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Baking sheet linked with parchment paper and topped with a stack of cooked chicken Yakitori skewers.
4.81 from 26 votes

Chicken Yakitori

Yakitori is a Japanese grilled chicken recipe served on skewers and glazed in a delicious sweet and savory homemade Yakitori sauce. Often served with drinks at bars in Japan, enjoy Yakitori as a quick and easy appetizer, snack, or dinner.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 228kcal
Chef: Jessica Randhawa

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs - cut into 1-inch pieces
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar - packed
  • ¼ cup sake
  • 2 tablespoon mirin - (Japanese rice wine)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger - minced (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic - minced (optional)

Instructions

  • Soak the wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning as they grill.
  • As the skewers soak, chop the chicken and season with salt and black pepper.
  • Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, sake, mirin, ginger, and garlic to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5-6 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Stir as needed to prevent burning. Once thickened, set aside half of the sauce for basting and the other half for dipping (see notes).
  • Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grill grates with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Thread chicken pieces onto the skewers, leaving a little space between each piece.
  • Place the skewers on the grill and cook for 3 minutes before flipping over. Baste the cooked side with the sauce and cook for 3 minutes.
  • Flip again, every 2 minutes, brushing them each time with the sauce until they are cooked through.
  • Garnish with freshly chopped green onions and serve with lime wedges and the other half of the sauce, if desired.

Notes

  • To thicken the dipping sauce, combine one teaspoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of water to make a cornstarch slurry. With the sauce set over low heat, slowly stir the cornstarch slurry into the sauce until thickened.
  • This yakitori chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 2016mg | Potassium: 369mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 29IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 2mg
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