Yakitori (Chicken and Spring Onion Skewers)
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats and NYT Cooking.
Chicken thigh and spring onion skewers grilled hard and basted with a reduced soy glaze until sticky, glossy and lightly charred.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Make the tare glaze. Simmer the soy sauce, sugar, water, garlic and ginger in a small pan over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until reduced by about a third and syrupy. Stir in the cornflour slurry if using and bubble for 30 seconds to thicken slightly, then strain and cool. Pour some into a separate bowl for basting, so a brush that has touched raw chicken is never dipped back into the sauce you'll serve.
- 2
Thread the skewers. Thread the chicken and spring onion pieces alternately onto the skewers, packing them tightly together. Tight packing helps the meat stay juicy and stops the pieces spinning when you turn them on the grill.
- 3
Grill and glaze. Lightly oil the skewers, then grill over very hot direct heat on a barbecue for 8-10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, until browned all over. Brush with the tare during the last 3-4 minutes, building up 2-3 coats until glossy and lightly charred and the chicken reaches 74°C. Without a barbecue, grill (broiler) on high with the rack 8-10cm from the heat for 10-12 minutes, turning regularly and basting towards the end.
- 4
Finish and serve. Brush once more with the clean reserved tare and sprinkle with shichimi or chilli flakes if using, then serve straight away while hot and glossy.
Storage
Leftover cooked skewers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently until piping hot (74°C) under the grill or in a hot pan rather than the microwave, to keep the glaze from turning gluey. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why this label?
35.9 g protein for 276 kcal = 13 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 52% of the energy. High Protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the condition in the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
4 g per serving
8 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 16 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- 12 bamboo skewers (soaked 30 min) or metal skewers
- small saucepan
- pastry brush
- barbecue, or a grill (broiler) with a foil-lined tray and rack
- instant-read thermometer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 276 kcal |
| Protein | 35.9 g |
| Carbohydrate | 7.6 g |
| of which sugars | 4.7 g |
| of which free sugars | 4 g |
| Fat | 10.7 g |
| of which saturates | 2.2 g |
| Fibre | 0.8 g |
| Salt | 2.34 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
13 g meets High Protein (≥ 5 g, 20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
