Grilled Game Hens with Blood Orange and Rosemary

Name: Grilled Game Hens with Blood Orange and Rosemary
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 whole Blood Orange Juice; 1 tbsp Chili Sauce; 1 tsp Fresh Rosemary; 2 tbsp Olive Oil; 0.5 tsp Salt & Pepper; 2 whole Whole Chicken

Dinner 🍽️Lunch 🥪 American High-Protein 💪Low-Carb Sugar-Free Gluten-Free Paleo 🦴Carnivore 🥩Halal 🕌Comfort-Food

Grilled Game Hens with Blood Orange and Rosemary deliver smoky, bronzed skin and juicy meat perfumed with citrus and piney herbs. A touch of chili-garlic sauce adds gentle heat that balances the tangy blood orange. Perfect for a relaxed weekend cookout when you want something elegant yet rustic.

Prep15 mins
Cook45 mins
Serves4
DifficultyMedium

1

Place the game hens in a large bowl; drizzle the hens with olive oil and blood orange juice. Sprinkle with the chopped rosemary and the rosemary sprigs. Add the Asian chili paste to the hens; season with salt and pepper. Stir the chickens in the seasonings and juice to coat. Use your fingers to loosen the skin over the breasts and spread a little of the marinade under the skin.
2

Refrigerate breast-side down for 2 hours to marinate.
3

Preheat an outdoor grill (preferably charcoal) to medium heat (one layer of coals). Drain the chickens and discard the marinade.
4

Place the chickens breast-side down on the grill and cover with the grill lid with the vents open. Cook until the breast sides are evenly browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Flip the chickens and cook on their backs with the cover on (vents open) until the juices run clear, the hip joints move easily, and the meat is no longer pink inside. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), 30 to 35 more minutes.
5

Close the grill lid vents halfway. Flip the chickens back onto their breasts, close the lid, and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes.