This easy sheet pan Thanksgiving dinner is the perfect way to enjoy a traditional holiday feast on a smaller scale! With three tasty dishes all made on the same pan, you’ll have a delicious Thanksgiving meal in a fraction of the time!

A foil-lined sheet pan filled with green beans and potatoes, two Cornish Hens and cornbread stuffing is the perfect Thanksgiving Dinner for Two.

Hey Cousins! Today, I’m sharing a different way to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner – sheet pan style! This sheet pan Thanksgiving dinner is perfect for 2-3 people and includes some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes – perfectly seasoned Cornish hens, green beans and potatoes, and a savory cornbread dressing.

The Perfect Small Thanksgiving Dinner

Now, when Turkey Day rolls around, I know many of us picture a massive table heaving under the weight of every conceivable dish. But let’s keep it real, not everyone’s about that life! Some of us cherish a quieter, more intimate setting. Maybe it’s just you and your boo, or you don’t have any extended family but still want to celebrate feeling grateful and blessed for YOURSELF.

For those moments, we need a Thanksgiving meal that’s less “feed the neighborhood” and more “this is just for us.” I know what y’all are thinking… us Southern cooks cannot comprehend cooking some of our Thanksgiving classics on a smaller scale. Isn’t the point of Thanksgiving to have so much food, you’re eating leftovers into Christmas?! No, fam. Today, it’s all about making traditional Thanksgiving cooking accessible to everyone.

So, no matter what your reason is for cooking for fewer people this holiday season, you deserve tasty Thanksgiving food that requires less prep time, less wasted leftovers, and delivers just as much flavor. Let’s get on going, fam!

Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner Menu + Ingredients

So, first up – what the heck are we making?! This sheet pan Thanksgiving dinner includes a main dish and two side dishes, all of which can be made (and served) on the same sheet pan. Talk about hella simple, am I right? You can find the ingredient measurement and specific instructions broken down for each element of this 2-person Thanksgiving dinner in the recipe card below. Here’s what we’re cookin’:

Cornish Game Hens:

Two Cornish Hens: What the heck are these little birds? Well, keep reading for that info. You’ll need two for this sheet pan dinner.
Olive Oil: A little olive oil goes a long way in helping the seasoning stick to the hens.
Seasonings: Pack those birds with flavor! I use a combination of seasoning salt, Herbs de Provence, garlic pepper, and poultry seasoning.

Southern Green Beans & Potatoes:

Green Beans: You can use fresh or frozen. In this recipe, I use frozen green beans, and you don’t even have to let them thaw!
Potatoes: I chose small gold potatoes, but red potatoes or Russet potatoes are fine, too. Just make sure to dice them up small enough, so they cook evenly.
Butter: Melts into the veggies, giving them that perfect buttery flavor.
Greens Seasoning: I feel like I’ve spent my life perfecting my greens seasoning recipe, and now you can have it too! It has everything you need in one packet (and a little goes a LONG way!)

Cornbread Dressing:

Cornbread: You’ll need some day-old cornbread for the base of the dressing. If you don’t have it, do it like me and intentionally overcook some homemade cornbread so it’s nice and dried out.
Onion: You only need a little bit, since this is a smaller batch of dressing.
Seasoning: I use my own special mix of seasonings in this recipe that includes herbs like sage, thyme, and rosemary and essentials like onion, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
Cornish Hen Meat: When we prep the hens, we remove the backbones and roast them alongside the whole hens. These backbones are packed with tender dark meat, which we then shred and add to the dressing.
Broth or Water: We use the juice from the savory roasted hens and some chicken broth or water to moisten the cornbread dressing mixture for the ultimate burst of flavor.

Pro-Tip: If you watch my video tutorial, you’ll see me use many different spices from my Rosamae Seasonings collection. These seasonings are specially made with recipes I grew up with and are the perfect way to add soul food flavor to your cooking! Head on over to Rosamae Seasonings to see what spice blends you can add to your collection! Some blends are limited edition and come and go from the site, so stay tuned for restocks.

