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Guava Cornish Hens-1-8

With September just around the corner, it’s safe to say that summer is over!! My son started school on Monday so the lazy days of summer are behind us and the hustle of the new school year is upon us. I broke out my grill a few days ago, which makes a total of 4 times that I will have grilled this summer! Guava Cornish Hens-1-3It dawned on me that I didn’t take advantage of grilling season and it will soon be over so I picked up 2 Tyson® Cornish Hens from Walmart with the intention of tossing it on the grill with corn and topping them with my Guava Glaze. I also picked up a bottle of Kikkoman® Soy Sauce to add to my glaze; they have a wide variety of sauces that are perfect for grilling.Guava Cornish Hens-1 (2)
I’ve been meaning to share this guava glaze recipe with you for quite some time because it’s amazing and is also great on roasted chicken wings and pork chops. The base of the glaze is guava paste, lots of garlic and lime and Kikkoman® Soy Sauce to balance the sweet. Did you know that these tiny birds are excellent on the grill? It cooked up in no time and was extremely juicy. Guava Cornish Hens-1-14The trick is to start cooking over direct heat, then move to indirect heat and cook until the juices run clear. I usually cook Cornish hens only on special occasions but why can’t everyday be special? No need to wait until the holidays to enjoy these tiny birds. I also love that it’s all natural and has no hormones or steroids!Guava Cornish Hens-1-6 Another tip for success would be to add the glaze in the last minute or two of cook or it will burn. The glaze is completely cooked and because it has high sugar content, can burn easily. This recipe is a winner and as always simple! Guava Cornish Hens-1-5
Be sure to check out more delicious ways to grill up the Tyson® Cornish Hens and ideas for using Kikkoman® Sauces in your favorite recipes here.

Get the Recipe GUAVA GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Ingredients
 

  • 2 Cornish hens, cut in half
  • 2 tsp granulated onion
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 ½ tsp salt

Guava Glaze

  • 1/3 cup guava paste
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 tbsp crushed garlic
  • ¼ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tsp Kikkoman soy sauce

Instructions
 

  • Season Cornish hens with granulated onion, garlic powder, chili powder, black pepper and salt; rub all over then place in a large ziplock bag and let sit for about 4 hours, preferably overnight.
  • Remove the Cornish hens from the fridge and let stand until it comes to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, place all the ingredients for the glaze in a small pot and bring to a boil. Use a spoon to break up the guava pieces. Simmer on low for about 15 minutes until the mixture has thickened a little.
  • On a preheated grill, place the chicken skin side down over direct heat and grill for about 5 minutes, until the skin is browned but not burnt. Flip the Cornish hens and cook over indirect heat until done or about 20 minutes. Next glazed the Cornish hen and cook for an additional minute. Place on a serving tray, and serve warm.

Notes

Tips:
To cut the Cornish hens in half, using a sharp knife or kitchen shears cut along the back bone. Then cut down the middle of the breast bone and this should give 2 even pieces.
When grilling always have one side of the grill that has no coals underneath. It is important to have a side with direct heat (over the coals) and indirect heat (no coals underneath). If the meat is burning, move it away from the direct heat over to the section where there are no coals for it to continue cooking.
Any glazes that contain sugar will burn very quickly so it is best to add it in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Author: Jehan Powell