry Bowls. Marinated to perfection in rich Kikkoman® Sauces, grilled for irresistible juiciness, and served atop a vibrant bed of stir-fried vegetables, these bowls promise a flavorful escape from the ordinary. Get ready to transform your dinner routine with ease!

Navigating Busy Weeknights with Flavor and Ease

As the school year kicks off, many families find themselves caught in a whirlwind of new routines, schedules, and endless to-do lists. The transition back to school often brings a unique brand of chaos, especially when you have a child embarking on a new adventure, like Kindergarten. The questions pile up: How does carpool work? Did I pack the right lunch? Did I remember to give that essential goodbye hug and affirmation of love? Amidst all these pressing thoughts, dinner shouldn’t be another source of stress. That’s why I’m always on the hunt for quick, easy, and satisfying meals that can bring a sense of calm and deliciousness to our busy weeknights.

The Quest for a Perfect Weeknight Meal: Discovering Cornish Hens

My mission was clear: find an easy-to-prepare meal that everyone would love, leveraging the last glorious days of grilling season. With this goal in mind, I headed to my local Walmart, browsing the aisles for inspiration. It wasn’t long before I stumbled upon a convenient 2-pack of Tyson® Cornish Hens in the freezer section. These individual-sized birds immediately sparked an idea: succulent, portion-controlled poultry that could be grilled to perfection.

The next logical step was to find the perfect marinade to infuse these hens with incredible flavor and keep them incredibly juicy on the grill. My eyes landed on the Asian sauces aisle, where a bottle of Kikkoman® Soy Sauce caught my attention. Right above it, I spotted Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste & Glaze – an ideal companion for grilling, designed to add a beautiful sheen and a burst of savory-sweetness during the final minutes of cooking. Together, these two Kikkoman sauces promised a harmonious blend of flavors, ensuring a moist, tender, and deeply satisfying meal.

Why Cornish Game Hens are a Game-Changer for Healthy Eating

Beyond their delicious flavor and convenient size, Tyson Cornish Hens offer a fantastic foundation for a wholesome meal. I appreciate that they are All Natural, meaning they contain no artificial ingredients or preservatives. In an effort to provide my family with the healthiest options, I prioritize limiting foods with added hormones and steroids. The fact that Tyson Cornish Game Hens align with these values makes them an even more appealing choice for our dinner table. Paired with whole-grain rice and a generous array of colorful vegetables, this dish becomes a powerhouse of nutrition without compromising on taste.

Crafting Your Own Cornish Game Hen Teriyaki Stir Fry Bowls: A Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to create these mouth-watering bowls at home? Here’s a detailed guide to walk you through each step, ensuring a successful and incredibly tasty meal.

Step 1: The Flavorful Marinade – Infusing Tenderness

The secret to incredibly juicy and flavorful Cornish hens starts with a robust marinade. Begin by thoroughly rinsing your Cornish game hen under cold water. Pat it dry with paper towels and carefully place it into a large, resealable plastic bag. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the Kikkoman soy sauce, a touch of sesame oil for nutty richness, light brown sugar for a hint of sweetness and caramelization, freshly grated ginger for a warm, spicy aroma, and a crushed garlic clove for a pungent kick. This combination creates a classic teriyaki profile that deeply penetrates the meat. Pour this aromatic marinade over the hen in the resealable bag. Seal the bag, ensuring all air is expelled, and gently turn it a few times to evenly coat the hen. Place the bag inside a bowl (to catch any potential leaks) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, turning the bag occasionally to redistribute the marinade. This extended marination time is key to maximizing flavor and ensuring the hen remains tender during grilling.

Step 2: Grilling Mastery – Achieving Perfect Juiciness and Char

Once your Cornish hen has marinated sufficiently, remove it from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This helps the meat cook more evenly. While the hen comes to temperature, it’s time to prepare your grill. For perfectly cooked poultry, I recommend using the indirect grilling method. Fill a chimney starter with charcoal and light it. While the coals are heating, clean your grill grates thoroughly with a wire brush and then oil them lightly to prevent sticking. Once the coals are hot and covered in a light gray ash, pour them onto one side of the grill. This creates a direct heat zone and an indirect heat zone.

Start by placing the Cornish hen directly over the hot coals for 1-2 minutes per side to achieve beautiful grill marks and a slight char. This initial searing locks in juices and adds a smoky depth of flavor. After searing, move the hen to the indirect side of the grill (without coals underneath). Close the lid and let it cook for approximately 35-40 minutes, flipping occasionally to ensure even cooking. During the last 5-10 minutes of cooking, baste each side of the hen generously with Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste & Glaze. This not only adds a glossy finish and extra flavor but also helps to keep the skin moist. The Cornish Game Hen is fully cooked when its internal temperature, measured with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding the bone), reaches 165°F (74°C).

Step 3: The Critical Resting Period – Locking in Juices

Once the hen reaches 165°F, remove it from the grill immediately and place it on a cutting board or platter. The next step is crucial for succulent results: let the Cornish hen rest, uncovered, for at least 15-20 minutes before carving. This resting period allows the muscle fibers to relax and the internal juices to redistribute throughout the meat. If you were to cut into the hen right off the grill, those precious juices would simply run out, resulting in a drier piece of poultry. After all the effort of marinating and grilling, you want every bite to be perfectly moist and flavorful. Patience here truly pays off!

