04 September 2026
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Yakitori Recipe
The Kitchen

Yakitori Recipe

Yakitori is traditionally skewered chicken in Japan, often glazed with a special yakitori sauce, and grilled over charcoal.

By Test Kitchen · Japan · 2 min ·

There can be a variety of ingredients from meats, vegetables, and offal. Yakitori are usually served with a tare, or sea salt. The natural flavors of the produce, along with the charcoal barbecue flavor, is unmatched.

The tare gives a sweet, salty, umami flavor, which ties everything together. It pairs perfectly with a beer and is great to enjoy with friends and family.

Yakitori is one of the most popular Japanese foods and can be found at izakayas, Japanese-style pubs, along with a nice cold beer. At some high-end places, chefs will source special breeds of chicken for their unique taste and texture.

Equipment

  • Charcoal grill
  • Skewers

Ingredients

  • boneless chicken thigh
  • long green onion

How to make yakitori

  • Cut the chicken thigh into bite-size pieces.
  • Cut the long green onion into the same size.
  • Alternate the chicken and onion on the skewers. Use around 4 chicken pieces and 3 green onions for 1 skewer.
  • Lightly season with salt.
  • Grill over a charcoal grill. When one side is done, spray it with the nihonshu. This will give a delicious sweet and subtle flavor and help tenderize the meat.
  • Serve with the tare sauce and sea salt.
Key facts
  • Who: Yakitori · Yakitori Andy Cheng · Print Recipe Pin Recipe

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