Description
Chicken Yakitori brings Japanese street food charm straight to your kitchen, where skewered grilled chicken becomes a delightful flavor adventure. Marinated in a sweet and savory sauce, these tender meat skewers deliver authentic Japanese grill magic that sparks instant satisfaction at your dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1.5 pounds (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 2–3 green onions
Sauce Ingredients:
- ½ cup (120 ml) soy sauce
- ¼ cup (60 ml) mirin
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Finely sliced green onions
- 6–8 skewers
Instructions
- Submerge bamboo skewers in cold water for 30 minutes to prevent burning during cooking.
- Cut 1.12 pounds (680 g) chicken thighs into precise 1-inch cubes, ensuring uniform size for even grilling.
- Prepare sauce by whisking ½ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup mirin, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 teaspoon grated ginger in a small saucepan.
- Simmer sauce over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until it reaches a glossy consistency, stirring occasionally.
- Optional: Thicken sauce by mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and stirring into the liquid.
- Thread chicken cubes onto skewers, spacing them evenly and alternating with 2-3 green onion pieces for visual appeal.
- Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to 400°F (204°C), brushing grates with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
- Place skewers on hot grill, cooking 3-4 minutes per side until chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) internal temperature.
- During final 2 minutes of grilling, brush skewers generously with prepared sauce to create caramelized glaze.
- Remove skewers from heat and transfer to serving plate, drizzling with additional sauce.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and finely sliced green onions before serving immediately.
Notes
- Soak bamboo skewers thoroughly to prevent burning and ensure they don’t catch fire during grilling.
- Marinate chicken for 30 minutes before skewering to enhance flavor absorption and tenderness.
- Cut chicken into uniform pieces to guarantee even cooking and consistent texture across all skewers.
- For a low-carb version, replace brown sugar with a sugar substitute and serve over cauliflower rice instead of traditional rice.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-14 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 139
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 460 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg