Description
Delicious Japanese Chicken Yakitori, featuring tender marinated chicken grilled to perfection on skewers and basted with a sweet and savory soy-based glaze. This easy-to-make recipe captures authentic flavors with a simple marinade of garlic, ginger, and brown sugar, finished with a thickened sauce for extra richness.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 5–6 pieces boneless chicken breast or 6–8 pieces boneless chicken thighs
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- Ground pepper, to taste
- 6–7 wooden skewers (soaked in water for 10–20 minutes)
Yakitori Sauce
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp red wine or mirin
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar or regular vinegar
- 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water (cornstarch slurry)
Instructions
- Prepare Skewers: Soak the wooden skewers in water for 10–20 minutes to prevent burning while grilling.
- Make Sauce Base: In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, water, red wine or mirin, brown sugar, and vinegar until the sugar is fully dissolved, creating the basic yakitori sauce.
- Marinate Chicken: Trim any excess fat from chicken and cut into 1–2 inch chunks. Marinate the chicken with minced garlic, minced ginger, ground pepper, and some of the prepared sauce for at least 10 minutes to infuse flavor.
- Thicken Sauce: Pour the remaining sauce into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the cornstarch slurry gradually, stirring constantly, cooking until the sauce thickens to a glaze consistency.
- Assemble Skewers & Grill: Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the soaked skewers. Grill them over medium-high heat for about 8–12 minutes, turning occasionally and basting frequently with the thickened sauce to build a flavorful glaze and ensure the chicken cooks evenly.
Notes
- Soaking skewers prevents them from burning on the grill.
- Use chicken thighs for juicier yakitori; chicken breasts work if you prefer leaner meat.
- The sauce can be adjusted with more sugar or soy sauce to taste for sweetness or saltiness.
- Grilling can be done over a charcoal grill for authentic flavor or a gas/electric grill or grill pan indoors.
- Ensure the chicken is cooked through; internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Japanese
Keywords: Japanese chicken yakitori, grilled chicken skewers, yakitori recipe, Japanese BBQ chicken, soy sauce chicken skewers, easy yakitori
