Yakitori is super easy to make and so simple, it’s pretty much just skewering up the chicken, grilling it and coating it in the tasty sauce! Let’s start with the sauce which is a tare sauce, a sweet thick soy sauce, similar to teriyaki sauce, with the main ingredients being: soy sauce, sugar, sake and mirin, that’s simmered until it has thickened a bit. (There are many variations of the sauce with different flavours and ingredients.) Next up is the grilling and this is typically done over a charcoal fire but you can also ‘grill’ it in a barbecue, in a grill pan, or even under a broiler. I like to marinate the chicken in the sauce before grilling so that some of it caramelizes while it cooks and basting more on after intensifies the flavour! Yakitori is a street food and as such it can be eaten straight from the stick and you can also make more of a sit down meal of it by serving it on a plate/bowl with rice and veggies. (I like to serve it it with grilled pineapple and red bell pepper!)
Updated: July 27, 2020
The yakitori photos above were all ‘grilled’ under the broiler and the ones below were grilled on a BBQ.
Grill with fruit and veggies like pineapple and red bell peppers!
The original photo:
Serve over a bed of rice with grilled veggies!
Yakitori (Japanese Grilled Chicken Skewers)
A Japanese style grilled skewered chicken in a sweet and salty sauce!
ingredients
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons sake
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 pound chicken breast or thigh, cut into bite sized pieces
directions
- Bring the soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the sauce thickens a bit, about 5 minutes, before letting it cool.
- Marinate the chicken in half of the sauce for 20 minutes to overnight.
- Skewer the chicken up!
- Grill* over medium-high heat until cooked, about 2-4 minutes per side, basting with the reserved sauce before enjoying!
Option: Use store bought teriyaki sauce.
Option: Add slices of garlic to the sauce as it simmers and remove, to add garlic flavour.
Option: Add slices of ginger to the sauce as it simmers and remove, to add ginger flavour.
Option: Add slices of shiitake mushrooms to the sauce as it simmers and remove, to add mushroom flavour.
Option: Use a different sweetener like brown sugar or honey, etc.
Option: Add 1 tablespoon oyster sauce.
Option: Add 1 tablespoon kecap manis.
Option: Add some heat with chili sauce (like sriracha) or chili peppers.
Option: Add bite sized slices of green onion in between pieces of chicken on your skewers. (Or other veggies, or fruit!)
Option: Add 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed into 1 tablespoon water to make a thicker sauce without as much simmering.
Option: Add pineapple juice!
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Cate says
This looks delicious! I made my own teriyaki sauce this week, but just drizzled it over a whole chicken. This looks a lot more fun to eat!
Tanya says
I made something similar last week too – while I first did it on the real grill – I gotta say the George Foreman came in handy too 🙂
Zoe says
Looks great. I like the idea of adding green onion.
La Table De Nana says
I have always even liked the name Yakitori~ And anything asian inspired works so well for us!
Rosa's Yummy Yums says
Delicious! A great summer recipe!
Cheers,
Rosa
Joanne says
I love kebabs. Any meat eaten on sticks just tastes better. Yakitori sauce is a great marinade!
Lo says
How could you go wrong with these classic Asian flavors? So good, Kevin! And I'm afraid I'm a sucker for meat on little sticks! Too much fun.
mycookinghut says
I love yakitori! Will try soon!
Peter M says
Meat on a stick…an invention rivaled only by the wheel!
Anonymous says
My first time here, blame "For the love of Cooking" This photo captured my imagination, not to mention my stomach… Guess what I'm having for lunch.
I have also added a link on Blogger's Cafe:
http:avarchives.blogspot.com
under cooking of course. Fabulous blog.
AV
Diane, Fit to the Finish says
That looks great! What is mirin?
I need to try this, although I'd have to make a ton with 7 kids in the house!
Beautiful pictures too.
lisa says
The caramelized sauce looks incredible!
