Chicken yakitori is an easy Japanese grilled recipe served on skewers. The meat is basted with a savory-sweet sauce as it cooks over a hot barbecue grill. A quick appetizer for a crowd or dinner served with a few extra sides.
Recipe Science
- Due to their dark meat and higher fat content, opt for chicken thighs in this recipe for moist, tender results on the grill.
- Grilling the chicken skewers enhances taste and color with the Maillard reaction.
- Brushing sauce on the chicken while grilling boosts yakitori flavor. The sugar in the sauce caramelizes for a tasty glaze.
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Featured Comment 49
“Thanks for this yummy recipe! We loved it, and it was easy to do. It was very tasty and tender by using the chicken thighs. My husband loved the sauce and actually saved the rest for another meal. 😉 He thought the sauce was like restaurant quality.”—Christine
Why It Works
This chicken yakitori recipe will add some Asian-inspired flair to your weekday dinner plans. To make this recipe fast and flavorful, the technique for the sauce and basting the chicken on the grill elevates taste while reducing cooking time.
I’m always looking for ways to change the types of cuisines we eat at home each week without making things too complicated. No one likes a big mess of dishes. This Japanese-style chicken is a family favorite because layers of sweet and savory flavors are generously added to each skewer as it cooks on the barbecue grill.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken: This recipe uses chicken thighs because the dark meat and additional fat keep the chicken moist and tender as it cooks on the grill.
- Yakitori Sauce: A sweet and savory combination of soy sauce, water, mirin rice wine, rice wine vinegar, sugar, minced ginger, and garlic. When cooked, cornstarch thickens the sauce.
- Seasoning: Salt and pepper enhances the savory taste of the pieces of chicken.
- Garnish: Sesame seeds add texture to the grilled chicken.
- Oil: Grill the chicken skewers using a high-smoke-point oil with a neutral taste, such as vegetable oil.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This yakitori chicken recipe is easy to prepare and customize! Try these tasty options:
- Chicken Options: If you prefer white meat, use chicken breast. However, the cooking time will be shorter for the lean protein. Keep an eye on doneness to prevent overcooking. This yakitori sauce is also great to apply on chicken wings and legs.
- Add Alliums: Sprinkle on freshly sliced green onion for a delicate onion flavor. Add pieces of onion between the chicken pieces to caramelize the vegetables.
- Sweetener Swaps: Add dark brown sugar for a stronger molasses flavor. Granulated sugar adds a clean sweetness. Alternatively, add honey or maple syrup.
- Wine: Instead of mirin rice wine, try sake, Reisling, or dry white wine.
- Make it Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos.
- Vinegar: Try apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
- Oil Options: Use olive oil, peanut oil, or avocado oil.
- Make it Grain-Free: Use 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder for 4 teaspoons of cornstarch.
How to Make Chicken Yakitori
Step 1: Make the Yakitori Sauce
The yakitori sauce tends to be the star of this chicken dish. It combines umami and sweet flavors: soy sauce, mirin sweet cooking wine, brown sugar for sweetness, rice vinegar for acidity, fresh ginger, and garlic. Whisk together, then bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, cooking until the sauce slightly thickens, approximately 1 minute.
Ingredient Chemistry: When using cornstarch as a thickener, mix it with a non-hot liquid to disperse in the sauce before cooking. Ensure thorough whisking until no white powder remains. Cornstarch absorbs water and swells when boiling, so whisk constantly to maximize its thickening power.
Step 2: Prepare the Chicken Skewers
If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning quickly on the grill. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, just over 1 inch in size. Thread them on the skewers and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle some oil on top to prevent sticking.
Step 3: Grill the Chicken
The chicken is first cooked on the grill over medium-high heat for a few minutes to initiate the Maillard browning reaction and develop flavor and color. Then, using the basting method, the sauce is infused on the surface of the chicken skewers. The process takes about 15 minutes.
Tips for Perfect Execution: The yakitori sauce is brushed on both sides of the chicken multiple times. This allows it to cook for a few minutes so the sauce sticks to the surface. The sugar in the sauce will caramelize as it cooks.
Step 4: Ready to Serve
Right before serving, garnish the chicken skewers with sesame seeds. I also like adding green onions for a pop of color and allium flavor. The recipe makes a large batch of yakitori sauce, so you can use it for basting and save the rest for dipping. Trust me—you’ll want to drizzle extra flavor on each bite and on any steamed rice.
Experimentation Encouraged: You can also use the sauce to baste beef, pork, and seafood or serve it on the side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yakitori means “grilled chicken” in Japanese. It derives from the words yaki (grill) and tori (chicken). It features small, skewered pieces of chicken cooked over a grill.
Chicken thighs or breasts are cut into skewered pieces and seasoned. They’re then grilled and basted with a sweet, savory glaze similar to teriyaki sauce.
Both yakitori and teriyaki sauces share a foundation of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch for thickening. The difference is that yakitori sauce is more concentrated in flavor, as it is used for basting during cooking. Teriyaki sauce is used to glaze right before serving, so it’s not as strong in flavor.
