Glazed in a savory-sweet sauce, these Japanese chicken and scallion skewers are hard to resist! You’d love this simple yakitori recipe. It’s great for grilling outdoor or under the broiler.
When comes to chicken on a stick, the Japanese have our own best version known as Yakitori (焼き鳥). The name translates directly to grilled chicken, but Yakitori also exemplifies good times and happy hours in Japan.
These chicken skewers are a classic food served at izakaya, Japanese-tapas style pubs, where frosty beer, tasty bites, and jolly chatters are all part of the deal. They are also the kind of iconic food you can find at specialty restaurants that serve nothing else but Yakitori.
The good news is anyone can easily make some really great-tasting yakitori at home. Let me show you how!
Yakitori in Japan
Just like sushi and tempura, Yakitori in Japan is a serious business. At specialty restaurants, the chefs would go as far as sourcing special breeds of chicken from specific regions known for their unique texture and flavors. Various methods of butchering, skewering, and grilling are applied. And the patrons get to choose from an astonishing selection – from breasts, thighs, cartilage, wings, skins, tenderloin, livers to gizzards.
Here are the examples you’d get on the menu:
- Chicken Thigh (momo, もも)
- Chicken Breast (mune, むね)
- Chicken Thigh & Scallion (negima, ねぎま)
- Chicken Tender (sasami, ささみ)
- Chicken Skin (kawa, 皮)
- Chicken Wings (tebasaki, 手羽先)
- Chicken Tail (bonjiri, ぼんじり)
- Chicken Cartilage (nankotsu, 軟骨)
- Chicken Heart (hatsu, ハツ)
- Chicken Liver (rebā, レバー)
- Chicken Gizzard (sunagimo, 砂肝)
Here, I’m sharing one of the most popular yakitori dishes called Negima Yakitori – chicken thigh and scallion skewer. This is a super easy recipe you’ll love!
Watch How to Make Yakitori
3 Quick Tips for Making Delicious Yakitori
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They stay juicy and more flavorful compared to breasts.
- Soak the bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes before threading the ingredients.
- Alternate the chicken with big pieces of scallion on skewers, and make sure they are tightly snugged to each other.
The Seasonings (Shio or Tare)
Most yakitori joints will only offer two simple flavorings: salt (shio) or with yakitori sauce (“tare” – pronounced “tareh”).
Tare is made of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. I tested several sauces over the years and we like this version best. It has a good balance between sweet and salty. You can add ginger and other ingredients for the sauce, but for this case, minimalist is a great approach.
For the purest taste of grilled chicken, you can go without the sauce and simply sprinkle salt before grilling. It’s really amazing how the meat can transform into something so delicious with simple treatments.
Bamboo Skewers for Yakitori
For yakitori, the skewers are usually made from bamboo. The typical skewers are called “teppogushi” (literally means “gun skewer” from its shape). The tapered skewers have a flat tab on one end which makes them easier to turn or hold. They also won’t roll on the grill and allow the chef to grill one side at a time.
You can buy them at Japanese supermarkets or Amazon (regular bamboo skewers will also work).
Easy Oven Broil Method
While you may not be able to create the atmosphere of yakitori joints, you won’t go wrong with this easy oven broil method that I share here.
Start by making the tare sauce, then thread the chicken and scallions into skewers. When ready to grill, set the broiler on high at 500ºF, and let the oven does the job. Within 15 minutes, you’d be rewarded some nicely char-grilled results for the chicken. The recipe works great for the outdoor grill too.
Itadakimasu!
I love that we can easily recreate this izakaya favorite without any fuss. They are great as a main dish or as an appetizer or as a snack for movie night. There is really nothing not to love about these delicious chicken on the sticks.
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Yakitori
Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (at room temperature)
- 9 green onions/scallions
- neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, rice bran, canola, etc)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Soak about 10 to 12 (5-inch) bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes.
