Japanese Chicken Yakitori Skewers (Printer-friendly)
Tender glazed chicken skewers grilled with sweet-savory soy sauce.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken and Vegetables
01 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 2 spring onions (scallions), cut into 1-inch pieces
03 - 12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
→ Yakitori Sauce (Tare)
04 - 1/3 cup soy sauce
05 - 1/4 cup mirin
06 - 1/4 cup sake
07 - 2 tbsp sugar
08 - 1 garlic clove, crushed
09 - 1 small piece (2 cm) fresh ginger, sliced
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then simmer for 8-10 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and discard garlic and ginger pieces.
02 - Thread chicken and spring onion pieces alternately onto the pre-soaked bamboo skewers, ensuring even distribution for uniform cooking.
03 - Preheat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
04 - Grill skewers for 3 minutes on each side, brushing with yakitori sauce after each turn. Continue grilling and basting for another 6-8 minutes until chicken is cooked through and develops a glossy, caramelized coating.
05 - Serve immediately while hot, drizzling with extra tare sauce if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The tare sauce becomes this incredible umami-rich glaze that you will want to put on everything
- Chicken thighs stay impossibly juicy while developing that restaurant-quality char
02 -
- The sauce must cool slightly before brushing onto raw chicken, or it will slide right off instead of adhering
- Walk away from the grill for even one minute and the sugar in the tare will burn, so stay attentive
03 -
- Double the tare recipe and keep the extra in the fridge for up to two weeks
- Room temperature chicken grills more evenly than cold from the fridge