How to Make Yakitori Chicken
Locate or substitute the ingredients., Mix most of the yakitori ingredients in a small saucepan., Prepare and add optional ingredients., Simmer for about 30 minutes., Remove from heat and set aside., If using a barbecue, light it in advance., Soak...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Locate or substitute the ingredients.
Look for ingredients such as sake and mirin at Asian grocery stores, especially Japanese ones.
If you cannot find sake, use sweet sherry, shaoxing wine, or white wine instead.
If you cannot find mirin, use any of these ingredients or additional sake, along with 30 milliliters (2 U.S. tbsp) sugar to mimic mirin's sweet flavors.Scallions are sometimes sold as "green onions" or "spring onions." -
Step 2: Mix most of the yakitori ingredients in a small saucepan.
Mix together all of the soy sauce, mirin, sake, water, and brown sugar from the yakitori sauce section in the ingredients list. , If you enjoy the flavor of ginger, peel a
2.5 cm (1 inch) section of ginger, discard the peel, and grate the rest, resulting in approximately 15 milliliters (1 U.S. tbsp) grated ginger.
For an additional flavor that will match the yakitori skewers, cut off the dark green leaves of one scallion, leaving them whole.
Add one or both of these ingredients directly to the yakitori sauce mixture. , Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to a simmer.
Simmer uncovered until the liquid reaches about half its original volume, becoming thick and glossy.
This typically takes about 30 minutes.If the sauce is slow to thicken, you may add a small amount of corn starch, stirring it in a small spoonful at a time.
Be aware that the sauce will continue to thicken as it simmers and even as it cools. , Turn off the heat and allow the yakitori to cool to room temperature before using.
Use a slotted spoon or other utensil to remove and discard the scallion leaves. , Chicken yakitori is traditionally cooked on a charcoal grill.
Light these grills 30–45 minutes before you cook the chicken, waiting until the charcoal turns white and the flames die down.
You may use a gas barbecue instead, which could only require 15–20 minutes of heating before use.If you plan to marinade the ingredients, which is optional, you may wish to wait until that step before you light the barbecue.
Binchotan charcoal is favored by yakitori chefs due to its long burning time and minimal odors.
However, a fire starting pan may be required to light binchotan charcoal.While grilling is by far the most common method of cooking yakitori in Japan, instructions are also included below for frying pans and broilers. , Submerge about ten 15 cm (6 inch) skewers in cold water before you start food preparation, so they won't catch fire on the grill.
Bamboo skewers called teppo gushi are usually used to make yakitori, since they have flattened sides that prevent the skewers from rolling on the grill.However, you can use any design of bamboo or wooden skewers. , Cut off the brown ends of the scallions and throw them away.
Chop the remaining white and light green sections into chunks about 2 cm (3/4 inch) wide.
Chop larger pieces in half lengthwise if necessary to keep pieces roughly the same size.Optionally, the thinner, dark green pieces can be chopped finely and used as garnish on the final dish.
Chopping the scallions first allows you to use the same knife and cutting board for the chicken.
If you cut the chicken first, wash the knife and cutting board immediately afterward, to reduce the chance of contamination from raw meat. , Chop 450g (1 lb) chicken breast or chicken thighs into bite size, easily skewered pieces, about
2.5–3cm (1 inch) on each side., To skewer a chicken piece, fold it in half, hold against a cutting board, and pierce it at a 45º angle with the skewer.Alternate between skewering chicken and scallion pieces for each skewer.
Leave a little space at the ends of the skewers, to prevent pieces from falling off and so people can hold them. , If you have the time, and prefer a stronger taste of yakitori sauce, you may set aside some sauce in a shallow container and marinade the skewers in it for 15–30 minutes.Throw away the marinade afterward, as it is likely contaminated with bacteria from the raw meat.
Warning: always keep the sauce for marination separate from the sauce you will use to brush the skewers during cooking, to avoid the high risk of contamination from raw poultry., Yakitori is most commonly cooked on a grill, especially a charcoal one.
While waiting for your grill to heat up, as described in the section on preparing the skewers, brush each chunk of food with yakitori sauce.
Place them on the hot grill in an area with strong, even heat.Turn every two to three minutes, brushing more sauce onto the chicken and scallions each time.
They are ready to eat once golden brown on all sides, usually within several minutes., While you won't arrive at the same flavor as charcoal-grilled yakitori, an oven broiler cooks meat much like a grill does.
Grease the grate of a broiler tray with oil to prevent sticking, and line the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil to catch spills and reflect heat.
Lay the skewers on top of the grate, place the tray at the highest level of the oven, and broil for six minutes on a high broiler setting.
