Japanese Chicken Yakitori (Print Version)
Savory-sweet soy-mirin glazed chicken skewers, grilled until caramelized; perfect with steamed rice or chilled beer.
# Recipe Ingredients:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.1 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
→ Marinade & Glaze (Tare Sauce)
02 - 1/3 cup soy sauce
03 - 1/4 cup mirin
04 - 2 tablespoons sake
05 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
06 - 1 clove garlic, minced
07 - 2/3 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
→ Vegetables
08 - 4 spring onions (scallions), cut into 1 inch pieces
→ Extras
09 - Vegetable oil, for brushing
10 - Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
# Directions:
01 - In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, garlic, and ginger. Bring mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring regularly until the sugar dissolves. Lower heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens. Allow to cool completely.
02 - Thread chicken pieces and spring onion segments alternately onto soaked bamboo skewers, ensuring pieces are evenly spaced for uniform cooking.
03 - Lightly brush the grill or griddle pan with vegetable oil and preheat over medium-high heat until hot.
04 - Place assembled skewers onto the preheated grill. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, turning once and brushing generously with tare sauce while grilling. Continue until chicken is cooked through and lacquered with sauce.
05 - Transfer skewers to a serving platter. Serve immediately with extra tare sauce on the side if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You’ll want to keep tasting the glaze straight off the spoon—it’s that addictive.
- It’s unbelievably quick, and the satisfaction of skewering is oddly relaxing after a long day.
02 -
- Once, I tried to speed up the tare by using high heat and ended up with a burnt, bitter glaze—slow and steady is essential here.
- Soak those bamboo skewers for at least 30 minutes, or you’ll be picking charred splinters out of your chicken.
03 -
- Basting the skewers with sauce during the last minute of grilling gives that perfect sweet-salty crust.
- A quick blast of high heat in the end adds char, but don’t walk away—those final seconds matter most.