Japanese 20 min

Japanese Yakitori (Grilled Chicken Skewers)

Name: Japanese Yakitori (Grilled Chicken Skewers)
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1.5-inch cubes; 4 oz chicken liver (optional); 4 green onions, cut into 1.5-inch pieces; 16 metal or soaked bamboo skewers; 1/2 cup soy sauce; 1/4 cup mirin; 2 tablespoons sake; 2 tablespoons sugar; Salt and Sansho pepper for salt-seasoned skewers (shio variety)

high-proteindairy-freegluten-free

Ingredientsfor 2

340

Cal

34g

Protein

14g

Carbs

16g

Fat

11.5 lbs boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
24 oz chicken liver (optional)
34 green onions, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
416 metal or soaked bamboo skewers
51/2 cup soy sauce
61/4 cup mirin
72 tablespoons sake
82 tablespoons sugar
9Salt and Sansho pepper for salt-seasoned skewers (shio variety)

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Instructions

1
Make tare glaze: combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes until slightly thickened and syrupy. Cool. The tare should coat a spoon and be sweet-savory.
2
Thread chicken pieces onto skewers, alternating with green onion pieces. For variety, make some skewers shio (salt) style — just sprinkle lightly with salt and Sansho pepper instead of glazing.
3
Grill over high charcoal or gas heat. Brush tare skewers with glaze, grill 2 minutes, brush again, flip, brush again, grill 2 more minutes — continuing this repeated brushing and flipping process for 8–10 minutes total. The repeated glazing builds up a thick, lacquered coating.
4
For shio (salt) skewers: grill without glaze, 8 minutes total, until golden and slightly charred.
5
Serve immediately. Yakitori is traditionally eaten at an izakaya with cold beer. The char from the high-heat grill and the sticky tare create an irresistible combination.