Brush the sauce on both sides after this point, then continue to cook for 3–4 minutes or until the sauce is dark and caramelized., Oily, fried flavors are not common in yakitori, so add only a very thin layer to your frying pan.
Once a drop of water spatters when it hits the oil, add the skewered meat and cook at medium heat for about five minutes on each side, or until it is brown and cooked through., Whichever cooking method you chose, yakitori pairs well with a sprinkle of toasted sesame, and a garnish of the finely chopped dark green scallion leaves left over from earlier.
Provide additional yakitori sauce for pouring or dipping, from a container that did not come into contact with raw meat (or with a brush that contacted raw meat.) , This is a common and simple method of serving yakitori, which may allow you to focus on the flavor of the skewered ingredients instead of the sauce.
Sprinkle sea salt over the skewers before cooking.
Squeeze lemon juice over them as well, or serve a lemon wedge at the end of each skewer for the diners to squeeze themselves. , In Japan, many kinds of chicken meat are commonly cooked and served as yakitori, including organs such as hearts, livers, and gizzards.
Elsewhere, you may need to ask a local butcher whether these parts are available.
These organs can be skewered as normal, but may require shorter grilling times:
Grill hearts for only a few minutes, until brown but not yet dry and crusty.Cook gizzards until no trace of red or pink remains at the surface, but no longer.
The inside will be red, firm, and crunchy.Livers can be eaten when the insides are still soft and dark pink., Almost any meat can be chopped into bite sized pieces and skewered for yakitori.
From a chicken alone, Japanese restaurants may serve the tail, skin, and cartilage from multiple places, among other yakitori dishes.Try making meatballs or pieces of beef or pork yakitori-style. , While "yakitori" literally means "grilled chicken" and usually focuses on the meat and sauce, almost any firm, bite-sized cut of an ingredient can be skewered and grilled.
Asparagus wrapped in bacon, extra-firm or deep-fried tofu, and bell peppers are all commonly cooked this way in Japan, and are sometimes referred to as yakitori. -
Step 3: Prepare and add optional ingredients.
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Step 4: Simmer for about 30 minutes.
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Step 5: Remove from heat and set aside.
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Step 6: If using a barbecue
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Step 7: light it in advance.
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Step 8: Soak the wooden skewers for 30 minutes.
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Step 9: Cut the scallions.
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Step 10: Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces.
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Step 11: Skewer the chicken and scallions.
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Step 12: Marinate the skewered ingredients (optional).
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Step 13: Grill on a barbecue for the traditional method.
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Step 14: Broil in the oven instead for similar results.
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Step 15: Use a frying pan as a convenient alternative.
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Step 16: Serve the yakitori.
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Step 17: Try sea salt and lemon instead of sauce.
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Step 18: Use organ meat from the chicken.
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Step 19: Try cooking any other meat.
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Step 20: Branch out to other ingredients.
Detailed Guide
Look for ingredients such as sake and mirin at Asian grocery stores, especially Japanese ones.
If you cannot find sake, use sweet sherry, shaoxing wine, or white wine instead.
If you cannot find mirin, use any of these ingredients or additional sake, along with 30 milliliters (2 U.S. tbsp) sugar to mimic mirin's sweet flavors.Scallions are sometimes sold as "green onions" or "spring onions."
Mix together all of the soy sauce, mirin, sake, water, and brown sugar from the yakitori sauce section in the ingredients list. , If you enjoy the flavor of ginger, peel a
2.5 cm (1 inch) section of ginger, discard the peel, and grate the rest, resulting in approximately 15 milliliters (1 U.S. tbsp) grated ginger.
For an additional flavor that will match the yakitori skewers, cut off the dark green leaves of one scallion, leaving them whole.
Add one or both of these ingredients directly to the yakitori sauce mixture. , Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to a simmer.
Simmer uncovered until the liquid reaches about half its original volume, becoming thick and glossy.
This typically takes about 30 minutes.If the sauce is slow to thicken, you may add a small amount of corn starch, stirring it in a small spoonful at a time.
Be aware that the sauce will continue to thicken as it simmers and even as it cools. , Turn off the heat and allow the yakitori to cool to room temperature before using.
Use a slotted spoon or other utensil to remove and discard the scallion leaves. , Chicken yakitori is traditionally cooked on a charcoal grill.
Light these grills 30–45 minutes before you cook the chicken, waiting until the charcoal turns white and the flames die down.
You may use a gas barbecue instead, which could only require 15–20 minutes of heating before use.If you plan to marinade the ingredients, which is optional, you may wish to wait until that step before you light the barbecue.
