Description

This easy stovetop yakitori is a simple way to make one of Japan’s most popular grilled dishes at home (no charcoal grill required!). Juicy chicken thighs and Japanese negi (long green onions) are threaded onto skewers, cooked in a hot pan, and finished with a glossy sweet-savory soy tare.

The key to this recipe is cooking the skewers first and adding the sauce afterward. Once the chicken and negi are cooked, they’re removed from the pan while the tare is simmered until slightly thickened. The skewers are then returned to the pan and brushed with the sauce until they’re glossy and coated.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Yakitori:

1 lb chicken thighs
6 Japanese negi (long green onions), or Chinese leeks or green onions

For the Tare:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin
1/4 cup water
1/2 tbsp ginger, grated (don't use a ginger powder!)
1/2 tbsp sugar

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, trimming away any large pieces of excess fat.
Cut the white and light green parts of the negi (or Chinese leeks or green onions) into pieces roughly the same width as the chicken.
Alternate pieces of chicken and negi on the skewers. I usually do 3 pieces of chicken and two pieces of negi.
Heat a large skillet or stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the skewers and cook for 6 – 8 minutes, turning once halfway, until the chicken is cooked through and nicely browned and the negi is tender and lightly charred.
Transfer the cooked skewers to a plate (but leave the heat on).
Add the soy sauce, mirin, water, ginger, and sugar to the same pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced slightly and begun to thicken.
Return the cooked skewers to the pan. Brush them generously with the thickened tare, turning the skewers to coat all sides.
Continue cooking for another 1 – 2 minutes, brushing with more tare as needed, until the sauce is glossy and clings to the chicken and negi.
Serve the yakitori hot, with any remaining tare spooned over the skewers or served alongside.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2-4