Why Cornish Hens are the VIPs (Very Important Poultry) for Small Holiday Dinners

If you’ve never dabbled in the world of Cornish hens, let me give you a little nudge in that delicious direction – especially when we’re talking small holiday dinners. I’ve made Cornish hens before, and they’re the perfect option when you want a fancy main without the stress of cooking a whole turkey or chicken. If it’s your first time making Cornish hens, here are some of my favorite reasons they’re perfect for a sheet pan Thanksgiving dinner:

Just the Right Size: Cornish hens are like the compact cars of the poultry world. Perfectly sized for one or two people. Each person gets their own bird, and there’s something fancy about that, right? It’s like giving everyone their own little poultry kingdom on a plate!
Quick Cooking: Ain’t nobody got time to spend all day in the kitchen, especially during the holidays. Cornish hens cook up faster than larger birds, meaning you spend less time checking the oven and more time sipping that festive drink and rocking around the Christmas tree (or Menorah, or whatever festive decor you’ve got going on).
Versatility is Key: These little birds are like blank canvases ready for your culinary masterpiece. Whether you’re into a savory herb rub, a sweet glaze, or a spicy kick, Cornish hens can handle it all. And let’s be real, Cousin, they’re pretty much the chameleons of the holiday table, blending in with any flavor profile you throw their way.
Juicy and Tender: Because of their size and usually even thickness, Cornish hens tend to cook very evenly. That means every bite is juicy and tender–no more dry meat scenarios. It’s like having the VIP section of poultry on your plate.
Aesthetic Appeal: Let’s face it, presentation is everything during the holidays. And serving individual Cornish hens? Well, that just ups the fancy factor by about a hundred. It’s like saying, “I care about you so much, I got you your own bird.”
Less Leftovers, More Freshness: If you’ve ever tried to fit a leftover turkey in your fridge, you know the struggle. With Cornish hens, you usually won’t have much leftover. And if you do, it’s a lot easier to manage. Fresh meals every time, without the week-long turkey sandwich saga.

The next time you’re thinking about what to serve for a small group, don’t forget about our little friends! They may be small, but they pack a flavorful punch and they’re ready to be the star of whatever table they’re served on.

A close up of bright green beans mixed with golden potatoes.

How to Make a Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner

Okay, Cousins, we’ve made it to the good part: how to make a delicious and EASY small Thanksgiving dinner for two. Forget the days or hours-long prep time; forget cooking for a full day. Next year, when you’re laying awake at night stressin’ about feeding a ton of people, maybe cut back on the guest list and go intimate with this small but mighty Thanksgiving Day dinner.

The recipe card below breaks down each step of this simple sheet pan dinner. You can also watch exactly how I prepare this mini Thanksgiving feast in my helpful video tutorial. Don’t forget to subscribe to I Heart Recipes on YouTube, where I share tons of recipe videos to help you prepare for the holidays and so much more.

Spice It Up: How to Customize Your Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner

My Thanksgiving meal for two includes classic Southern-style dishes that I grew up eating at Thanksgiving. Southern-style green beans and potatoes are like a little bit of family history and tradition; cornbread dressing is about as Southern of a side as you can get! But if you’re feeling extra festive and want to make a sheet pan Thanksgiving meal with YOUR favorites, here are some bright ideas:

Main Meats: Cornish hens really are unbeatable here since they’re basically a smaller version of a Thanksgiving classic. If you’re not feeling it, you could also make a juicy turkey breast, turkey drumsticks, or try pork or turkey tenderloins. All of these options cook faster than a huge turkey and are small-group-friendly.
Brussels Sprouts: You can make delicious roasted brussels sprouts just as easily as green beans and potatoes, right on the baking sheet with the other dishes.
Mini Casseroles: If you have a small casserole dish, you can make smaller versions of holiday classics, like sweet potato casserole or green bean casserole, right on the sheet pan.
Tap-In the Stove Top: If your sheet pan is full, but you feel like you’re missing something, put your stovetop to work and make an additional side dish! Whip up some creamy mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, or even a stovetop mac and cheese. If you’re feeding 2-3 people, extra side dishes won’t go to waste!
Dessert: So, maybe you aren’t making dessert on the same baking sheet as dinner, but it’s still a great idea to have some single-serving dessert ideas on hand, right? Try mini pumpkin pies, mini cherry pies, or pecan pie bars for smaller versions of classic Thanksgiving desserts.