To Make Yakitori Sauce (Tare)
- In a small saucepan, add mirin, soy sauce, sake, water, brown sugar, and the green part of 1 scallion, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by half. It will take about 30 minutes. The sauce will thicken with a glossy shine. Let it cool to room temperature before using. Reserve ⅓ of the sauce in a small bowl for final coating (Use this sauce after the chicken is cooked). Note: You can make the sauce ahead of time. Put only the sauce (no green onion) in a mason jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 months in the refrigerator.
To Prepare Yakitori
- Cut the white and light green part of scallions into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces.
- Cut chicken into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes.
- On a flat work surface, fold each slice of chicken in half, insert into the chicken at 45 degrees angle, and press down on the skewer to pierce through the center.
- Alternate each chicken slice with a piece of scallion lined up perpendicular to the skewer. Each skewer will hold about 4 chicken slices and 3 scallion pieces.
To Grill (Broil) Yakitori
- Grease the grate of the broiler/wire rack (or oven-safe cooling rack) to avoid the chicken sticking on the grate. Place the skewers on top.
- Set the broiler to high and wait until the heating elements are hot. Broil for 6 minutes.
- Take out 2 Tbsp of the Yakitori Sauce in a small bowl for brushing (you do not want to cross contaminate). After 6 minutes, brush the sauce on the meat on both sides and continue to broil for 3-4 minutes to caramelize the sauce.
- Transfer the skewers to a serving plate. Using a clean brush, brush the chicken on top with the reserved sauce. Tip: If you accidentally cross-contaminate (Dip the brush you used for coating the raw chicken in the sauce), you have to boil the sauce again. Serve and enjoy!
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on Apr 13, 2014. The post has been updated and republished in July 2020.
Yesterday, I was dreaming about eating good Liver Yakitori! (Not sure why…since the Liver isn’t my favorite.)
I never thought of cooking Yakitori this way. Good idea!
This will make a nice summer party meal along with the Chicken Meatballs. I thought that the Chicken Meatballs were like Tsukune, perhaps.
Thanks for the fun recipe!
Thanks so much Ayako-san! It’s very easy to make, and hope you enjoy this recipe. Tsukune recipe coming soon, too! 😉
Hi Nami! Just reading today’s recipe just made me feel so nostalgic for the izakaya places in Japan: なつかしい! The sound of the grill, tapping of plates being finished, smell of chracoal and lovely chu-hai drink! Thank you for showing how to do it on the broiler (in Australia, we call it an oven grill). It looks just as delicious! Just like the last comment, I love tsukune! So I am looking forward to that recipe! (^O^)
Hi Maybelle! Aww I’m so glad you enjoyed this post! I feel 懐かしい by writing this post too… remembering how delicious yakitori is in Japan… LOL. Oh yes, with chu-hai サワー! Will share the tsukune recipe pretty soon… Haven’t started to edit photos/video yet. 🙂
My mom loves Yakitori, especially negima, we might make them when we grill outside.
I love kawa and tsukune dipped in raw egg
Hi Asami! Thank you for your comment! Tsukune recipe coming soon… Hope you will like it too! 🙂
Hi Nami,
just wanted to say that we made your Yakitori last week and they were super delicious.
I don’t know if we can link here but a pic: http://imgur.com/OOuAs7e
Hi Asami! Yes I could view your picture! Thank you!!! Your Yakitori looks soooo good! I’m hungry looking at it! 😀 Thank you for sharing the photo!
Made this today on the bbq. So simple and delicious! Thank you Nami!
Hi Po! Yay! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed Yakitori. Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback!
Hi Nami
I do not have a broiler. Can I use an oven instead? What temperature should I set the oven at?
Hi Carol! You can use oven, but it may take extra long time until the chicken gets nice char after chicken gets cooked. That could be a reason for dry chicken. Do you have a toaster oven or outdoor bbq grill? That might be a better option than using an “bake” option in oven. However, you may want to give it a try. It might not be too bad. I just never used bake option for making yakitori before, so this is my guess. 🙂
Thank you for your advice, Nami.
Hello Nami-san!
I’m brazilian and my wife is a brazilian-born japanese and we absolutely love your site. Since she can’t speak english i aways translate the recipes for her so we can enjoy some delicious food.
