Japanese Chicken Yakitori Recipe
Warm, smoky, and endlessly satisfying, yakitori is one of Japan’s most beloved comfort foods. Whether served at a bustling izakaya with a cold beer or made at home over a hot grill, the simplicity of skewer + fire + seasoning makes yakitori endlessly charming — and surprisingly precise when you want it to be. In this long-form guide I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to make an authentic, restaurant-quality Japanese Chicken Yakitori Recipe at home: ingredients, technique, the perfect tare (sweet soy glaze), salt-style grilling, variations, troubleshooting and serving suggestions. Let’s get grilling.
Why yakitori works (and what makes a great Japanese Chicken Yakitori Recipe)
At its core, yakitori is about balance: juicy chicken, crisped edges, and either a bright, salty finish (shio) or a glossy, caramelized glaze (tare). Because pieces are small and cooked quickly, uniform cuts and high heat are essential. The technique is simple but the details — type of chicken, skewer style, basting rhythm, and heat control — make the difference between good and great.
A short (delicious) history note
Yakitori traces its modern form to Tokyo’s post-war izakayas and street stalls. Skewered meats were an efficient, affordable option, and charcoal grills helped create the smoky flavor that defines the classic style. Today yakitori ranges from humble chicken-skin skewers to refined restaurant omakase where every skewer is executed to perfection.
What you’ll make here
This post centers on a complete, chef-level Japanese Chicken Yakitori Recipe with:
- A classic tare (sweet soy glaze) and a shio (salt) option
- Step-by-step prep and grilling instructions
- Variations: negima, tsukune (meatballs), kawa (skin), and more
- Tips for charcoal, gas, and indoor grilling (and air fryer alternatives)
- Troubleshooting, storage, and serving ideas
Serves: 4 as part of a multi-dish meal (approx. 12–16 skewers)
Prep time: 25–40 minutes (plus 30 min if you marinate tsukune)
Cook time: 10–20 minutes depending on heat and skewer type
Ingredients — classic tare-style and shio-style
For the chicken skewers (base)
- 1.2–1.5 lb (550–700 g) boneless, skin-on chicken thighs (preferred for juiciness)
- Optional: 8 oz (225 g) chicken breast if you want lean skewers (cut smaller to avoid drying)
- 1 medium leek or 2 green onions (negi) — for negima skewers
- 12–16 bamboo skewers, soaked 30 minutes (or metal skewers)
For classic tare (yakitori glaze)
- ½ cup (120 ml) soy sauce (regular, not low-sodium)
- ½ cup (120 ml) mirin
- ¼ cup (60 ml) sake
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar (or to taste)
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed — optional
- 1 piece (1 inch) fresh ginger, thinly sliced — optional
For shio (salt) seasoning
- 1½–2 tsp coarse sea salt (or to taste)
- A pinch of ground white pepper — optional
- Lemon wedges, to serve
Garnishes & finishing
- Shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice) — optional for sprinkling
- Chopped scallions or sansho pepper — optional
- Toasted sesame seeds — optional
Equipment & fuel: what you need and why it matters
- Grill: charcoal binchotan (best), charcoal briquettes, or gas grill. Charcoal gives the classic smoky aroma.
- Indoor option: cast-iron grill pan or heavy skillet. You can still get good caramelization.
- Thermometer: instant-read to check chicken doneness (target 165°F / 74°C).
- Brushes: a silicone brush for basting with tare.
- Tongs: for turning skewers.
- Small saucepan: to reduce tare.
- Bowl and damp towel: to rest skewers and keep workstation clean.
Pro tip: If using bamboo skewers, soak them 30 minutes beforehand to reduce burning. Metal skewers transfer heat, so be cautious when handling.
Choosing the chicken: thighs vs breast vs other parts
- Thighs (momo) — my top pick for most home cooks. Dark meat stays juicy and holds up to high heat.
- Breast (mune) — leaner, use for guests preferring white meat; cut into smaller pieces and watch cook time.
- Skin (kawa) — thin strips skewered tight will crisp and deliver extraordinary flavor.
- Gizzard (sunagimo), liver (reba), heart (hatsu) — classic yakitori menu items; require small, measured cooking times and are not covered here in depth, but flavorful if you can source them.
Prep: cutting and skewering like a pro
- Trim and portion: Remove excess fat but leave the skin attached to thighs. Cut thighs into uniform 1–1¼ inch (2.5–3 cm) cubes so they cook evenly.
- Negima style: Alternate chicken pieces with 1-inch slices of leek/green onion for classic negima skewers. The onion softens and adds sweetness.
- Skin: For kawa, slice skin into 1½–2 inch strips and fold or roll them tight on the skewer for maximum crisp.