After lots of testing various recipes on the grill, I’m a big fan of reusable metal skewers or thick bamboo skewers. I’ve found that the thin bamboo burns and falls apart if cooking longer than 10 minutes on the grill. Always soak the bamboo skewers (no matter what size) for at least 30 minutes so that the wood absorbs water and prevents it from burning too quickly. You could also wrap the exposed ends of the skewers with foil if you don’t have time to soak them or for thin wooden skewers.
More Japanese Recipes
If you tried this Chicken Yakitori, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Chicken Yakitori
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons mirin rice wine
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 5 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, cut into about 1 ¼” pieces
- 8 bamboo skewers, or metal skewers
- kosher salt, as needed for seasoing
- black pepper, as needed for seasoning
- 2 tablspoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Make the Sauce – In a medium saucepan, whisk together soy sauce, water, mirin, rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, garlic, and cornstarch. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Constantly whisk until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer 1 cup of the sauce to a bowl to use for basting the chicken. Reserve the remaining sauce to serve with the chicken.
- Prepare the Chicken Skewers – If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes. Thread cut pieces of chicken on the skewers. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Drizzle both sides of skewers with a small amount of oil to prevent sticking when cooking.
- Grill the Chicken – Preheat the grill over medium-high heat. Use a paper towel dipped in oil to clean and grease the grill grates. Once the grill is hot, add the skewers and cook for 4 minutes. Flip and baste the cooked side with the sauce. Cook for 4 minutes. Flip and baste with sauce, then cover and cook for 2 minutes. Flip again, baste, and cook for 2 minutes covered. Repeat flipping, basting, and covered cooking 2 additional times for a total of 16 minutes of cooking time.
- To Serve – Sprinkle the chicken yakitori skewers with sesame seeds and serve immediately with additional sauce.
Notes
- Storing: Store chicken and sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Sweetener Options: Dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, honey, or maple syrup can be used.
- Make it Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos.
- Make it Grain-Free: Substitute cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Sherry says
Can you make this in oven if you don’t have bbq?
Jessica Gavin says
Yes! You can bake the chicken skewers on a foiled lined sheet pan at 425ºF (218ºC), brushing the sauce on as directed in the recipe, and cooking until fully cooked.
adil khan says
Made this dish yesterday and every bite was like going to heaven,absolutely fantabulous
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks, Aldi!
Kerry says
Absolutely love this recipe! We’re in the UK and have been buying this from M&S. Yours is a lot tastier! Can you freeze the sauce? There are only 2 of us so would be good to batch cooking some! It’s ‘fun’ converting US measurements and scaling down! ? Thanks
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for making the recipe, kerry! You could freeze the sauce. However, it won’t be as thick because the starches in the cornstarch will burst when reheated.
Melisende says
Made this tonight for a birthday party and broiled it in the oven because I don’t have an outside grill. Very good sauce and the dish was popular,
Julie Brock says
I’m a little bit confused with the ingredients. I have Obento Mirin Seasoning, Obento rice wine vinegar and cooking sake.
Is rice vinegar the same as rice wine vinegar?
Is mirin seasoning the same as mirin rice wine?
Thanks
Julie
Jessica Gavin says
Rice vinegar is the same as rice wine vinegar. Mirin seasoning is the same as mirin rice wine, as long as they are both sweetened, salted, and have low alcohol content. It is confusing!
Goergia says
thank you so much for this recipe! i had to make this in the oven on grill setting because my skewers were too long, and it still turned out wonderful. My sauce was a tad too salty however, but i managed to save it with a bit more sugar. It still tasted absolutely gorgeous!! I added black sesame seed since i like it’s nuttier taste and it was a nice addition!
Jessica Gavin says
Great job improvising, Goergia!
Kerry says
How long will thesauce stay good if cooked and placed in the refrigerator? I made a batch and then forgot. It’s been a couple of weeks. It smells good still. By the way, I did this because after the first time making it my husband requests it every time I ask him what he wants for dinner in the coming week.
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Kerry- Always good to make extra! I typically eat any leftovers within a week.
Nana says
I purchased a ready made sauce and made this recipe halved, basting half the chicken with each. Yours was by far the best! It was really no trouble to make and oven broiling cut my time down cooking to four minutes each side. No changes needed and I really didn’t even need to add sesame seeds. Awesome!!!!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for the feedback, happy to hear I won the taste test! Great idea broiling, especially as the weather cools down!
Michelle Bellemare says
I just made this recipe tonight and it was fabulous. Because the weather was horrible I put the skewers under the broiler instead. I added snap peas and served all over rice. My 88 yr old mom is a picky eater and she cleaned her plate. I will be making this one of my regular recipes. Thanks so much. Love it!
Maria Terry says
My husband loves kebabs. I’m always disappointed by the taste so I decided to find a good sauce recipe and use chicken thighs instead of beef. I used your sauce recipe to baste chicken thigh kebabs while grilling. I didn’t have mirin on hand so I subbed dry sherry as suggested by a Google search. We also used mushrooms, red onion, red bell pepper and pineapple. They were really wonderful! It was the first time I really enjoyed kebabs at home.
