Japanese Chicken Yakitori Recipe
A classic Japanese Chicken Yakitori Recipe featuring juicy, skin-on chicken thigh skewers grilled to a glossy mahogany finish with a homemade sweet-savoury tare (soy-mirin glaze) or simply seasoned with sea salt (shio). Fast to prepare, perfect for weeknight grilling or party platters — restaurant-quality yakitori at home.
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.