Japanese grilled chicken skewers.

Yakitori is a delicious Japanese grilled chicken dish, perfect for casual gatherings or a weeknight dinner. To make it, marinate bite-sized chicken thighs in a savory tare sauce made from soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar. Skewer the chicken with green onions and grill until tender and charred. Serve the skewers warm, drizzled with extra tare sauce for added flavor. For a complete meal, pair yakitori with steamed white rice, pickled vegetables, or a refreshing cucumber salad. You can also serve it alongside a cold beer or sake for an authentic Japanese experience.

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 1 lb (450g) chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
• 1 green onion (or scallion or chives), cut into 1-inch pieces for threading method (or chopped for sprinkling method)
• Skewers (bamboo or metal)
• sesames seeds for garnish, optional

For the Marinade/Sauce (Tare)

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sake (or dry white wine)
• 2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced (optional)

Directions

1. Prepare the Chicken
   • Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces (about 1-2 inches).
   • If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning.
2. Make the Marinade/Sauce
   • In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar, and garlic and ginger (if using).
   • Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer for about 5-7 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Skewer the Chicken
   • Thread the chicken pieces and green onion onto the skewers, alternating between chicken and green onion. (I prefer to just cook the chicken and then sprinkle with green onions but go ahead and give the green onion threading a try if you want to try it out. It does taste great either way)
4. Marinate
   • Place the skewers in a shallow dish and pour half of the tare sauce over them. Let them marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator for more flavor.
5. Grill the Skewers
   • Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. If using a grill pan, heat it over medium-high heat on the stove.
   • Remove the skewers from the marinade and discard the leftover marinade.
   • Grill the skewers for about 4-5 minutes on each side, brushing with the remaining tare sauce until the chicken is cooked through and has nice grill marks.
6. Serve
   • Once done, remove from the grill and let them rest for a minute.
   • Serve warm with extra tare sauce on the side for dipping.

Tips

• You can also add other vegetables to the skewers, such as bell peppers, mushrooms, or zucchini.
• For a smoky flavor, you can use charcoal if available.