Description
Chicken Yakitori is a classic Japanese grilled chicken skewer dish featuring tender boneless chicken thighs marinated and basted in a savory-sweet yakitori sauce made from soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic. Perfect as a main course or appetizer, it’s quick to prepare and delivers rich, glossy, flavorful bites.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Skewers
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Bamboo or metal skewers (if using bamboo, soak in water for 30 minutes)
Yakitori Sauce
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
- ¼ cup sake
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Additional
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Prepare the Yakitori Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, freshly grated ginger, and minced garlic. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Assemble the Skewers: Thread the chicken pieces and green onion segments alternately onto the soaked bamboo or metal skewers. Brush each skewer lightly with vegetable oil to prevent sticking during grilling.
- Preheat the Grill: Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat to ensure it’s hot enough for quick searing.
- Grill the Skewers: Place the skewers on the grill and cook for about 3 minutes per side, turning occasionally until the chicken is nearly cooked through and has nice grill marks.
- Brush with Yakitori Sauce: Generously brush the prepared yakitori sauce over the skewers and continue grilling for another 2 to 3 minutes. Keep basting and turning the skewers to develop a glossy, flavorful coating and ensure the chicken is fully cooked.
- Serve: Remove the skewers from the grill and brush with any remaining sauce before serving. Serve hot, optionally over steamed rice or as an appetizer.
Notes
- For a more traditional version, you can include chicken skin or cartilage pieces on the skewers instead of just thighs.
- If mirin is not available, substitute it with a mixture of white wine and sugar to approximate the sweetness.
- These skewers can be served over steamed rice or enjoyed alone as appetizers.
