Japanese Chicken Yakitori (Printable Version)
Grilled skewers of soy-mirin glazed chicken thighs with scallions, charred and caramelized, an easy Japanese classic.
# 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 tablespoons sake
05 - 2 tablespoons sugar
06 - 1 clove garlic, minced
07 - 1 small piece (3/4 inch) fresh ginger, grated
→ Vegetables
08 - 4 to 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 - 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 fully dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens. Remove from heat and let cool.
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 until hot.
04 - Arrange the skewers on the hot grill. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, brushing generously with tare sauce as they cook, until the chicken is cooked through and develops a glossy, caramelized glaze.
05 - Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately while hot. Offer extra tare sauce on the side for dipping if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The tare sauce does double duty as both a marinade and a finishing glaze, so you get deep flavor without extra work.
- Chicken thighs stay incredibly juicy even if you accidentally overcook them by a minute, which makes this wonderfully forgiving.
02 -
- If you do not let the tare sauce cool before brushing it on the raw chicken, you risk contaminating your basting brush with raw chicken juices and then dipping it back into the sauce, so reserve a clean portion for serving.
- Soaking bamboo skewers for a full thirty minutes is non negotiable, because charred broken skewers will ruin your presentation and possibly your grill.
03 -
- Pat the chicken pieces completely dry before threading them onto skewers so the glaze adheres properly instead of sliding off wet surfaces.
- Cut all your chicken and vegetables to a uniform size so everything finishes cooking at the same moment.