Japanese Chicken Yakitori Skewers (Printable Version)

Tender glazed chicken skewers with homemade tare sauce, 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, 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

# Directions:

01 - Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan. 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 bamboo skewers, ensuring even distribution for uniform cooking.
03 - Preheat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
04 - Grill skewers for 3 minutes on each side, brushing with yakitori sauce after each turn. Continue grilling, turning and basting, for 6-8 minutes until cooked through and glossy with caramelized sauce.
05 - Serve immediately, drizzling with extra warmed sauce if desired. Garnish with additional sliced scallions.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The homemade tare sauce creates that authentic restaurant glossy finish you cannot get from bottled glazes
  • Chicken thighs stay impossibly juicy even after high heat grilling thanks to their natural fat content
  • Everything comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like you spent all day planning
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking the bamboo skewers or they will burn on the grill and could ruin the whole experience
  • Thighs need to be cut uniformly so everything finishes cooking at the same time without dried out pieces
  • The sauce needs to cool slightly before brushing on hot skewers or it will slide right off instead of sticking
03 -
  • Keep a small bowl of water nearby to dip your basting brush between uses, preventing sticky buildup
  • Let the skewers rest for just 2 minutes after grilling so the juices redistribute evenly throughout each bite

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