- Tsukune: If making chicken meatballs, mince thighs finely or pulse in a food processor with seasonings and egg — shape and chill before skewering.
- Skewer: Thread 3–5 pieces per skewer depending on size. Leave a little space between pieces so heat circulates; too-tight skewers steam instead of char.
Making tare (the soul of the Japanese Chicken Yakitori Recipe)
Tare is a reduced, glossy glaze that gives yakitori its irresistible sweet-savory finish.
- In a small saucepan combine: ½ cup soy sauce, ½ cup mirin, ¼ cup sake, and 3 tbsp sugar. Add optional garlic and ginger for depth.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Skim any foam.
- Reduce heat and simmer 10–15 minutes until slightly thickened — the sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
- Strain if you used garlic/ginger. Cool, then set aside. Tare will thicken more as it cools; you want a brushable but glossy consistency.
- Important food-safety note: because tare touches raw chicken during basting, either simmer a bit more and reserve a portion for final glazing, or keep two bowls (one for raw basting, one for finishing) by boiling the reserved finishing tare before using.
Chef tip: For extra depth, simmer tare at a lower heat for 20–30 minutes to develop a deeper caramel. For a lighter glaze, reduce sugar slightly.
Step-by-step: grilling the yakitori (tare method)
- Preheat the grill: High heat is essential. If using charcoal, let it glow until white ash forms and you have steady, hot embers. For gas us high heat initially, then reduce to medium-high for cooking. If using a grill pan, preheat until very hot.
- Season the skewers: Lightly salt (if using shio) just before grilling. For tare skewers, start lightly seasoned with a pinch of salt to enhance the meat before the glaze.
- Initial sear: Lay skewers over direct heat and cook for 1½–2 minutes per side to get good color and char; don’t move them constantly — let caramelization form.
- Baste & flip rhythm: After initial sear, start basting with tare using a brush. Flip every 30–60 seconds, basting each time to build layers of glaze. Total cook time for thigh pieces is usually 6–10 minutes, depending on heat — watch for a glossy mahogany finish.
- Don’t overcrowd: Cook in batches so the grill temperature remains high. If the glaze starts to burn, move skewers to a cooler part of the grill and finish with indirect heat.
- Carryover & rest: Remove skewers when internal temp reaches 165°F (74°C). Let rest 2–3 minutes before serving.
For shio yakitori, cook the same way but only salt the skewers (no basting). Finish with a squeeze of lemon for brightness.
Alternative: cooking yakitori indoors (no grill)
- Cast-iron grill pan: Heat until smoking hot. Cook 2–3 minutes per side to get char marks, then finish in a 400°F (205°C) oven if pieces are thick. Baste with tare toward the end to avoid burning.
- Broiler: Place skewers on a broiler pan 4–5 inches from heat. Broil 2–3 minutes per side, watching closely and basting near the end.
- Air fryer: Preheat to 400°F (200°C). Cook 8–10 minutes turning halfway; brush with tare in the final 2 minutes. Texture will be slightly different (less charring) but still delicious.
Tsukune (chicken meatball) yakitori — a must-try variation
Ingredients for tsukune (makes ~8 skewers):
- 1 lb (450 g) ground chicken (thigh recommended)
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp grated onion or finely minced scallion
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin
- ½ tsp salt, pinch of white pepper
Method:
- Combine all ingredients until just mixed. Don’t overwork.
- Wet your hands and form oblong meatballs around skewers (or make small round ones). Chill 15–30 minutes so they hold shape.
- Grill over medium-high heat, turning and basting with tare until glossy and cooked through (internal temp 165°F / 74°C). Serve with extra tare and a raw or soft-boiled egg yolk for dipping if you want an izakaya-style touch.
Classic yakitori varieties you can make at home
- Momo – chicken thigh (juicy, the standard).
- Negima – chicken and green onion alternated on skewer.
- Tsukune – chicken meatballs.
- Kawa – crispy chicken skin.
- Tebasaki – chicken wings (butterflied or jointed).
- Sunagimo / Hatsu / Reba – gizzard, heart, liver — require short, precise grilling.
Try a sampler! Different parts provide textural contrast and make a great shared plate.
Serving suggestions & pairings
Yakitori is communal food — serve several skewer types with:
- Steamed rice or onigiri (rice balls)
- A crisp cabbage or shredded daikon salad with a citrus dressing
- Pickled vegetables (tsukemono) for acidity
- Miso soup for warmth
- Beer (lager or pilsner) or sake — hot or cold depending on season
- Light red wine (garnacha or pinot) can also be pleasant with tare-glazed skewers
For plating, stack skewers on a long platter, garnish with lemon wedges and a small bowl of warmed tare for dipping.