We speacially loved your Yaki Udon and Omurice recipes. Thank you VERY much for your awesome job.
We wish you success!!
Hi Fabian! Thank you so much for reading my blog and I’m very happy to hear that you enjoy my recipes. Thank you for your support and kind words! xoxo
I love your recipes which brings fond memories of our trips to Japan. What brand of shoyu do you prefer ?
Hi Hana! I usually use this organic soy sauce from Kikkoman. 🙂
https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry/soy-sauce/
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I had no idea that this could be done without an open-face hot plate or grill. I know that I’ll be using my broiler oven this weekend… =)
You’re very welcome, Kimmi! I think people in the U.S. like using an oven for cooking, and I really wanted to make it work for yakiotri so everyone is willing to make yakitori at home! 😉 Hope you enjoy!
These were delicious! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Hi Jake! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and writing the kind comment! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the Yakitori. 🙂
Hello! Do you turn the yakitori over when you apply the tare sauce to both sides or do you leave it on the same side up as before? Thank you! Should sweet sake be used or is regular sake fine?
Hi Jessica! Yes I turn the yakitori when I apply the sauce. So it’ll be…
Cook 6 min.
Pull out and apply the sauce on the cooked part of the chicken.
Flip and raw side is up. Apply the sauce.
Put it back in the oven for 3-4 min.
And remember, not to use this sauce for after cooked. The brush touched the raw chicken, so you won’t be using this sauce at the table. Make sure to take some sauce away first before applying on the chicken. 🙂
I use regular sake (drinking sake like this: https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry/sake/) for cooking. 🙂
Hope that helps!
なみさん、初めまして。私も関東から２０代前半で渡米しました。どれも懐かしいメニューばかりで、全部試してみたいです（って何十年かかるんだか？）料理に不安の多い私にとっては、分かりやすいビデオのチュートリアルがあるのは、本当に心強い事です！焼き鳥はアメリカ人の主人の一番の好物なので、なみさんのレシピを早速試してみようと思っています。日本食が好きなお友達にも、「日本人はこういう物を食べているんだよ」と自信を持って勧められるレシピ集だと思いました。本当にありがとうございます！これからのレシピも楽しみにしていますね。
Yokoさん、初めまして！コメント、ありがとうございます！私は二十歳で渡米しました。もう少しで日本とアメリカ、ちょうど半分半分になります。材料さえ揃えば、比較的簡単なレシピだと思うので、是非試してみて下さい。焼き鳥、オーブンじゃなくても外のグリルでもOKですよ。タレはとても美味しいです。気に入ってもらえると嬉しいです。日本食の好きな方が、家で自分で作ってみようと思ってもらえたら嬉しいです。何か質問があったら、いつでもコメント・メール下さいね！
It happens I’m going to cook chicken thigh tonight and I think yakitori is a healthy way of cooking. I love bbq chicken. Just one problem I don’t have sake. Can I use Chinese wine instead? Thanks. I love your recipes.
Hi Gemma! Sure, you can use Chinese rice wine. As you know, sake and Chinese rice wine taste different, and alcohol should be gone, but the sauce might taste slightly different. I’ve never used Chinese rice wine before, but hope it’ll work! 🙂 Enjoy!!
O’genki, Nami. I love your site and hope to use many recipes. It’s been 17 years since my family lived in Misawa-shi in Aomori prefecture. We love the country, people and foods. In fact, we asked to return to Misawa to live for a total of 7 years. One of my daughters was born there, too. Many HAPPY memories of traveling and camping. Cooking authentic recipes brings back SO many thoughts!! Thank you.
Hi Dori! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed your life in Japan! I’ve never been to Aomori but I always wanted to visit especially during the big festival. Thank you for following my blog and I hope you enjoy my recipes! 🙂
Is there a name for that special fixed cooking grate?
I’m interested in getting a large one to do it like the Izakayas.
I don’t think it’s a hibachi, most of the ones i’ve seen are quite small.
