The Cornish game hen, though it may sound a fancy name, merely refers to young chickens, that are usually fed a significant amount of food and slaughtered when they are about five weeks old. They are not force-fed, as is the case with ducks and geese used to produce foie gras, but are fed quite frequently, and in great volume in order to produce about a two-pound (.91 kg) chicken. They’re most often sold whole and unboned, and make an ideal chicken dinner for one person.

The name Cornish game hen is a specific reference to the fact that the chickens are of the Cornish breed. Initially the name Guinea hen was used to refer to these small poultry servings but Cornish game hen has become more popular as the result of Connecticut farmers Jacques and Alphonsine Markowsky's breeding practices in the 1950s. They bred the Cornish hen with the rock hen, resulting in a chicken that is mostly white meat, something many people prefer. You may see the name Rock Cornish game hen to express the breed most often sold in the US.

Typically, the Cornish game hen is sold whole and is cooked by roasting. Since they are smaller, they do take less time to prepare, usually less than an hour. You should still observe precautions regarding appropriate temperatures for chicken and make sure that the meat reaches a solid 160 degrees F (71.11 C).

Many like to stuff the Cornish game hen, and for this, you’ll probably only need about a cup of stuffing. As with any poultry, you should stuff the game hen just before placing it in the oven so that you avoid possible growth of salmonella. If you’re planning to serve multiple game hens at a dinner, and you can cook them all at once, be certain to remove the stuffing from each hen immediately after you remove the hen from the oven.

One interesting side note on the Cornish game hen is that the word “game” is somewhat out of place. These chickens are not hunted and have for several hundred years been domesticated creatures. They don’t have a gamey taste and many consider them lighter in taste than more mature chickens.