If you want to cut down on cooking time, aren’t entertaining the same crowd you usually do or are set on having a more intimate holiday dinner this year, rest assured that this sheet pan Thanksgiving dinner is the perfect option for you. Now, go on – get to cookin’, and happy Thanksgiving!

More Holiday Dishes from I Heart Recipes

Share a photo of your Thanksgiving spread by tagging me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, and subscribe to I Heart Recipes on YouTube! Don’t forget to check out I Heart Soul Food, Super Soul Food with Cousin Rosie, and A Cousin Rosie Holiday, with many recipes you can’t find anywhere else.

Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes

If you're cooking for a more intimate crowd of two this year, this sheet pan Thanksgiving dinner is the perfect option! Three delicious, easy recipes all prepared on the same pan.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword Thanksgiving Dinner for Two

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1 10

Servings people

Ingredients

Cornish Hens

2 Cornish Hens cleaned, cavity emptied, backbones removed
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp Seasoning Salt
1 tsp Herbs De Provence
1 tsp Garlic Pepper
1 tsp Poultry Seasoning

Green Beans & Potatoes

1/2 lb frozen green beans
3 small golden potatoes chopped
2 tbsp Rosamae Seasonings Greens Seasoning
4 tsp salted butter

Cornbread Dressing

3 cups cubed cornbread
1 small onion diced
2 tsp Italian Seasoning*
1/2 cup shredded cornish hen backbone meat
1/2- 3/4 cup cornish hen broth/pan drippings
1 1/2 cup water or broth

Instructions

Prepare the Cornish Hens:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Remove the backbone of the Cornish hens using kitchen shears.
2 Cornish Hens
Place the hens on the prepared baking sheet, along with the removed backbones.
Season the hens all over with olive oil, seasoning salt, garlic pepper, Herbs de Provence, and poultry seasoning.
2 tbsp Olive Oil, 2 tsp Seasoning Salt, 1 tsp Herbs De Provence, 1 tsp Garlic Pepper, 1 tsp Poultry Seasoning
Cover the hens with aluminum foil.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Remove the hens and pour the accumulated liquid into a measuring cup. Set aside.
Shred the meat from the backbones and set aside in a small bowl. Discard the bones.

Green Bean and Potatoes Foil Pack:

In a bowl, combine frozen green beans, chopped potatoes, and Greens Seasoning.
1/2 lb frozen green beans, 3 small golden potatoes, 2 tbsp Rosamae Seasonings Greens Seasoning
Top with pats of butter.
4 tsp salted butter
Wrap the mixture tightly in a foil pack.
Place the foil pack next to the Cornish hens on the baking sheet.

Prepare the Cornbread Dressing:

In a large bowl, combine cubed cornbread, water, and the liquid reserved from the Cornish hens.
3 cups cubed cornbread, 1/2- 3/4 cup cornish hen broth/pan drippings, 1 1/2 cup water or broth
Add the shredded backbone meat and chopped onions.
1 small onion, 1/2 cup shredded cornish hen backbone meat
Season the cornbread dressing mixture with about 2 teaspoons of seasoning.
2 tsp Italian Seasoning*
Mix until well combined.
Transfer to another foil pack on the same baking sheet and tightly wrap the foil pack around all edges.

Final Bake:

Arrange the green beans and cornbread dressing foil packs on either side of the Cornish hens on the sheet pan.
Bake for an additional 30-40 minutes, checking the Cornish hens temperature around 25 minutes.**
Remove all components from the oven and serve immediately.
Enjoy!

Notes

*In the video tutorial, I used Rosamae Dressing Seasoning, a limited-editing seasoning blend from Rosamae Seasonings. You can use your own herb seasoning blend, or a blend of rosemary, sage, thyme, onion power, garlic powder, and pepper.

**Poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F in the thickest portion of the bird. If the Cornish hens are finished cooking before the potatoes are fork-tender, remove the hens from the baking sheet and set on a serving platter to rest, then return the sheet pan to the oven to finish cooking the side dishes.

Last Step! If you loved this recipe, leave me a review below. This helps future recipe makers and ensures continued high-quality recipes for years to come!

Recipe by: I Heart Recipes

Easy Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner for Two

The Perfect Small Thanksgiving Dinner