Japanese Chicken Yakitori
Authentic Japanese chicken yakitori with a balanced soy-mirin tare glaze, layered caramelization, and tender skewered chicken. Sweet, savory, and perfectly lacquered — better than takeout.
Equipment
- Grill, broiler, or air fryer
- Small saucepan
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Knife and cutting board
- Wooden or metal skewers
- Basting Brush
- Tongs
Ingredients
Chicken
- 6–8 boneless chicken thighs or 5–6 boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1½–2 inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
- 1 tsp black pepper
Yakitori Tare Sauce
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 tbsp mirin or dry red wine substitute
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar additional for balanced sweetness
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch optional, for light thickening
Other
- 6–7 wooden skewers soaked 15–20 minutes
Instructions
- Soak skewers: Submerge wooden skewers in water for at least 15 minutes to prevent burning during cooking.
- Prepare sauce base: In a bowl, mix soy sauce, water, mirin, brown sugar, and rice vinegar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Reserve 1/4 cup of this mixture for marinating the chicken.
- Marinate chicken: Toss chicken pieces with garlic, ginger, black pepper, and reserved 1/4 cup sauce. Marinate for 10–20 minutes.
- Reduce tare sauce: Pour remaining sauce into a saucepan. Simmer 6–8 minutes until slightly reduced. If using cornstarch, mix it with 2 tablespoons hot sauce and whisk back into saucepan. Simmer until lightly thickened. Remove from heat.
- Skewer chicken: Thread chicken evenly onto skewers in a zigzag pattern. Leave a small handle area exposed.
- Cook: Grill at 375–400°F for 4 minutes. Flip, lightly baste with reduced tare, and cook another 3–4 minutes until caramelized and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Alternatively, broil 4 minutes per side or air fry at 350°F for 8 minutes total, flipping halfway.
- Final glaze: Brush one final thin layer of warm tare during the last minute of cooking for a glossy finish without burning.
- Serve: Serve immediately with steamed rice and garnish with green onions or sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
Important: Apply glaze in thin layers during cooking to prevent burning.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat to maintain moisture.
Freezing: Marinated raw chicken can be frozen up to 2 months before cooking.