Yakitori (Chicken Skewers) 🍢 Japanese Appetizer 🇯🇵

Description

Juicy chicken thigh cubes glazed with a shiny sweet–savory tare, lightly charred on skewers — pure izakaya vibes. 🔥

Hook
Sticky glaze, smoky edges, one-handed perfection! 🍢

Ingredients

• Chicken & aromatics
• 🍗 Boneless skinless chicken thighs, 2–2.5 cm cubes: 600 g (1.32 lb)
• 🧂 Fine salt: 2 g (½ tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 🧅 Scallions, thinly sliced (for finish): 15 g (2 tbsp / 0.5 oz)
• 🥢 Bamboo skewers, soaked: 8
• Tare glaze
• 🍶 Soy sauce: 80 ml (⅓ cup / 2.7 fl oz)
• 🍶 Mirin: 80 ml (⅓ cup / 2.7 fl oz)
• 🍶 Sake (or dry sherry): 60 ml (¼ cup / 2 fl oz)
• 🍚 Sugar: 40 g (3 tbsp / 1.4 oz)
• 🧄 Garlic, finely grated (optional): 4 g (½ tsp / 0.14 oz)
• 🫚 Fresh ginger, finely grated (optional): 4 g (½ tsp / 0.14 oz)
• 🛢️ Sesame oil: 10 ml (2 tsp / 0.34 fl oz)

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Make tare: In a small saucepan combine soy 80 ml, mirin 80 ml, sake 60 ml, sugar 40 g, plus garlic/ginger if using. Simmer 3–5 min until slightly syrupy. Stir in sesame oil, cool.
2. 2️⃣ Skewer: Thread chicken onto soaked skewers (about 75 g per skewer). Season lightly with salt.
3. 3️⃣ Grill/Broil: Preheat grill or broiler to 210–230°C (410–446°F). Sear 2 min per side to get light char.
4. 4️⃣ Glaze: Brush generously with tare and cook 2–3 min more, turning and basting until glossy and the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F).
5. 5️⃣ Serve: Rest 2 min, brush a final thin coat of tare, finish with scallions.

Total Time

🕒 Preparation: 15 min
🔥 Cooking: 10–12 min
⏰ Total: 25–27 min

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