Japanese Chicken Yakitori (Printable)
Savory Japanese chicken skewers brushed with a sweet-salty tare, grilled until glossy and juicy.
# What You'll 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 tbsp sake
05 - 2 tbsp 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
→ Other
09 - Vegetable oil, for brushing
10 - Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
02 - Thread chicken and scallion pieces alternately onto the soaked bamboo skewers, distributing evenly.
03 - Brush a grill or griddle pan with vegetable oil and preheat over medium-high heat.
04 - Arrange skewers on the hot grill. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, brushing generously with tare sauce as they cook, until the chicken is cooked through and achieves a glossy, caramelized glaze.
05 - Transfer skewers to a serving platter and serve immediately with extra tare sauce on the side.
# Tips from dashanddishes:
01 -
- The tare sauce doubles as both marinade and glaze, so every layer packs deep umami without extra effort.
- Thighs stay incredibly juicy even if you accidentally overcook them by a minute, which I certainly have done more than once.
02 -
- Soak bamboo skewers for a full 30 minutes or they will catch fire and your yakitori will taste like a campfire accident.
- Reserve a small portion of the tare sauce before brushing the raw chicken so you have a clean dipping sauce at the end.
03 -
- Pat the chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels before skewering so the tare glaze adheres instead of sliding off wet meat.
- Turn the skewers a quarter rotation every minute rather than flipping once, this builds even color and prevents any single side from charring too dark.