Yakitori Chicken 焼き鳥

Ingredients

• 1 kgchicken thigh
• 1–2spring onions
• 12skewers
• 120 ml (½ cup)teriyaki sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the skewers

   Soak all 12 skewers in water for 20 minutes to help prevent them from burning on the grill.

2. 2

   Reduce the sauce

   Heat the teriyaki sauce in a small saucepan over a medium-high heat. Bring it to a simmer and cook until it thickens, then set it aside.

3. 3

   Cut the chicken

   Cut the chicken into pieces about 2 cm (0.8 inch) across.

4. 4

   Cut the spring onions

   Cut the white ends of the spring onions into pieces about 2 cm (0.8 inch) long.

5. 5

   Thread the skewers

   Thread two pieces of chicken onto each skewer, followed by a piece of spring onion. Repeat the pattern until all 12 skewers are assembled.

6. 6

   Prepare the barbecue

   Preheat the barbecue grill and coat it with olive oil.

7. 7

   Grill one side

   Place the skewers on the grill and cook until the chicken is browned on one side.

8. 8

   Turn and cook

   Turn the skewers and cook until the other side is browned or the chicken has changed to a whitish colour.

9. 9

   Brush on the sauce

   Brush the teriyaki sauce over the chicken. Once one side is coated, turn the skewers and brush sauce over the other side.

10. 10

    Repeat the glazing

    Repeat the glazing process once more, then turn off the heat.

11. 11

    Serve the yakitori

    Serve the skewers with rice or a green salad.

What is yakitori?

Yakitori is a Japanese dish of chicken cooked on skewers over a grill. It is often seasoned with a savoury-sweet tare, a type of dipping and basting sauce.

This version uses chicken thigh, spring onion and teriyaki sauce. Thigh meat stays tender on the barbecue, while repeated brushing gives the skewers a saucy finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 154 calories, 11g protein, 1g carbs, 11g fat.

Chicken thigh provides most of the protein and fat, while the teriyaki sauce contributes most of the small amount of carbohydrate. Serve the skewers with green salad, or add a measured portion of rice for a more filling plate.

Choosing the ingredients

Chicken thigh: cut it into similarly sized pieces so they cook at a similar rate. If it is boneless, remove any large pieces of excess fat before cutting.

Spring onions: use the white ends as directed, cutting them to roughly match the chicken pieces. Their mild onion flavour works well between the richer pieces of meat.

Teriyaki sauce: reducing it first helps it cling to the chicken when brushed on. Keep it at a simmer rather than letting it boil vigorously.

Threading the skewers

Alternating two pieces of chicken with spring onion follows the pattern in this recipe and distributes the ingredients along each skewer. Leave a little space between pieces rather than packing them tightly.

Soaking the skewers for 20 minutes helps reduce the chance of them scorching over the barbecue. Drain them before threading.

Grilling and glazing

Brown the chicken on one side before turning the skewers, then cook the other side. The method also describes the chicken changing to a whitish colour, but colour alone is not a reliable doneness check; make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked before serving.

Brush sauce on both sides, repeat once, and turn off the heat. Applying the sauce after the chicken has begun to brown helps it coat the surface without spending the whole cooking time on the grill.

Serving suggestions

Serve the skewers with rice for a simple meal, as suggested in the recipe. A green salad is another listed accompaniment and adds freshness alongside the glazed chicken.

If serving rice and salad together, keep the skewers as the centrepiece and add the sides to suit the meal.

Timing and preparation

The stated total time is 30 minutes, including the 20-minute skewer soak. Use that soaking time to cut the chicken and spring onions and reduce the sauce.

Have the sauce and skewers ready before heating the barbecue, as the final grilling and glazing steps follow one another.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the chicken into pieces of a consistent size for more even cooking.
• Soak the skewers for the full 20 minutes before grilling.
• Bring the teriyaki sauce to a gentle simmer and reduce it until it thickens.
• Oil the barbecue grill as directed before placing the skewers on it.
• Brush both sides of the chicken with sauce, repeating the coating once.
• Check that the chicken is thoroughly cooked before serving.

Variations

• Rice accompaniment: serve the skewers over or alongside rice, as suggested in the recipe.
• Salad accompaniment: pair them with green salad for a fresh side.
• Extra spring onion: thread more of the white ends between the chicken pieces.
• Sauce on the side: reserve some teriyaki sauce before brushing it onto the chicken for serving.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the soak: dry skewers are more likely to burn; soak them in water for 20 minutes.
• Uneven pieces: differently sized chicken pieces cook at different rates; cut them to roughly 2 cm.
• Crowded skewers: tightly packed pieces are harder to cook evenly; leave small gaps when threading.
• Boiling the sauce hard: it can reduce too quickly; bring it to a simmer and watch as it thickens.
• Relying on colour alone: browned or whitish surfaces do not confirm the centre is cooked; check the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover cooked chicken in a covered container and use within 3–4 days. Reheat until steaming hot throughout; remove the chicken from the skewers first if that makes reheating easier.

Frequently asked questions