Troubleshooting & common mistakes
- Tare burns on the grill: Sugar in tare carmelizes and can burn at high temps. Baste in short bursts, cook over moderate heat once glaze is applied, or move to indirect heat to finish.
- Chicken dries out: Use thighs or cut breast into smaller pieces; avoid overcooking. Monitor with a thermometer.
- Skewers stick: Soak bamboo skewers; oil lightly before threading. For grill pans, use a small amount of neutral oil or ensure pan is properly preheated.
- No smoky flavor: Charcoal (especially binchotan) is the traditional fuel. If using a gas grill, add a small chunk of smoking wood over coals or use a smoker box.
Storage, reheating & leftovers
- Refrigerate: Cooked skewers last 3–4 days in an airtight container.
- Freezing: Remove chicken from skewers, freeze in airtight containers up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until hot, then briefly glaze under broiler.
- Reheating: Best method is oven or broiler to crisp glaze. Avoid microwaving if you want to preserve texture. If sauce has been used on raw chicken, discard used tare; reheat a reserved batch for finishing.
Nutrition snapshot (approx. per skewer — varies by cut & glaze)
A single thigh-based yakitori skewer (without rice) typically contains around 80–140 kcal depending on size and tare glaze. Using lean breast reduces calories but may sacrifice juiciness. Tare adds sugar and sodium — consider lighter basting or a reduced-sugar tare if you’re watching intake.
Flavor-boosting tips from a professional chef
- Let chicken come to room temp for 15–20 minutes before grilling to promote even cooking.
- Use skin-on pieces for flavor and texture. The skin renders and crisps while protecting the meat.
- Brush lightly and often with tare, building thin layers — this creates a lacquered finish.
- Keep a small bowl of tare reserved, boiled, and used only for finishing to avoid cross-contamination from raw meat.
- Experiment with finishing salts: sprinkle a few grains of flakey sea salt on shio skewers right before serving for an immediate pop.
- Rest skewers briefly before serving to allow juices to redistribute.
Creative variations to try
- Miso tare: Replace half the soy with white miso (mellow) and balance with mirin; adds savory depth.
- Yuzu shio: Add grated yuzu zest or a squeeze of yuzu juice to salt-style skewers for bright citrus aroma.
- Spicy tare: Stir in a small spoon of gochujang or chili paste for a spicy glaze.
- Garlic-butter finish: For a richer take, brush a tiny amount of melted garlic butter at the end and sprinkle scallions.
- Herbed tsukune: Mix minced shiso or basil into meatballs for an aromatic twist.
FAQs
Q: Can I use pre-cut store-bought chicken?
A: Yes, but ensure pieces are uniform. Whole thighs cut at home often yield better texture and flavor.
Q: Is it safe to baste with tare that touched raw chicken?
A: Not unless you re-boil the tare after raw contact. Best practice: keep two bowls — one for raw basting and a separate boiled reserve for finishing and service.
Q: What’s binchotan and is it necessary?
A: Binchotan is a high-quality Japanese charcoal prized for clean, hot, smoky heat. It isn’t necessary — standard charcoal or gas works — but binchotan provides a signature clean smoke and is favored by yakitori chefs.
Final thoughts — perfecting your Japanese Chicken Yakitori Recipe
Yakitori is deceptively simple: a few ingredients, quick cooking, and a lot of room for refinement. The difference between a good skewer and a great one lies in the details — uniform cuts, high heat, careful basting, and the balance between char and juice. Try making a few different styles (momo, negima, tsukune, kawa) and serve them family-style with steamed rice and a cold drink. Keep notes: which heat produced the best char? Did you prefer miso tare or classic soy-mirin? Over time you’ll build a personal yakitori rhythm.
Japanese Chicken Yakitori Recipe
Ingredients
For the skewers (base)
- 1.4 lb 650 g boneless, skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1–1¼” (2.5–3 cm) cubes
- 1 medium leek or 2 large green onions negi, cut into 1″ (2.5 cm) rounds (optional, for negima style)
- 12 –16 bamboo skewers soaked 30 minutes (or metal skewers)
- Classic tare glaze
- ½ cup 120 ml soy sauce
- ½ cup 120 ml mirin
- ¼ cup 60 ml sake
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 small garlic clove crushed (optional)
- 1- inch piece fresh ginger peeled and sliced (optional)
- Shio salt finishing (optional)
- 1½ –2 tsp coarse sea salt to taste
- Lemon or yuzu wedges for serving
Garnish & serving extras (optional)
- Shichimi togarashi seven-spice
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Finely sliced scallions
- Extra warmed tare for dipping see Notes on food safety
Instructions
Prep & skewering
- Soak your bamboo skewers for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning. If using metal skewers, no soaking needed.
- Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs but leave the skin attached—this renders and crisps for great flavor. Cut chicken into uniform 1–1¼” (2.5–3 cm) cubes so they cook evenly.
- If making negima, cut leek or green onion into 1″ rounds and alternate chicken and leek on the skewers (3–5 chicken pieces per skewer, depending on size). Leave a small gap between pieces for heat circulation.
- Pat skewers dry lightly with a paper towel. Lightly season with a pinch of salt if you’ll be using tare; reserve stronger salting for shio style.
Make the tare (glaze)
- In a small saucepan combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. Add garlic and ginger if using. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Reduce to low and simmer 10–15 minutes, skimming foam once or twice, until the mixture is slightly reduced and coats the back of a spoon. Do not boil furiously — you want a glossy, brushable glaze. Strain and cool. Reserve a portion in a clean bowl for finishing (see Notes).
Grilling — tare method (traditional)
- Preheat your grill: charcoal to glowing embers (binchotan ideal), gas on high until hot, or heat a grill pan until smoking hot. Aim for high, direct heat for the initial sear.
- Place skewers on the grill and sear 1½–2 minutes per side without moving them too much — let good char develop.
- After the initial sear, begin to baste lightly with tare. Flip skewers every 30–60 seconds, brushing each side — the goal is to build thin layers of glaze for a lacquered finish. Total cook time for thigh pieces will be about 6–10 minutes depending on heat. Watch the glaze so it caramelizes but does not burn.
- Remove skewers when internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the glaze is glossy and mahogany. Rest 2–3 minutes before serving.
Grilling — shio (salt) method
- For shio yakitori, season skewers with coarse sea salt just before grilling. Sear and cook the same way as above without basting. Finish with a squeeze of lemon or yuzu and a sprinkle of flaky salt.
Indoor & alternate methods
- Cast-iron grill pan: Preheat until very hot. Sear 2–3 minutes per side for color, then finish in a 400°F (205°C) oven for thicker pieces. Brush with tare near the end.
- Broiler: Broil 4–5″ from element, 2–3 minutes per side, basting near the end. Monitor closely.
- Air fryer: Preheat to 400°F (200°C). Cook 8–10 minutes, turning halfway; brush with tare in the final 1–2 minutes.
Serving
- Arrange skewers on a long platter. Garnish with sliced scallions, a dusting of shichimi togarashi or sesame seeds, and lemon/yuzu wedges. Offer a small bowl of warm, previously boiled (see Notes) tare for dipping.
Notes
- Chef tips & safety
- Food safety: Because tare is often brushed on while chicken is raw, keep two bowls: one for basting raw meat (discard after use) and one reserved and boiled for finishing/serving. Alternatively, re-boil the used tare to use it as a finishing sauce.
- Best cut: Skin-on thighs (momo) are ideal — they remain juicy and withstand high heat. Use breast only if you prefer leaner meat; cut smaller and watch cooking time.
- Basting rhythm: Brush frequently but lightly — building thin layers of glaze gives a shinier finish without burning. If glaze begins to char excessively, move skewers to indirect heat and finish there.
- Char & smoke: For authentic flavor use charcoal if possible. Binchotan gives a clean, subtle smoke; standard lump charcoal or briquettes work too. On gas, consider a small smoking chip packet to add aroma.
- Resting: Let skewers rest 2–3 minutes before serving to let juices redistribute.
- Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate: Cooked skewers keep 3–4 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze: Remove meat from skewers and freeze in airtight bags up to 2 months. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven until hot, then finish under the broiler briefly with fresh tare if desired.
- Reheating tip: Oven or broiler retains better texture than microwaving. Crisp skin under the broiler for best results.
- Variations & substitutions
- Tsukune (meatballs): Use 1 lb ground chicken (thigh), 1 egg, 2 Tbsp panko, grated onion, 1 Tbsp soy, 1 Tbsp mirin; form around skewers, chill, grill, and baste with tare. Serve with raw or soft-boiled egg yolk if you like.
- Kawa (skin): Slice skin into strips, thread tightly, and grill slowly so fat renders and skin crisps.
- Miso tare: Replace some soy or add 1–2 Tbsp white miso to the tare for savory depth.
- Yuzu shio: Add yuzu zest or yuzu juice to shio skewers for citrus brightness.
- Spicy glaze: Stir 1 tsp gochujang or chili paste into tare for heat.
- Nutrition & portioning note
- Calories are approximate. See Recipe Card Info below for estimated values.