Binchotan charcoal is favored by yakitori chefs due to its long burning time and minimal odors.
However, a fire starting pan may be required to light binchotan charcoal.While grilling is by far the most common method of cooking yakitori in Japan, instructions are also included below for frying pans and broilers. , Submerge about ten 15 cm (6 inch) skewers in cold water before you start food preparation, so they won't catch fire on the grill.
Bamboo skewers called teppo gushi are usually used to make yakitori, since they have flattened sides that prevent the skewers from rolling on the grill.However, you can use any design of bamboo or wooden skewers. , Cut off the brown ends of the scallions and throw them away.
Chop the remaining white and light green sections into chunks about 2 cm (3/4 inch) wide.
Chop larger pieces in half lengthwise if necessary to keep pieces roughly the same size.Optionally, the thinner, dark green pieces can be chopped finely and used as garnish on the final dish.
Chopping the scallions first allows you to use the same knife and cutting board for the chicken.
If you cut the chicken first, wash the knife and cutting board immediately afterward, to reduce the chance of contamination from raw meat. , Chop 450g (1 lb) chicken breast or chicken thighs into bite size, easily skewered pieces, about
2.5–3cm (1 inch) on each side., To skewer a chicken piece, fold it in half, hold against a cutting board, and pierce it at a 45º angle with the skewer.Alternate between skewering chicken and scallion pieces for each skewer.
Leave a little space at the ends of the skewers, to prevent pieces from falling off and so people can hold them. , If you have the time, and prefer a stronger taste of yakitori sauce, you may set aside some sauce in a shallow container and marinade the skewers in it for 15–30 minutes.Throw away the marinade afterward, as it is likely contaminated with bacteria from the raw meat.
Warning: always keep the sauce for marination separate from the sauce you will use to brush the skewers during cooking, to avoid the high risk of contamination from raw poultry., Yakitori is most commonly cooked on a grill, especially a charcoal one.
While waiting for your grill to heat up, as described in the section on preparing the skewers, brush each chunk of food with yakitori sauce.
Place them on the hot grill in an area with strong, even heat.Turn every two to three minutes, brushing more sauce onto the chicken and scallions each time.
They are ready to eat once golden brown on all sides, usually within several minutes., While you won't arrive at the same flavor as charcoal-grilled yakitori, an oven broiler cooks meat much like a grill does.
Grease the grate of a broiler tray with oil to prevent sticking, and line the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil to catch spills and reflect heat.
Lay the skewers on top of the grate, place the tray at the highest level of the oven, and broil for six minutes on a high broiler setting.
Brush the sauce on both sides after this point, then continue to cook for 3–4 minutes or until the sauce is dark and caramelized., Oily, fried flavors are not common in yakitori, so add only a very thin layer to your frying pan.
Once a drop of water spatters when it hits the oil, add the skewered meat and cook at medium heat for about five minutes on each side, or until it is brown and cooked through., Whichever cooking method you chose, yakitori pairs well with a sprinkle of toasted sesame, and a garnish of the finely chopped dark green scallion leaves left over from earlier.
Provide additional yakitori sauce for pouring or dipping, from a container that did not come into contact with raw meat (or with a brush that contacted raw meat.) , This is a common and simple method of serving yakitori, which may allow you to focus on the flavor of the skewered ingredients instead of the sauce.
Sprinkle sea salt over the skewers before cooking.
Squeeze lemon juice over them as well, or serve a lemon wedge at the end of each skewer for the diners to squeeze themselves. , In Japan, many kinds of chicken meat are commonly cooked and served as yakitori, including organs such as hearts, livers, and gizzards.
Elsewhere, you may need to ask a local butcher whether these parts are available.
These organs can be skewered as normal, but may require shorter grilling times:
Grill hearts for only a few minutes, until brown but not yet dry and crusty.Cook gizzards until no trace of red or pink remains at the surface, but no longer.
The inside will be red, firm, and crunchy.Livers can be eaten when the insides are still soft and dark pink., Almost any meat can be chopped into bite sized pieces and skewered for yakitori.
From a chicken alone, Japanese restaurants may serve the tail, skin, and cartilage from multiple places, among other yakitori dishes.Try making meatballs or pieces of beef or pork yakitori-style. , While "yakitori" literally means "grilled chicken" and usually focuses on the meat and sauce, almost any firm, bite-sized cut of an ingredient can be skewered and grilled.
Asparagus wrapped in bacon, extra-firm or deep-fried tofu, and bell peppers are all commonly cooked this way in Japan, and are sometimes referred to as yakitori.
About the Author
Evelyn Gray
Experienced content creator specializing in pet care guides and tutorials.
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