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Chicken Yakitori Skewers

Michelle Lehman

Introduction

This is Mama Miche, and today in my magic kitchen: Chicken Yakitori

With Father's Day approaching, I thought we'd share an easy and delicious recipe that's perfect all summer long, but you can make it for Dad on Father's Day; use his grill but let him chill.

It is well-established that I love meat on a stick, and Japanese yakitori is no exception. Bite-sized pieces of meat grilled to perfection can't be bad. Yakitori (焼き鳥) is probably one of the most popular dishes in Japan. It is so popular there that many shops and restaurants serve only yakitori.

In Mama Miche's Magic Kitchen, we specialize in making your kitchen magic. Let's eat!

Tools

  • Cutting board or mat

  • Knife

  • Measuring cups & spoons

  • Mixing bowls

  • Marinade container

  • Small pot

  • Skewers (Note 1)

  • Grill

Ingredients

Makes 4  servings

  • 1 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast or thigh, skinless and sliced 

  • 1/2 cup tamari

  • 1/4 cup mirin

  • 2 tbsp sake or dry sherry 

  • 1 tbsp honey

  • 2 tbsp grated or pureed ginger

  • 3 garlic cloves - crushed

  • Sesame seeds for topping

  • Sliced scallions for topping

Directions

PREP TIME: 20 mins | MARINATING TIME :1 hr (or more) | COOK TIME: 10 mins

  • Slice and skewer chicken (Note 1)

  • Combine tamari, mirin, sake/honey, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low and cook until a bit thicker, about 5- 15 minutes. 

  • IMPORTANT! Let the marinade cool completely before marinating the chicken. (Note 2)

  • Reserve about 1/4 of the marinade for topping after cooking

  • If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak them in water for one hour

  • Thread chicken pieces onto skewers

  • Pour the remaining 3/4 portion of the marinade over the chicken. 

  • Rest for at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours in the fridge

  • Preheat the grill to medium heat.

Cook

  • Grill the chicken over medium heat for about 4 minutes on each side.

  • Brush or spoon on the remaining marinade before removing from the grill.

  • Drizzle any remaining marinade, dress with scallions & sesame seeds 

  • Serve and devour

Notes

  1. If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak them in water for one hour

  2. Warm marinade creates a cozy environment for bacteria to start forming in raw meat = a health hazard! 

  3. In the video, we doubled the recipe. The more marinade you make, the longer it takes to thicken.