Step 4: Preparing the Vibrant Stir-Fry Vegetables and Rice

While the Cornish hen is grilling and resting, you can swiftly prepare the accompanying components. Cook your favorite brown rice blend according to package directions. For speed, a 10-minute boil-in-a-bag rice works wonderfully. While the rice cooks, finely chop and slice a colorful assortment of vegetables. I recommend half a red pepper, thinly sliced, a cup of crisp broccoli florets, half a cup of sweet sugar snap peas, and half a cup of pre-cut matchstick carrots. These vegetables not only add crunch and flavor but also a boost of essential nutrients and vibrant color to your bowl.

For the stir-fry, heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of canola oil. Once shimmering, add your chopped vegetables. A key tip for perfect stir-fry is not to overcrowd the pan; if necessary, cook your vegetables in batches to ensure they sear rather than steam. Stir-fry for a few minutes until the vegetables are tender-crisp and slightly browned. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup Kikkoman soy sauce, a crushed garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil to create a quick stir-fry sauce. Add this sauce to the pan during the last minute of cooking, tossing everything together to coat the vegetables evenly. Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 5: Carving and Assembling Your Bowls

With the grilled Cornish hen perfectly rested, the rice ready, and the stir-fried vegetables glistening, it’s time for the grand finale. The hen will be beautifully tender, allowing the meat to be easily pulled off the bone, sliced, or chopped into bite-sized pieces. It’s truly a sight to behold—crispy skin, succulent meat, and an irresistible aroma.

To assemble your Teriyaki Stir Fry Bowls, start by layering a generous portion of brown rice at the bottom of each bowl. Next, pile on a vibrant mound of the stir-fried vegetables. Finally, arrange the carved or sliced Cornish game hen meat on top. For an extra touch of freshness and visual appeal, garnish with thinly sliced green onions, if desired. This layered approach not only looks beautiful but also allows you to enjoy every component in each delicious bite.

A Note on Servings and Leftovers

Tyson Cornish Game Hens often come in a convenient 2-pack. For my family of four, one hen perfectly serves us for dinner, allowing me to freeze the second one for another meal. However, if you have a larger family, are hosting guests, or simply crave delicious leftovers for lunch the next day, I highly recommend cooking both birds and doubling the recipe for the marinade and stir-fry vegetables. This is a “double-duty” dinner and lunch solution that’s a true win-win!

Elevate Your Weeknight Meals with These Easy and Delicious Bowls

These Grilled Cornish Game Hen Teriyaki Stir Fry Bowls are a testament to how easy and incredibly tasty weeknight meals can be. The thoughtful combination of tender, marinated Cornish hens, perfectly grilled, and crisp, flavorful stir-fried vegetables over rice creates a meal that feels special, yet requires minimal effort. My family absolutely adores this dish, and I’m confident yours will too. Its simplicity, deliciousness, and customizable nature make it a regular feature on my weekly meal plan. Give it a try, and prepare to be delighted!

1 vote

Cornish Game Hen Teriyaki Stir Fry Bowls

Cook 35 mins

Total 35 mins

Author Strawberry Blondie Kitchen

Yield 4 bowls

Grilled to perfection, these Cornish Game Hen Teriyaki Stir Fry Bowls are marinated in Kikkoman’s soy sauce to enhance their flavor. Thrown on the grill, basted for more juiciness and then placed on top of stir fried vegetables, makes these bowls a perfect and quick weeknight meal.

Ingredients

For the marinade
2/3 cups Kikkoman Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 Tyson Cornish Game Hen
For Grilling
1/4 cup Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste & Glaze
For the Stir Fry Vegetables and Rice
2 cups of rice, prepare as directed.
1 red pepper half, thinly sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup sugar snap peas
1/2 cup matchstick carrots
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup Kikkoman soy sauce
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 green onions, for garnish, if desired.

Instructions

For the marinade
Wash and rinse Cornish game hen under cold water and place in resealable bag. Set aside.
Whisk together all marinade ingredients in a small bowl and add to the resealable bag with game hen.
Place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours to marinade, tossing to coat every few hours.
Grilling the Game Hen:
Remove Cornish game hen from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare your grill. Fill a chimney starter with coals and light underneath. Set aside until ready.
Clean and oil your grill grate to prevent sticking.
When the coals are ready, pour them onto one side of the grill so you can use indirect heat to grill birds.
Place Cornish hen on side with the coals for 1-2 minutes, per each side to achieve grill marks.
Once charring is finished, move the bird to the side of the grill without the coals so you can finish cooking the bird with indirect heat.
Cook bird for 35 additional minutes, flipping occasionally. Within the last 5-10 minutes, baste each side of the bird with Kikkoman teriyaki baste and glaze. (Cornish Game Hen is finished cooking when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.)
After grilling, let Cornish game hen rest for at least 15 minutes so the juices can redistribute into the meat.
For the Stir Fry Vegetables
Cook rice according to package directions and set aside.
Whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger and set aside.
Heat a large skillet to medium high heat and add canola oil.
Add vegetables to the pan and stir fry for a few minutes until browned and cooked through.
Within the last minute of cooking, add in the sauce you set aside.
Remove from heat.
To prepare bowls:
Layer rice on the bottom of your bowl, add stir fry vegetables and top with sliced Cornish game hen.
Garnish with sliced green onions, if desired.

Notes

For easy weeknight cooking, you could cook these birds on the weekend and save the meat in the refrigerator so all you’d need to do is stir fry the vegetables and prepare the rice

Courses Teriyaki

Cuisine Stir Fry

For more delicious ways to grill up Tyson® Cornish Hens and explore the versatility of Kikkoman® Sauces in your favorite recipes, be sure to check out the culinary hub. I’d love to hear your favorite Cornish hen preparations and how you incorporate Kikkoman sauces into your meals!