Iconic Japanese skewers made with juicy chicken thighs, seared over high heat and glazed repeatedly in a rich, syrupy, umami-packed tare sauce with caramelized highlights.
Ingredients
- 800 g boneless chicken thighs (tori momo)
- 180 ml yakitori tare sauce
- 1 tbsp refined canola oil
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- 1 tsp Japanese seven-spice blend (shichimi togarashi)
Method
- Soak your bamboo skewers in cold water for at least thirty minutes to prevent them from catching fire or charring on the grill.
- Cut the boneless chicken thighs into even cubes of about one inch (three centimeters), carefully keeping the skin attached to ensure the meat stays tender and juicy.
- Thread the chicken pieces tightly onto the bamboo skewers, folding the skin outwards so it is directly exposed to the heat.
- Season the skewers very lightly with fine sea salt to draw out the surface juices, taking care not to over-salt since the tare sauce is already savory.
- Preheat your grill or a cast-iron grill pan over very high heat, then lightly oil the grates using a paper towel dipped in refined canola oil.
- Place the skewers on the hot grates. Grill undisturbed for about four minutes, until the skin sizzles, turns deep golden brown, and releases easily from the grill.
- Turn the skewers over and grill the second side for three minutes, until the meat is opaque throughout and clear juices start to bead on the surface.
- Dip each skewer directly into the jar of tare sauce (or brush generously on all sides), then return to the grill for one minute. The sauce should bubble immediately and form tiny, glossy beads.
- Immediately dip the skewers into the tare sauce a second time to build the glaze, then let caramelize for an additional thirty seconds per side until you get a rich amber color and a glossy finish.
- Transfer the steaming skewers to a serving platter, drizzle with a touch of tare sauce for a final sheen, and dust with a pinch of Japanese seven-spice blend before serving immediately.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 450.3 kcal
- Protein
- 35.73 g
- Carbohydrate
- 5.62 g
- Fat
- 30.95 g
- Fibre
- 0.41 g
- Calcium
- 0.1 mg
- Iron
- 0 mg
- Magnesium
- 0.02 mg
