This yakitori-style grilled chicken is simply prepared and brings massive amounts of flavor. It’s juicy, flavorful, and delicious with any easy grilled veggie sides and grains. It has an incredible basting sauce that will instantly make you fall in love. This recipe is inspired by the yakitori restaurant I went to every week in Los Angeles when I lived there.
Why this Recipe Works
The chicken is cut into small pieces, and rotating them over an open flame helps cook them evenly while keeping it juicy and tender on the inside.
Whereas many sauces overpower or mask the flavors, this sauce is designed only to elevate the natural flavor of the chicken.
While yakitori is traditionally an expensive dish to enjoy at a restaurant, this recipe helps you recreate this special dish easily at home.
Ingredients & substitutions
Chicken thighs – This recipe is designed to work best with boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Soy sauce – You can substitute with coconut aminos or liquid aminos in this recipe.
Bouillon cube – If you can’t find the cubes, you can use a stock concentrate like Better than Bouillon.
Shichimi togarashi – If you can’t find dried Shichimi togarashi, red pepper flakes work if you grind them using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
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How to make this recipe
Your sauce is first on the list. Add the scallion greens, mirin, soy sauce, sake, bouillon, and brown sugar to a saucepan. Bring the sauce to a boil.
Once it has boiled, lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer the sauce until it reduces down by about half. Strain out the scallions and set them aside until you’re ready to grill the chicken.
If you’re using wooden skewers, soak the skewers for 5 minutes in water.
Layer the chicken and scallions up on the skewer so they are alternating. Sprinkle the chicken and scallions with the shichimi togarashi or ground red pepper flakes.
To cook the chicken, grill the skewers for 10-12 minutes, making sure to flip them every 2-4 minutes, and brush/baste them with the sauce every time you flip.
Note: If grilling vegetables to go with this recipe, you can use the same sauce to baste them.
Let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.
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Yakitori Style Grilled Chicken with Scallions
Print Recipe SaveIngredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 bunch of scallions cut in 1-inch chunks, greens and whites separated
- 1/2 cup mirin
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sake
- 1-2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 bouillon cube or stock concentrate like Better than Bouillon
- shichimi togarashi or ground up red pepper flakes, to taste
Instructions
- Add the scallion greens, mirin, soy sauce, sake, bouillon and brown sugar to a sauce pan. Bring to boil. Lower to simmer. Simmer until reduced by 1/2.
- If using wooden skewers, soak skewers for 5 minutes in water.
- Layer the chicken and scallions alternating on the skewers. Sprinkle with the shichimi togarashi or ground red pepper flakes.
- Grill for 10-12 minutes until cooked through, flipping every 2-4 minutes. Brush with the yakitori sauce every time you flip.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.