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The appetizer, From around the world

Chicken yakitori skewers

Chicken yakitori are Japanese skewers glazed in a sweet and salty sauce, serving 6 people as an appetizer. They take 25 minutes of active work, come together in the morning for the evening, cost about €2.00 per person, and rate as easy. Success comes down to reducing the sauce until it coats a spoon before glazing the chicken.

Japanese chicken skewers glazed in a sweet and salty sauce, best eaten with your fingers while they're still sizzling hot.

Chicken yakitori skewers
For
6 people
Work
25 min
Total time
50 min
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.00
Calories per person
200 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

The chicken in these yakitori stays tender under a glossy coat of sauce, a mix of soy, mirin, and sugar that caramelizes slightly under the broiler. Fresh ginger adds a little bite, and scallions threaded between the chicken pieces bring crunch and a touch of green. This is finger food meant to be eaten hot off the grill, and it works just as well for kids as for adults.

It's a great pick for a casual dinner party or a relaxed family meal, any time of year since it only needs your oven's broiler. Serve it alongside other small Asian-inspired bites, spring rolls or gyoza for instance, for a spread that breaks from the usual French apéritif routine.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 3 steps, 37 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 5 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step, 12 min

Make the sauce and thread all the skewers in the morning, then keep them in the fridge until evening. Right before guests arrive, line them up on a baking sheet and preheat your oven's broiler. At serving time, broil the skewers while brushing them regularly, they cook in twelve minutes while you greet everyone.

The ingredients

6 people

Butcher

  • Boneless chicken thighs 700 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Scallions 1 bunch
  • Fresh ginger 10 g

Pantry

  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 8 tbsp
  • Mirin or sweet white wine 6 tbsp
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Wooden skewers 24
  • Sesame seedsoften in the pantry 1 tbsp

Allergens Soy, Gluten

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Mix the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and grated ginger in a saucepan and simmer over low heat until syrupy. 12 min

    Watch closely, the sugar can burn quickly once the sauce thickens.

  2. Cut the chicken into three centimeter cubes and the scallions into pieces. 10 min

    Keep the skin on if your chicken has it, it caramelizes and makes a much more satisfying skewer.

  3. Thread chicken and scallion alternately onto the skewers, which you've soaked in water beforehand, then keep chilled. 15 min

    Soak the skewers in water for twenty minutes so they don't burn in the oven.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Arrange the skewers on a baking sheet and preheat your oven's broiler. 5 min

    Place the sheet close enough to the broiler so the edges caramelize without blackening.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Broil the skewers five minutes on each side, brushing with sauce as they cook, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. 12 min

    Brush each side while it's hot, the sauce sets and glazes the chicken.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick chicken thighs over breasts, they stay juicy even under high broiler heat and hold up better to the cooking time.
  • Always make a bit more sauce than you need so you can serve some on the side in a small bowl, guests love dipping their skewers back in.
  • If your oven's broiler isn't very strong, finish the last batch of skewers under broil alone for two minutes to get a shinier glaze.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken for cubes of pressed firm tofu for a vegetarian version, cutting the cooking time in half.
  • For a quicker version, skip reducing the sauce and use a store bought sweet soy glaze instead, it's less intense but still good.
  • For kids, make a few skewers without scallion and with a bit less ginger, the sauce still has plenty of flavor without any bite.

What to serve it with

  • Spring rolls or gyoza to round out the spread
  • Salted edamame as a light starter
  • Cold lager or iced green tea

Storage

Assembled raw skewers keep up to 24 hours in the fridge in a sealed container. Once cooked, they keep for 2 days in the fridge and reheat in a few minutes in the oven, though they're best fresh off the grill.

Questions about this recipe

Can I grill these outdoors instead of using the oven?

Yes, that's actually the traditional method, over hot coals. Cook for about the same time, turning often and brushing with sauce each time.

What can I use if I don't have mirin?

Swap it for sweet white wine with an extra pinch of sugar, the result is very close. Avoid dry white wine, it won't give the sauce enough sweetness.

How should I serve these skewers at a dinner party?

Stand them upright in a small container or lay them flat on a wooden board, sprinkled with sesame seeds. Put the extra sauce in a small bowl on the side for dipping.

Should I remove the skin from the chicken before skewering?

No, keep the skin if your thighs have it, it caramelizes under the broiler and makes the skewers richer. It's actually closer to how traditional yakitori is made.

Can chicken yakitori skewers be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 25 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 3 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make chicken yakitori skewers?

Allow 50 min in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 25 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "easy".

How many calories are in chicken yakitori skewers?

About 200 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does chicken yakitori skewers cost?

About €2.00 per person, that's €12.00 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains soy, gluten. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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