🍢 Yakitori
Yakitori are bite-sized pieces of chicken threaded on bamboo skewers and grilled over charcoal. They are seasoned either with salt or with tare, a glossy glaze of soy sauce, mirin and sugar that caramelises on the grill. The classic negima skewer alternates chicken thigh with spring onion. Yakitori are eaten at specialist bars and izakaya, usually with drinks and side dishes.
Diets
Allergens
Contains (in a typical recipe):
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 600 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 3 cm pieces
- 4 spring onions, cut into 3 cm lengths
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 tbsp mirin
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water
Method
- Simmer the soy sauce, mirin and sugar for 5–7 minutes until slightly thickened to make the tare.
- Thread the chicken onto the skewers, alternating with pieces of spring onion.
- Grill over high heat or under a hot grill for 8–10 minutes, turning often.
- Brush with tare and grill 1 minute more per side; repeat once or twice until glossy.
- Serve hot, with extra tare on the side.
How to make it lighter
- Chicken breast instead of thigh makes the skewers leaner.
- Brush on the tare at the end in a thin layer, as it contains sugar.
- Order salt-seasoned skewers and vegetable skewers to balance the meal.
History
Grilled poultry on skewers has a long history in Japan, and yakitori became a popular street and bar food during the 20th century as chicken grew more affordable. Today yakitori-ya, small grill bars, are found all over Japan.
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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →