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Finished yakitori chicken skewers with spring onions served on a black plate with dipping sauce.

Yakitori Recipe

Cooked on skewers, Yakitori chicken stays tender, takes on light charring, and finishes with a savoury glaze that smells rich.

Course: Main
Cuisine: Japanese
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

Yakitori

  • 10 –12 bamboo skewers
  • 450 g boneless skinless chicken thighs – at room temperature
  • 9 spring onions (scallions)
  • vegetable oil

Yakitori Sauce (Tare)

  • 125 ml ½ cup soy sauce
  • 125 ml ½ cup mirin
  • 60 ml ¼ cup sake
  • 60 ml ¼ cup water
  • 2 tsp brown sugar packed

Instructions

  1. Soak the bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes.

Yakitori Sauce (Tare)

  1. In a small saucepan, combine the mirin, soy sauce, sake, water, brown sugar, and the green part of 1 spring onion. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by half, about 30 minutes.
  2. Remove from the heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature. Reserve ⅓ of the sauce in a small bowl for the final coating.

Yakitori

  1. Cut the white and light green parts of the scallions into 2.5 cm – 1-inch pieces.
  2. Cut the chicken into 2.5 cm – 1-inch cubes.
  3. Thread the chicken onto the skewers at a 45-degree angle.

  4. Alternate each piece of chicken with a piece of spring onion.
  5. Grease the grate of the broiler or wire rack (or an oven-safe cooling rack) to prevent sticking. Place the skewers on top.
  6. Set the broiler to high and wait until the heating elements are hot. Broil for 6 minutes.
  7. After 6 minutes, brush the sauce over the chicken on both sides and continue to broil for 3–4 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has caramelised.
  8. Transfer the skewers to a serving plate and brush the chicken with the reserved sauce using a clean brush.*
  9. Serve warm.

Recipe Notes

*Make sure the reserved sauce does not come into contact with raw chicken, or it will need to be boiled again to avoid contamination. Always use a clean brush for the final coating.