Description
Chicken Yakitori is a Japanese grilled chicken skewer dish, glazed with a sweet-savory tare sauce made of soy, mirin, sake, and sugar. Smoky, sticky, and bursting with flavor, it’s a quick and easy recipe perfect for weeknight dinners or backyard cookouts.
Ingredients
450 g (1 lb) boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
60 ml (¼ cup) soy sauce
60 ml (¼ cup) mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
30 ml (2 tbsp) sake
12 g (1 tbsp) sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Optional: chopped spring onions or scallions for garnish
Instructions
Make the tare sauce: Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Cool and set aside.
Skewer the chicken: Thread chicken pieces onto soaked bamboo skewers, leaving slight gaps for even cooking.
Preheat the grill: Heat grill or stovetop grill pan to medium-high. Lightly oil grates.
Grill and glaze: Cook skewers for 3–4 minutes per side. Brush with tare sauce during the last few minutes, letting it caramelize into a glossy glaze.
Serve: Plate immediately, garnish with chopped spring onions, and enjoy hot.
Notes
Chicken thighs work best for juiciness; breasts can dry quickly.
Soaking skewers prevents burning.
Apply tare in layers for best caramelization.
A grill pan or broiler works well indoors.
Leftover tare sauce doubles as a marinade or dip.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Japanese