I’m thinking if I can find one, then I might make it instead.
Hi Doug! You might be interested in this one. I have a friend who purchased it form this site and he really enjoys it. 🙂
http://korin.com/Grillware_2/konro_grills_3
So tomorrow is the day I’m finally making these!!! I’ve been wanting to make them for soooo long now… but I have to ask something first:
1. I bought yakitori sauce some time ago, namely this one: http://www.japanesekitchen.co.uk/user/products/large/yakitori_sauce.jpg
Is it ok to use it or should I make one myself? I bought teriyaki sauce once and it tasted nothing like the one you make yourself…
2. Can I use mushrooms instead of scallions? I can’t imagine eating a piece of scallion just like that… 🙂 And grilled mushrooms are delicios <3
Hi Alina! Here are my answers:
1. If you believe that homemade teriyaki sauce was good compared to store bought ones, I highly recommend you to make this yakitori sauce. It’s so good. Many of my readers have tried and they all loved it (and emailed me). So I hope you give it a try one day, if it’s not this time.
2. Sure, definitely! Make sure it’s tightly packed so it won’t fall off from the skewer. The grilled scallion is so sweet and delicious, and the little bitter part (which I almost can’t recognize, but…) adds wonderful flavor to the chicken. The char on the scallion is nice too. Ok, enough about raving grilled scallion. =P Hope you enjoy this recipe!
So I couldn’t wait till tomorrow and made it today… 🙂 It really takes you some time to prepare them! The sauce turned out delicious (I made it according to your recipe). Reminded me a bit of teriyaki chicken which is still my fav Japanese food along with Hijiki Salad 🙂
And you were absolutely right about the scallions,,, 😉 I think I liked them even more than the chicken itself! 🙂
Hi Alina! Haha! I’m so glad to hear the recipe and you tried it with scallion! 😀
Thanks for trying the sauce too! It’s funny – but teriyaki sauce or most of Japanese seasoning is involved sake, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar… Just each recipe has different ratio but the taster is very similar! 🙂
Hi, Nami! How do you recommend we use leftover tare?
Hi C, Thank you very much for trying this recipe! We recommend reheating the leftover tare first and cool it, storing it in the air-tight container in the refrigerator or brush on the Onigiri (rice ball): make rice ball bush the sauce on the rice ball, then grill it. https://www.justonecookbook.com/yaki-onigiri-grilled-rice-ball/
or use it as teriyaki sauce. (This is a very similar sauce) We hope this helps!
I love your blog! Really authentic recipes!!
I went to Japan about 10 years ago and my husband and I ate in a great yakitori place in Tokyo. It was by Shubuya (sorry for incorrect spelling!). I’m sure that doesn’t narrow down where we ate, but at this one place they had this great mustard (I think?) spicy dipping sauce. Do you have any idea what this could be?
Thanks!
Hi Lisa! I took some time to look into the yakitori shops in Shibuya (you wrote close!) area that serves karashi mustard dipping sauce. I couldn’t figure out your restaurant (so many yakitori shops…) but some places serve karashi mustard by itself (you need to buy Japanese karashi mustard, see below link) or karashi miso sauce. If you remember tasting miso in it, yours might be this one. I’m sorry I’m not too helpful here…
https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/karashi-mustard/
Thank you so much! I’ll give that a try!
OK, after searching my notes, the name of the place is Akiyoshi Ikebukuro. After looking at pics they have a yellow sauce. I’m pretty sure it was mustard. Anyway, thank you very much and any info would be great.
I just checked, and it looks like they use Neri Karashi.
Picture: http://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1305/A130501/13016977/dtlphotolst/1/
Basically you can make it if you can buy Japanese mustard (karashi) powder. You can use Google chrome to translate this Japanese recipe to English.
http://www.sirogohan.com/recipe/karasi/
Hope this helps! 🙂
Thanks so much for your help! I’ll search for this mustard. I guess it’s not a “traditional” yakitori accompaniment- I didn’t see it at any other yakitori places. Thanks again!.
