Chicken yakitori skewers
Sticky, smoky chicken skewers with a glossy tare — quick to make, brilliant for midweek or a relaxed supper with friends.
Yakitori is the cheeky little hero of Japanese grilling — bite-sized chicken threaded on skewers, lacquered in a sticky tare and eaten straight away. This version uses thigh meat for juiciness and a simple homemade tare that turns everything glossy and moreish.
Great for a weekend barbecue, a convivial midweek supper or as part of a Japanese-style sharing board. Once you master the basting rhythm, these skewers practically cook themselves — and they vanish fast.
Ingredients
- 600 g boneless chicken thighs
- 3 spring onions
- 12 bamboo skewers
- 80 ml soy sauce
- 80 ml mirin
- 40 ml sake
- 50 g caster sugar
- 20 g fresh ginger — peeled and thinly sliced
- 15 ml vegetable oil
- 5 g sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 5 g toasted sesame seeds — for sprinkling
Equipment
- small saucepan
- chargrill pan or heavy frying pan
- basting brush
- tongs
Instructions
Soak the bamboo skewers in cold water for 30 minutes to stop them burning under high heat.
Make the tare: put the soy sauce, mirin, sake, caster sugar and sliced fresh ginger into a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce to a low bubble and cook until slightly syrupy and glossy, about 8–10 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the ginger slices.
Trim any excess skin or sinew from the chicken. Cut the thighs into roughly 3 cm pieces. Trim the spring onions and cut into lengths to match the chicken. Put the chicken and spring onions in a bowl, season with sea salt and black pepper and drizzle with the vegetable oil; toss to coat.
Thread the chicken and spring onions onto the soaked skewers, alternating pieces. Leave a small gap between pieces so heat circulates — do not pack tightly.
Heat a chargrill pan or heavy frying pan over medium–high heat until smoking hot, or preheat your oven grill to high if using that method. Lightly oil the pan with a little vegetable oil.
Cook the skewers in batches: lay them in the hot pan and cook for 3–4 minutes until nicely charred, turn, then brush the hot side with a little tare. Cook the other side 3–4 minutes, turn and brush again. Repeat once more if needed until the chicken is cooked through (juices run clear) and the tare is sticky and glazed, about 8–10 minutes in total per batch.
Transfer cooked skewers to a plate and rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds before serving.
Tips
- Soak bamboo skewers for at least 30 minutes — it prevents them from burning and makes turning easier.
- Make the tare ahead and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently before using. The flavour improves after an hour or two.
- Work in even batches so the pan stays hot; don’t overcrowd — crowded skewers steam rather than char.
- If you prefer less alcohol flavour, simmer the tare a little longer to cook off more of the sake and mirin.
- Leftover cooked skewers keep in the fridge for 2 days; reheat briefly under a hot grill or in a hot pan and brush with fresh tare to revive the glaze.
Substitutions
boneless chicken thighs → skin-on chicken breast, 600 g, cut into slightly smaller pieces
Noticeably differentsoy sauce → tamari, same quantity (80 ml) for a lower-gluten option
Stays closemirin → white rice vinegar 50 ml plus 1 tbsp caster sugar, if you prefer a non-alcohol option
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 472
- Calories
- 28 g
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 13 g
- Sugar
- 1200 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make the tare without alcohol?
Yes — replace the mirin with white rice vinegar plus a little extra sugar and omit or replace sake with a splash of water. The flavour will be slightly different but still sweet and glossy.
How do I know the chicken is cooked?
Pieces should be nicely charred outside and the juices should run clear. For certainty use a probe thermometer — 75°C internal temperature for poultry.
Can I use wooden skewers straight away?
No — always soak them for at least 30 minutes. Dry skewers will scorch and can catch fire under high heat.
Can I make these in an oven?
Yes — use the oven grill (griddle) on high and position the rack close to the element. Cook 4–6 minutes per side, brushing with tare between turns.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!