Chicken Yakitori with Scallions
Japanese grilled chicken skewers glazed with a tangy-sweet soy glaze and charred scallions. Authentically flavored yet simple enough for a weeknight grill.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
- ¼ cup sake or dry sherry
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 8 whole scallions (green onions)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Soak 8 wooden skewers in a bowl of cold water for at least 20 minutes so they don't burn on the grill.
- 2
In a small saucepan, pour 0.5 cup soy sauce, 0.25 cup mirin, 0.25 cup sake, and 2 tablespoons sugar.
- 3
Add 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon minced ginger to the saucepan.
- 4
Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the glaze to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- 5
Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes until the glaze thickens slightly and smells sweet and savory.
- 6
Remove the saucepan from heat and pour the glaze into a shallow bowl to cool while you prepare the chicken.
- 7
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, then place on a cutting board.
- 8
Cut each chicken thigh into 1.5-inch cubes by cutting across the grain (against the direction the muscle fibers run) into roughly square pieces.
- 9
Trim the root end off each scallion, then cut the white and light-green parts into 1.5-inch pieces; reserve the dark green tops for garnish.
- 10
Remove the wooden skewers from water and thread onto each one: chicken cube, scallion piece, chicken cube, scallion piece, repeating until the skewer is full but not crowded (about 4 chicken pieces and 3 scallion pieces per skewer).
- 11
Brush both sides of each loaded skewer with 2 tablespoons olive oil, then sprinkle evenly with 0.5 teaspoon salt and 0.25 teaspoon black pepper.
- 12
Set your grill to medium-high heat and wait until the grates are hot enough that a drop of water sizzles and evaporates in 2 seconds.
- 13
Lay the skewers on the grill grates so they sit flat and don't roll, leaving 1 inch of space between each skewer.
- 14
Grill for 4 minutes without moving them, until the bottoms of the chicken and scallions are charred with dark brown-black marks.
- 15
Flip each skewer over and grill for another 4 minutes until the second side is similarly charred.
- 16
Dip the brush in the cooled glaze and brush a thin coat onto the top of each skewer, covering the chicken and scallions.
- 17
Grill for 2 more minutes, then flip the skewers and brush the second side with glaze.
- 18
Grill for 2 more minutes until the glaze is sticky and bubbling and the chicken is cooked through (no pink inside when you cut into a piece).
- 19
Transfer the skewers to a serving platter and drizzle any remaining glaze over the top.
- 20
Scatter the reserved dark green scallion tops, chopped into 1-inch pieces, over the skewers.
Tools you’ll need
- 8 wooden skewers
- bowl for soaking
- small saucepan
- shallow bowl for glaze
- paper towels
- cutting board
- sharp chef's knife
- basting brush
- grill
- serving platter
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