I think I read somewhere that it’s a regional way to enjoy with karashi (for non-tare yakitori). I think it was from Hokkaido and Hakata (Kyushu region). 🙂
I made this Yakitori recipe for the 1st time today in the broiler and it was delicious.
Last year, I wrapped 4 bricks with aluminium foil and spaced them in 2 rows to simulate, on my Weber, a real Yakitori Grill using Real Wood Lump Charcoal underneath. This will be my goto method for the rest of this year.
Your homemade Yakitori sauce is excellent!!
Hi James! Thank you for trying this recipe in the broiler. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Wow your homemade yakitori grill sounds AWESOME! I’ll suggest Mr. JOC to do the same in the summer!
I love this yakitori sauce too. So good! 🙂
I came across your website by chance and I LOVE it!!
Thanks for putting in the hard work and sharing your recipes, I will be visiting a lot for sure.
Hi Yvonne! Whoo hoo! I’m so happy to hear you found my site! Hope you find some recipes that you like here. 🙂 Welcome to JOC! xo
What is the method if you are using a grill? Do you marinate the chicken and/or scallions? Thanks 🙂
Hi Sumi! If you prefer to marinate the chicken, I recommend marinating for 30 mins or so and not overnight. It’s too salty, so we usually brush the sauce while cooking, not before cooking. 🙂
Excellent got the name of the dish from a video game
Hi Donna! Oh that’s cool! 🙂
Hey! I tried to make the sauce on the low heat setting, but I don’t think it was reduced much and it was still extremely liquid at the end. Should I just try a higher setting while keeping 30 minutes next time? How thick should the sauce be in the end?
Hi Tobias! The liquid is going to be thicken and about half of what you started. You might take a longer or shorter time depending on the stove, but keep it simmering. So 30 mins is just the guideline. As the sauce gets cooled, it gets thicken more too (as it continues to evaporate). 🙂
Thanks for the reply, Nami! I’ll keep it at low then and will try if it helps doing it longer next time. I was just worried because it didn’t seem like much happened at all.
Hi Tobias! Sorry for my late response. Yes, keep going until it looks thicken (not thin), then while it cools down it will even thicker. 🙂
Hello there. I just wanted to say thank you sooo much! These recipes are amazing and delicious! My husband and I went on our honeymoon to Japan for almost a month, back in November. I have been using your recipes and just bought your book, because we despartely miss Japan and the food we had there. I have made this recipe many times and use maple syrup instead of brown sugar and we love it! Also, I am obsessed with your Japanese Curry recipe too. Amazing and tastes so much like the one we had in Okinawa! 🙂
Hi Kari! Thank you for writing your feedback. I’m touched by your kind words and I’m so happy that you’re cooking Japanese food at home! Congratulations on your wedding, and I hope you two had a fantastic honeymoon in Japan. Thank you for sharing your tip on maple syrup for the sauce. I’ll try it one day! 🙂
What brand of mirin do you use? I wanted to know if I should left out the sugar because my mirin has a ingredient list that i’m not happy with (sugar and corn syrup despite being hon mirin…). Per 100ml it has 41,7g of sugar is this the normal amount? Thanks in advance
Hi Catarina! I use Hon-mirin (real mirin) from Japan (that I buy from Japanese grocery store), and doesn’t include corn syrup etc. I explained the difference on this Mirin page: https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/mirin/
This was a great tare and went perfectly with our tsukune. My partner and I lived in Japan (and met there) so this brought back fond memories. Thanks!
Hi Evie! Awww! I’m so happy to hear you two enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for trying this recipe and for the kind feedback. xo
Is there anything in the world better that stopping at a yakitori stand under a railway station on the way home and grabbing a few skewers of yakitori? I love every variety. Eat until your content and count the skewers, all with a cold Yebisu.
I have been using the recipe for tare from Shizuo Tsuji which incorporates chicken bones for flavor. I like to dip my skewers in the sauce during grilling so the drippings from the various meats enhance the sauce. I simmer it after use and store the remainder in the freezer for reuse.
