Japanese Chicken Yakitori Recipe
Authentic Japanese Chicken Yakitori is a delightful grilled chicken skewer dish, featuring tender chicken pieces marinated in a sweet and savory sauce made with soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and brown sugar. Perfect for a quick yet flavorful appetizer or main course, this recipe balances the richness of grilled meat with a luscious glaze that’s thickened to perfection.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 skewers 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 5–6 pieces boneless chicken breast or 6–8 pieces boneless chicken thighs
Marinade & Sauce
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- Water (quantity unspecified, adjust for sauce consistency)
- Red wine or mirin (quantity unspecified, approximately 2 tbsp recommended)
- Vinegar (quantity unspecified, approximately 1 tbsp recommended)
- Cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water, amount as needed for thickening)
Other
- 6–7 wooden skewers (soaked in water for 10–20 minutes)
Instructions
- Soak skewers: Soak the wooden skewers in water for 10 to 20 minutes to prevent them from burning during grilling.
- Prepare the sauce: In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, water, red wine or mirin, brown sugar, and vinegar until the sugar fully dissolves, creating a balanced sweet and savory base.
- Marinate chicken: Trim and cut the chicken into 1 to 2 inch chunks. Combine the chicken with minced garlic, fresh ginger, ground pepper, and some of the prepared sauce. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 10 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Thicken sauce: Pour the remaining sauce into a saucepan and cook over medium heat. Add a cornstarch slurry gradually and stir continuously until the sauce thickens to a glaze consistency.
- Grill chicken skewers: Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the soaked skewers. Grill the skewers over medium-high heat for 8 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally. During grilling, baste the pieces frequently with the thickened sauce to build a flavorful, sticky coating.
Notes
- Soaking the wooden skewers is essential to prevent them from burning on the grill.
- Adjust the sweetness and saltiness of the sauce by varying brown sugar and soy sauce proportions to taste.
- If red wine is unavailable, mirin is the traditional sweet rice wine that enhances the authentic flavor.
- Ensure chicken is cooked through but remain juicy by monitoring grilling time.
- Cornstarch slurry should be added slowly to avoid lumps and create a smooth glaze.
Keywords: Japanese chicken yakitori, grilled chicken skewers, yakitori recipe, Japanese appetizer, soy glaze chicken
Find it online: https://spatulaqueen.com/japanese-chicken-yakitori-recipe/
