Yakitori (Grilled Chicken Skewers) – Derrick Riches

This yakitori recipe combines tender chunks of chicken and green onions with a flavorful blend of sweet, savory, and aromatic ingredients. These delicious chicken skewers can be cooked on a grill or outdoor griddle and make the perfect main dish or appetizer!

Yakitori is a popular Japanese street food that features grilled meat skewers, made out of chicken, liver, or gizzards, then marinated in a rich blend of dark soy sauce, sherry, mirin, brown sugar, and other fragrant ingredients. This recipe is easy and perfect for casual weekend gatherings or meal prep.

Yakitori ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (you can also use 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs) cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 green onions, thick white and green portions only, cut into 3/4-inch wide pieces
• toasted sesame seeds (garnish)
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion (green parts only for garnish)
• 9 wooden or bamboo skewers
• For marinade:
• 1/2 cup dark soy sauce (sub with gluten-free soy sauce or tamari)
• 1/4 cup dry sherry (sub with sake)
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions (green part only)
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon veg oil
• 1/2 teaspoon togarashi (Japanese 7 spice mixture), optional

Marinating and Skewering

• Place marinade ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium-
• heat for 3-4 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low, and simmer for the remaining 3 minutes until thickened.
• Let mixture cool for 15 minutes.
• Set aside a few tablespoons of mixture to use as a yakitori sauce during plating.
• Place cut-up chicken breasts (or thighs) in a zip-top bag. Pour the remaining marinade mixture over the top.
• Toss to coat, seal the bag, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.
• Soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes in lukewarm water.
• To thread: Start with 1 piece of green onion, followed by 3 pieces of chicken, another green onion piece, 3 more pieces of chicken, and cap with a piece of green onion.
• Set the chicken skewers on a baking sheet and ready the grill.

How to cook yakitori on your grill or griddle

• We cooked these chicken yakitori skewers over charcoal using our Big Green Egg XL. However, you can cook them on a pellet grill, gas grill, or flat-top unit, like a Blackstone griddle.
• Preheat the grill or the griddle to 375 degrees F, or medium-high heat.
• Oil grates or add a little oil to the griddle.
• Place chicken skewers on grill or griddle and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Check multiple skewers to ensure doneness.
• Once cooked through, remove the yakitori from the grill or griddle.

• To plate: place the grilled chicken skewers on a platter, drizzle with reserved yakitori sauce, and top with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions before serving.
• Serve with rice, grilled vegetables like asparagus or shishito peppers, and Asian style coleslaw.
• Store leftover yakitori in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Recipe alternatives

• Vegetarian: For a vegetarian version, you can make yakitori with tofu or mushrooms instead of chicken. Marinate the tofu or mushrooms for 30 minutes and cook skewers 3 minutes per side.
• Seafood: Make delicious seafood yakitori with shrimp, cubed salmon, or other types of fish. Marinate for 30-45 minutes and adjust the grilling time according to the type of seafood you choose.
• Spicy: To spice up your yakitori, add red pepper flakes, Sriracha, or cayenne pepper to the marinade.
• Citrus: To give the yakitori a refreshing and zesty flavor, enhance the marinade with 2 tablespoons of orange juice or 1 tablespoon yuzu.
• Sesame: For an extra nutty flavor, consider adding 2 teaspoons of sesame oil to the marinade.

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (you can also use 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs) cut into 1″ thick pieces
• 6 green onions thick white and green portions only, cut into 3/4″ wide pieces
• toasted sesame seeds garnish
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion green parts only for garnish
• 9 wooden skewers
• For marinade:
• 1/2 cup dark soy sauce sub with gluten-free soy sauce
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions green part only
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar packed
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon veg oil
• 1/2 teaspoon togarashi Japanese 7 spice mixture, optional

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• Place marinade ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium-

• heat for 3-4 minutes.

• Reduce heat to low, and simmer for the remaining 3 minutes until thickened.

• Let mixture cool for 15 minutes.

• Set aside a few tablespoons of mixture to drizzle over cooked yakitori.

• Place cut-up chicken breasts (or thighs) in a zip-top bag. Pour the remaining marinade mixture over the top.

• Toss to coat, seal the bag, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.

• Soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes in lukewarm water.

• To thread: Start with 1 piece of green onion, followed by 3 pieces of chicken, another green onion piece, 3 more pieces of chicken, and cap with a piece of green onion.

• Preheat the grill or the griddle to 375 degrees F. Oil grates or add a little oil to the griddle.

• Place chicken skewers on grill or griddle and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. Check multiple skewers to ensure doneness.

• Once cooked through, remove the yakitori from the grill or griddle.

• To plate: place the grilled chicken skewers on a platter, drizzle with reserved sauce, and top with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions before serving.

• Store leftover yakitori in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Recipe alternatives

• Vegetarian: For a vegetarian version, you can make yakitori with tofu or mushrooms instead of chicken. Marinate the tofu or mushrooms for 30 minutes and cook skewers 3 minutes per side.
• Seafood: Make delicious seafood yakitori with shrimp, cubed salmon, or other types of fish. Marinate for 30-45 minutes and adjust the grilling time according to the type of seafood you choose.
• Spicy: To spice up your yakitori, add red pepper flakes, Sriracha, or cayenne pepper to the marinade.
• Citrus: To give the yakitori a refreshing and zesty flavor, enhance the marinade with 2 tablespoons of orange juice or 1 tablespoon yuzu.
• Sesame: For an extra nutty flavor, consider adding 2 teaspoons of sesame oil to the marinade.

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Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 110mg | Potassium: 426mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 139IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg