Grilled Chicken Yakitori

We are in the heart of grilling season and this Japanese-inspired favorite will be sure to please everyone! No Grill? No Problem! Follow the direction to bake the chicken. Serve with grilled veggies like zucchini, summer squash ad whole grain brown rice.

Makes 8-10 skewers

Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless chicken thighs chopped into 1 -2” pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil

Yakitori Sauce/Marinade
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup Asian sweet chili sauce (like Mae Ploy)
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
1. Whisk together all of the Marinade/Sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Remove 1/3 cup sauce and add to a large bowl or freezer bag and whisk in olive oil. Add chicken and marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator (the longer the better). Refrigerate remaining sauce separately.

2. If using wooden skewers, begin soaking when you marinate chicken.
3. When ready to cook, thread chicken onto skewers, folding thin pieces almost in half so you skewer through both the top and bottom.
4. Add reserved Yakitori Sauce to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly. Simmer and whisk until thickened but not too thick (consistency of BBQ sauce), about 3 minutes.

To grill:
1. Grease grill and heat to high heat.
2. Once hot, add chicken, reduce heat to medium (350 degrees F with lid on), cover and grill chicken 3-4 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through (internal temp of 165 degrees F). Baste chicken with some of the Yakitori sauce the last minute of cooking on each side (the outside of the chicken should be cooked/opaque at this point so it won’t cross contaminate the sauce). Actual cooking time will depend on thickness of chicken and temperature of grill.
3. Brush cooked chicken once more with sauce.

To bake/broil:
1. Turn oven to broil so it can get hot before adding chicken. Place one oven rack in the middle of the oven and a second rack about 10” away from the broiler.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil and top with a baking rack. Lightly spray rack with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Line chicken skewers on baking rack so they aren’t touching. Place chicken in the oven on the MIDDLE rack and broil for 6 minutes.
4. Remove chicken from oven and baste the top of the skewers with sauce. Return to oven on the TOP rack and broil for approximately 2 minutes or until starting to char. Watch closely so the chicken doesn’t burn.
5. Remove chicken from oven, flip over, and baste the other side with sauce. Return to oven on the TOP rack and broil for approximately 2 minutes or until starting to char. Watch closely so the chicken doesn’t burn.
6. Check chicken for doneness (internal temp of 165 degrees F, or cut the thickest piece open). If chicken isn’t quite done, then return to the middle rack and broil until done (I haven’t had to do this). Actual cooking time will depend on thickness of chicken and actual temperature of oven.
7. Brush cooked chicken once more with sauce.

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