Simply...Gluten-free says
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Yours is great! I am glad I found you.
aga-aa says
It looks delicious, I prefer vegetables, but know I want to eat this!
Mami says
I'm glad you reminded Japanese yakitori and inform to everyone!!
Japanese yakitori is one-bite size.easy to eat and easy to talk with friends.
Melissa says
Wow Kevin! These look really tasty! I had never thought about it before, but now that you mention, I guess each country does have it's own version of kabobs. =)
Kelly says
Yum! There is something about meat on a stick that I love, and the flavors you used sounds lovely and simple!
Anncoo says
This looks exactly the same in the Japanese restaurant. Good Job!
Lynda says
This looks delicious..a perfect summer meal!
Phoo-D says
Simple and satisfying- this is perfect for a summer dinner!
Cheryl says
That looks yummy and I did enjoy the tutorial!
Jenn says
This looks tasty. Kind of reminds me of the Filipino style BBQ. Now I'm craving for some.
meeso says
That looks so yummy, I think I'm getting hungry!
Hillary says
Kevin – this looks super tasty! I love to order yakitori in Japanese restaurants and chicken satay in Thai restaurants so I guess you can call me a chicken skewer lover! Thanks for the recipe.
Lina says
yakitori is so simple yet wonderful. mmmmm
♥peachkins♥ says
I love the sweet and salty taste of yakitori..
Traveling Spork says
mMMM… looks wonderful. I haven't made this in a while and I think it's time I do it again!
Cynthia says
Thanks for this Kevin.
Jan says
Looks yummy! I also like the idea of adding the green onion.
Palidor says
Mmmm, I love yakitori! The best yakitori I've had was at a restaurant in Narita airport. I'll have to try this recipe.
Treehouse Chef says
This looks delicious! You always make things look so tasty. Can't wait to try it!
Kevin says
Diane, Fit to the Finish: Mirin is a sweet cooking sake. You should be able to find it int he Asian section of your local grocery store or a local Asian grocery store.
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) says
I remember the first time I had yakitori, on our first night in Tokyo, from a street cart. I've never had any that tasted quite as good, but I'm sure the setting had a lot to do with it.
maimai says
Have you tried making it with free range chicken thighs? I think that would be awesome — although I am biased because I prefer brown meat in general.
Chris says
I think I might make these with a side of jasmine rice this weekend!
pigpigscorner says
The sauce looks so delicious!
Spryte says
I LOVE yakitori and your recipe looks great!!
Julia says
I made this a long time ago, but my teriyaki sauce always ends up very runny, and the meat doesn't seem to absorb the teriyaki taste so well… It looks so nice and thick on your picture!
Kevin says
Julia: You really need to marinate the chicken to infuse it with the teriyaki flavour. This teriyaki sauce is runny and if you want a thick sauce you can simmer it in a pan to reduce until it gets nice and thick.
Sam says
I tried this, and I marinated the chicken for 24+ hours. It was one of the most delicious chicken dishes I have ever made for myself. Thanks for the recipe.
kath says
Hi, can we remove the sake or what’s the substitute for it? thanks
kevin says
Yes, you can omit the sake! You can either simply omit it or replace it with something else, I like pineapple juice.
Sandra Ellis says
This recipe like so many of your other ones, sound wonderful.
Thank you
Melina Nancy says
delicious recipe
taylor swift says
I made your recipe at home very tasty, delicious thank you add more recipes.
Ginni says
Sounds like one (maybe two) people actually made this recipe, Why people send in a “review” when they have not made the dish is just puzzling to me. Does anyone care that you think the recipe “looks” like it would be good?
Jamilu Ibrahim says
This is an amazing…and it looks soo yummy & sound so delicious…i will trying to make it …Thanks for sharing….
Love it!
Charlie Trotter C says
I made it at home according to your instruction. An easy, simple, and tasty recipe, many thanks
Gordon Ramsay says
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope they will like it.