Hi Bkhuna! Hmmm that sounds like a really nice idea! Thanks for sharing your tip!
This sounds great. My acting class this week is studding films form Japan and China. I think I’ll try to make this for them.
Hi James! Wow that’s cool! Hope you enjoy Yakitori in your acting class! 🙂
Dear Nami, I made these last night and they were so easy and super delicious! This is going to be a regular in my house!
Hi Eliza! Aww I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for your kind feedback! 🙂
I have made Yakitori before and the Tare you suggest I believe has 2 tsp brown sugar and it should be 2 T. 2tsp sugar is not enough to develop a syrupy mixture after reducing in 1/2. TKS
Hi Leonard! I did use 2 tsp brown sugar just for the flavor (many Japanese traditional recipes you may find do not include brown/white sugar). Once you reduce and let cool, the sauce gets thicken, but it’s not thick like “corn starchy slurry” syrupy texture like packaged Tare may have. 🙂
What’s the difference between teriyaki and tare sauce?
Hi Brennan! The ingredients are same/similar – but different ratios and different ways to make it and use it. Yakitori no tare is always made separately. While teriyaki style sauce is always made inside the pan (we don’t make teriyaki sauce separately – although I made a recipe and you can find on this website). Typically in Japan, we season the ingredient – chicken or fish or whatever it is – with soy sauce, mirin, sake etc inside the pan/pot. That’s the main difference, I think.
Thanks for the information!
You’re very welcome. 🙂
Hi Nami!
Can i prepare more Tare in advance and store them the same way how i keep bottled sauces in the kitchen cupboard? Tia:-)
Hi Jan! Yes, I recommend keeping in the fridge. 🙂
Hi Nami
Can you advise if the Tare could be prepared and store up in advance?
And the right way to store it? Tia!
Regards
Janice
Hi Jan! Just in case you didn’t receive my answer to your previous question… Yes you can make ahead of time and please keep in the fridge. It can store up to a month. 🙂
Hi Nami, i adore your recipes and your website. Thank you so much..question about kawa yakitori. I had kawa in two different places, one is very crispy and another one is cooked thru but a little chewy/soggy. Do you know how to make it extra crispy. Thank you 🙂
Hi Nadja! Salt it and cook until crispy. It’s actually pretty simple, but the ingredient matters most on a simple recipe like this. 🙂
I wish I could find a source for chicken cartilage and skin. Skin is probably one of the least appreciated but tastiest yakitori.
Hi Bkhuna! Yeah I agree!
Hi, i do not own an oven. Is it ok to cook over the top stove in a pan that allows me to flip back n forth?
Hi Sherilyn! Sure, that will work. Cut the meat smaller and evenly which will cook faster. 🙂
Great! Thanks for replying and sharing your recipe. Cant wait to try out! 🙂
Good luck! 🙂
Can I prepare the tare sauce 24 hours before I use it or does it need to be used when it’s ready?
Hi Dylan! Yes, you can make the tare ahead of time. I’ll mention that in the recipe. Thanks for asking!
Made these on the grill. Turned out great as all your recipes do! Family thought they were really good. Great summertime meal! So easy too.
Hi Virginia! Sorry about my previous comments – I was going to leave it on this one and clicked the wrong one. I’m so happy to hear your family enjoyed this recipe and other recipes from my blog too! Thank you for your kind feedback. Have a wonderful summer with your family and stay safe, Virginia! 🙂
I made this on a charcoal grill, it was great. I thought it tasted better than on a gas grill. My friends wanted me to make more next time, double the amount.
I was wondering how long I can keep the Yakitori Sauce ( Tate ) in the refrigerator if I make the Yakitori Sauce in a glass jar to keep for later?
Hi Wilfred! Thank you for trying this recipe, and wow you grilled on a charcoal grill! Awesome! You can keep yakitori tare in the fridge for up to 2-3 months!
Hi Nami,
I just recently moved to a small studio with only a portable stove and no oven/broiler/grill. Do you have any tips for me on how to cook this because I really miss eating yakitori!
