Japanese Yakitori Recipe

The best part of making these chicken skewers at home is watching the simple tare turn glossy and cling to every piece. Boneless chicken thighs stay much juicier than breast meat, especially over high heat, while the green onions soften and pick up lightly charred edges. Here, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar create a sweet-salty glaze with enough depth to make the dish taste like more than its short ingredient list suggests. The sesame seeds added at the end give each skewer a subtle toasted finish. Cut the 1½ pounds of chicken thighs into fairly even, bite-size pieces so they cook at the same rate, and alternate them with the sliced green onions on the 12 bamboo skewers. The skewers should be soaked in water first; this is a small step, but it keeps the exposed ends from scorching before the chicken is done. Stir the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar together, then use the mixture as the yakitori sauce. If you have time, reserve some sauce separately for brushing rather than dipping used marinade back into the bowl. The main challenge is managing the glaze. Sugar can burn quickly, particularly under a broiler or on a very hot grill, so cook the chicken until it is nearly done before brushing on a generous layer of sauce. Turn the skewers often, brushing again after each turn, until the sauce looks shiny and slightly thickened and the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest piece. If cooking in a skillet or grill pan, leave space between the skewers; crowding makes the chicken steam and prevents the browned edges that make yakitori so appealing. Sprinkle with sesame seeds just before serving, while the glaze is still tacky. These are ideal for a relaxed Friday dinner, a Japanese-style lunch, or a small izakaya-inspired spread at home. Serve the skewers with steamed white rice, cucumber sunomono, shredded cabbage, or a simple bowl of miso soup. I also like adding extra green onions on the plate to echo the charred pieces on the skewers. The recipe takes about 20 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to cook, so everything can be finished while the rice steams—and the skewers are best served immediately, when the chicken is juicy and the tare is still glossy.