Mike Jeung says
Some of the commenters are picky, picky, picky. The recipe was good as-is. I didn’t need the extra sauce for dipping, and my son and I ate it “as-is.
Good job Jessica!!
Matt Jones says
This was amazing! I served in the Navy and was stationed in Japan. This tasted exactly like the yakitori I had from food vendors on the streets. My kids loved and devoured it with no left overs. I wouldn’t change a thing. If you use a lower sodium soy sauce you will sacrifice the authentic flavor. I did have sauce left over and I do believe some cooks off. I wouldn’t worry about the sodium intake unless you had very strict dietary restrictions regarding salt intake. DELICIOUS!!!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for for feedback Matt! Happy to here that it was a tasty reminder of your travels.
Autumn says
Tasted wonderful! I added onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and zucchini to the chicken and served them with fried rice.
Alex says
Good golly Miss Molly this is delicious! Cooked it a few times now and for those of you wondering, although the consistency is super weird if you happen to use 5 tablespoons in of cornstarch instead of 5 teaspoons, you can still use it ?
Shira says
Hi! Can i make this recipe a few days in advance? And will marinating work instead of basting every 2 minutes?
Lourdes Kent says
Thank you ever so much for this recipe! I’ve tried many but this is the easiest and closest to the yakitories I’ve longed to perfect. I substituted some ingredients but still perfect!! ?❤
Art says
Hi Jessica can you display your measurements in metric please
Rashmy says
Hi.. Can you suggest what substitute I can use for mirin
Jessica Gavin says
Hi There! You could combine 2 tablespoons of sugar to 1/2 cup of white wine, and then use what you need for the recipe.
Barbara A O'Keefe says
You talk about marinating a couple times, but don’t have that in the recipe. Explain please.
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Barbara- Great question! Typically chicken is marinated for this type of recipe, however, I talk about a basting method so you can skip marinating. This is especially great if you are short on time 🙂
Russ says
The recipe calls for a lot of sauce to be made, and only 1 cup for basting. What do you do with the rest?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Russ- I like to serve the extra sauce on the side with the chicken skewers.
Gordon says
Hi.. Cooking it in our cafe.. Very popular.. But could you give me an idea of how long sauce can be kept.. Thanks
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Gordon- That’s awesome! Since the sauce has cornstarch it’s best to make the sauce fresh every day. The cornstarch will lose it’s thickness when reheated.
Susan Tait Charman says
What about making the recipe (or even a larger batch) and leave the cornstarch to be added in portions when reheating? I just learned that one from a recipe for water-bathing a pie filling that had cornstarch in it. They suggested canning without the cornstarch at all and adding when time to make each pie. What do you think Jessica?
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, you can add a cornstarch slurry the day you are ready to serve the yakitori.
Daniel Camus says
Skin on or off I would love it with the skin on
Christine says
Thanks for this yummy recipe! We loved it and was easy to do. It was very tasty and tender by using the chicken thighs. My husband loved the sauce and actually saved the rest for another meal. 😉 He thought the sauce was like restaurant quality.
Alyson says
I really loved this! I also made shrimp tempura rolls and drizzled the sauce over them like you would with eel sauce. Thanks for sharing!
Alyson says
Oh, and I subbed the sugar with agave for its low glycemic index.
Jessica Gavin says
Great substitution idea!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback Alyson! I love that you used the sauce on tempura rolls too, perfect!
Jean Parkkila says
I used reduced sodium soy sauce that will cut down on salt intake
Jessica Gavin says
Great idea Jean!
Joanna says
Similar question — is the carbohydrate amount for the total amount of the sauce, or per serving? Have you made this with less sugar?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Joanna! The carbs are per serving (1 skewer with side of sauce). However it’s a generous about of extra sauce very flavorful without it if you are tryong to cut back. I haven’t tried a reduced sugar option, but worth a try! You may need to start with less soy sauce as well and acids to rebalance the sauce. Sometimes with soy based recipes they can taste really salty without a balance of sweetness and sourness. Let me know how it goes!
Linda says
The recipe sounds great, but 1324 grams of sodium per serving is well over half the recommended sodium limit per day. What could be done to reduce that amount and still retain good flavor? Also your estimate of 6 minutes prep time is extremely low. The time to measure ingredients, cut and skewer the chicken adds a lot more time.
Jessica Gavin says
Great question Linda! I realized that I included the entire basting marinade in the nutrition information. Since you only marinate the chicken in the sauce, you aren’t actually eating all of the sodium. Without the sauce it’s about 200 mg, so you would infuse some of the salt in the chicken but not 1300 mg. I hope that helps!
B says
I don’t see any need to season the chicken with salt , plenty of salt in the soy. Haven’t made this yet but will just miss out the extra salt when I do.
Bryan Tamberino says
Great recipe. LOVED the sauce, my 4-year-old couldn’t get enough. We always use low sodium soy sauce to balance it out
Grilled onions, peppers and tomatoes skewers and grilled rice balls for a starch.
AMAZING!