Japanese Chicken Yakitori Skewers (Printer-friendly)

Tender chicken and spring onion skewers brushed with homemade tare sauce and grilled until glossy and caramelized.

# 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 - In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then simmer for 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and discard garlic and ginger.
02 - Thread chicken and spring onion pieces alternately onto soaked skewers, ensuring even distribution for consistent cooking.
03 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Oil the grates lightly to prevent sticking.
04 - Grill the skewers for 3 minutes on each side, brushing with yakitori sauce after turning. Continue grilling, turning and basting, for another 6–8 minutes until cooked through and glossy with caramelized sauce.
05 - Serve immediately, drizzled with extra sauce if desired. Pairs excellently with cold sake or Japanese beer.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The homemade tare sauce develops an incredible depth that storebought versions never achieve, and it keeps for weeks in the fridge
  • Chicken thighs stay impossibly juicy while the exterior gets that gorgeous caramelized gloss that makes restaurant yakitori so addictive
  • These skewers disappear faster than any other party food Ive ever served, and theyre somehow both elegant and completely fingerfood friendly
02 -
  • The sauce reduction time varies by pan material and stove strength, so start checking at 6 minutes and trust your eyes more than the clock
  • Chicken thighs can have uneven thickness, so cut your cubes as uniformly as possible or some pieces will dry out while others finish cooking
  • Room temperature chicken grills more evenly than cold from the fridge, so let your cubes sit out for 15 minutes before threading
03 -
  • Thread the skewers with the chicken pieces slightly folded rather than perfectly flat so they grab onto the glaze better and dont slide around as much
  • Let the skewers rest for just 2 minutes after grilling so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto the plate the moment someone takes a bite

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