Yakitori Chicken Skewers

Method

1. 1

   Soak 8 bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning.

   ⏲ 30 min

2. 2
   Simmering

   Make the tare sauce: combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, then lower heat and simmer until slightly thickened and glossy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and discard ginger and garlic; let cool.

   ⏲ 10 min

3. 3

   Pat chicken chunks dry and place in a bowl. Drizzle with sesame oil and season with black pepper; toss to coat. Thread chicken and scallion pieces alternately onto skewers, pressing tightly together. Reserve extra tare for basting.

4. 4
   Grilling

   Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Place skewers on the grill and cook for 3 minutes without moving, until grill marks appear and chicken releases easily.

   ⏲ 3 min

5. 5
   Grilling

   Flip skewers and brush generously with the tare sauce. Grill for 2-3 minutes, then flip again and brush with more sauce. Continue grilling and basting for 3-4 more minutes, turning frequently, until chicken is caramelized and cooked through (internal temperature 75°C).

   ⏲ 7 min

6. 6

   Transfer skewers to a plate, brush with a final layer of sauce, and let rest for 2 minutes. Garnish with extra scallion (not listed) if desired.

   ⏲ 2 min