Thank you ヾ(＾-＾)ノ
Hi Elena! You can cook this in a frying pan, too. You can sear until nicely brown all sides and then cover with the lid to make sure the chicken is cooked through. 🙂
This looks so delicious! Do you by chance have a good vegetarian alternative for this that would still work?
Hi Chelsea! When you go to Yakitori restaurant, there are so many vegetables and mushrooms being grilled in skewers. One day I’ll share other options on the blog. Brush Yakitori tare or sprinkle sea salt on veggies. 🙂
With so many green onions growing in my garden I thought I would give this recipe a try. Very delicious. My husband said it was a perfect dish for the summer. I made one change and marinated the chicken in 2/3 of the sauce for 20 minutes before putting on the sticks and grilling on the BBQ. Well worth making this recipe again. Thank you.
Hi Mary Jo! I’m so happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for your kind feedback. xo
What can I use in place of sake? Do I use extra Mirin? I don’t ever use sake. Thanks
Hi Lyle! You can use Chinese rice wine or dry sherry if it’s easier for you. 🙂
Loved the Yakitori Bars in Japan. This recipe is so easy, and so delicious. I’ve made this a couple of times and comes out great each time. Instead of broiling I cook over a small charcoal BBQ grill. Chicken comes out really flavorful. And having a dipping sauce is a bonus.
Hi Marc! How wonderful that you have a small charcoal bbq grill. PERFECT! Thank you so much for trying this recipe. I’m glad you’re enjoying this dish at home (since we can’t be in yakitori bars in Japan….). 🙂
World Market sells a really cute (small) yakitori grill. My husband and I decided to buy it for a fun dinner idea and went looking for a recipe. Since we had the grill, we ended up using this recipe mostly for the tare sauce (which is soooo good) and for instructions on how to season the chicken and what else to put on the skewers. We’ve make yakitori a few times now and always come back here for the tare sauce recipe. Thanks so much!
Hi Hope!
Thank you so much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback. You have no idea how much your kind words meant to us! Thank you very much for sharing your experience with us!
I’ve tried your soba, udon, tempura, onsen egg recipes and all your tips were amazingly helpful and informative! I’m going to try this next, but I was wondering if you know any tips on preparing chicken heart? I love eating it, but it is intimidating since I’m not sure if there’s a special way to prep it. Love the quality recipes!
Hi Victoria! Thank you so much for trying so many of Nami’s recipes! Unfortunately, chicken hearts are really hard to find here in the US. Nami and Mr. JOC truly enjoy eating Yakitori in Japan for that reason. Thank you for your kind feedback!
Hi Nami
I know it’s not the traditional way but could I marinate the chicken in the sauce instead of basting it on the grill?
Hi Annie,
If you prefer to marinate the chicken, we recommend marinating for 20 ~ 30 mins and not overnight. So your chicken wouldn’t be too salty.😉
It needs a touch more sweetness
Hi Debbie!
If you would like a sweeter sauce, you may add more sugar or mirin as you like.
Thank you very much for trying this recipe! ☺️
Hi Nami! I was just wondering if we need to double the Yakitori Sauce if we decide to increase the recipe to 20 skewers. Let me know as I’m excited to try your this. Thank you.
Hi Gg,
Thank you very much for trying this recipe.
This sauce amount will have a little extra for 10 skewers, but we recommend making the Yakitori Sauce at least 1.5 times more of the ingredients for 20 skewers. If you have leftover sauce, you may use it for making Yaki-Onigiri too. (make rice ball and bush the sauce on the rice ball, then grill it.) https://www.justonecookbook.com/yaki-onigiri-grilled-rice-ball/
We hope this is helpful.🙂
Easy recipe, especially since I’m always on the move. The sauce came out a bit watery, but I think I know how to fix it. Tasted great, felt good making it.
Hi George-Peter, Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback!😊
Do you use the Japanese Yakitori Gas grill (counter top)? If so, is there one that you would recommend? Thanks.
Hi Crystal, Sorry… We do not own the Yakitori grill and don’t have any recommendation brand at this time.😔