Yakitori
Ingredients
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- 12 pieces bamboo skewers – soaked in water 30 minutes
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup mirin
- 1/2 cup sake
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs – boneless, skin-on, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 4 pieces scallions – cut into 1-inch lengths (whites and light greens)
- 1 tbsp neutral oil – for oiling grill grates
- shichimi togarashi – for serving
Instructions
1. Soak the bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes to prevent scorching.
2. Make the tare: Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, and granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer until glossy and reduced to about 1 cup, 10–15 minutes. Remove from heat, cool 5 minutes, then divide into two bowls—one for basting during grilling and one clean bowl for the final glaze.
3. Prepare the chicken: Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut into 1-inch pieces. Sprinkle evenly with the kosher salt and let sit 10 minutes.
4. Prepare the scallions by cutting into 1-inch lengths (use the whites and light green parts).
5. Thread the soaked skewers, alternating chicken and scallion pieces (about 3–4 pieces of chicken per skewer), leaving a little space at each end for handling.
6. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high (about 400–450°F/205–230°C). Clean the grates thoroughly, then oil them lightly with the neutral oil just before grilling.
7. Grill the skewers over direct heat, turning every 2 minutes, 6–8 minutes total. After the first turn, begin brushing the skewers with the basting bowl of tare at each turn. Cook until lightly charred at the edges and the chicken is just cooked through (165°F/74°C internal temperature).
8. Move the skewers to a cooler part of the grill (or reduce the heat) and brush generously with the clean bowl of tare to lacquer. Grill 30–60 seconds more to set the glaze.
9. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with shichimi togarashi (for serving). Serve immediately.
Yakitori is Japan’s iconic skewered chicken, grilled over hot coals until the meat is juicy inside and lightly charred outside. The flavor profile balances a smoky char with either a simple salt seasoning (shio) or a sweet-salty glaze (tare) made from soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. Served hot off the grill, the skewers deliver a satisfying mix of tender chicken and the gentle bite of grilled scallions.
Historically tied to izakaya pubs and street stalls, yakitori evolved from using every part of the bird—thighs, breast, skin, liver, and more—grilled to order on slender skewers. Negima, the popular pairing of chicken and long onion, is one of the most recognized styles. Many yakitori shops nurture a house tare over time, replenishing and reducing it nightly, a tradition that underscores the dish’s depth and continuity in Japanese food culture.