Chicken Yakitori

I’ve never ordered yakitori at a restaurant, so my entire experience with it comes from making it at home. I’ve made it a handful of times now, and somehow, every version has been a little different. Mostly because I have a habit of looking at a recipe and then deciding I’m going to make it my own. 

I made two changes to this recipe. Or, if we’re being completely honest, two things I did “wrong.”

First, the recipe called for cooking the sauce before adding the chicken. I didn’t feel like doing that. There was a perfectly good sauce sitting there, and I saw no reason to dirty another pan just to cook it first. So I tossed the chicken right in.

Second, and this should surprise absolutely no one, I did not broil the chicken. I grilled it. Because if I have the option to put something on the grill, that is almost always what I’m going to do. Grilled it, baby!

This is a really good recipe. The marinade has all those flavors I love in an Asian-inspired dish, with that combination of salty, sweet and savory that makes you keep going back for another bite.

I didn’t have sake, but I did have some Chinese cooking wine, so I made the substitution and called it good. The mirin was probably my favorite part. You don’t take a bite and immediately think, “Oh, there’s mirin!” It’s much more subtle than that. But it adds something to the overall flavor that you definitely notice.

So once again, I may not have followed the recipe exactly as written. But I’m starting to think that’s just part of my cooking process.

Chicken Yakitori

Recipe from The Mom 100

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• ¼ cup less-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin see Note
• 2 tablespoons sake or dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 8 scallions cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds optional; see Cooking Tip

Preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Place 16 6-inch wooden skewers or 8 12-inch wooden skewers in a rimmed pan with water to cover and let soak for at least 20 minutes, and up to a day.

In a small saucepan combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, oil, brown sugar, ginger and garlic. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, lower the heat to medium and simmer for about 3 minutes until slightly reduced and thickened. (If you are planning to marinate the chicken, let the sauce cool before the next step.)

Place the chicken in a bowl, pour over the pot of sauce and toss so that the chicken is evenly coated. Add the scallions and toss again (at this point you can marinate it for up to 8 hours).

Thread the chicken and scallions on the soaked skewers. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet and spread out in a single layer. Broil the skewers for 4 or 5 minutes then turn using tongs, and cook for another 4 minutes or so until nicely browned and cooked through. Transfer to a serving platter or bowl. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds if using and serve with toothpicks or skewers for spearing.