Japanese Chicken Yakitori (Printer-friendly)

Grilled chicken skewers brushed with a savory-sweet soy, mirin and sake tare; juicy, caramelized, and crowd-pleasing.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

→ Tare Sauce (Marinade & Glaze)

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 - 1 small piece (3/4 inch) fresh ginger, grated

→ Vegetables

08 - 4-5 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces

→ Extras

09 - Vegetable oil, for brushing
10 - Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

# How to Make It:

01 - In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
02 - Thread chicken pieces and scallion segments alternately onto the soaked bamboo skewers, distributing the ingredients evenly across each stick.
03 - Brush a grill or griddle pan lightly with vegetable oil and preheat over medium-high heat until the surface is hot and shimmering.
04 - Arrange the skewers on the hot grill. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, brushing generously with the tare sauce as they cook, until the chicken is cooked through and develops a caramelized, glossy glaze.
05 - Transfer the yakitori to a serving platter and serve immediately while hot. Offer extra tare sauce on the side for dipping if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The tare sauce is a sticky, savory glaze that turns simple chicken into something you would happily pay street stall prices for.
  • It comes together in thirty minutes flat, which makes it perfect for weeknights when you want something exciting without the effort.
02 -
  • If you brush the sauce on too early or too generously before the chicken has had a chance to sear, the sugar will burn before the meat cooks through.
  • Letting the tare sauce cool before your first brush gives it body and prevents it from running right off the skewers into the flames.
03 -
  • Reserve a small portion of the tare sauce before it touches raw chicken so you have a clean dipping sauce for serving.
  • If you are using metal skewers instead of bamboo, reduce the heat slightly because metal conducts heat to the center of the chicken faster and can cause uneven cooking.

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