Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

Teriyaki Chicken Skewers with Sesame and Green Onion

Grilling season has a way of making weeknight dinner feel like less of a chore.  And Teriyaki Chicken Skewers are exactly the kind of recipe built for it. The marinade does the heavy lifting while the chicken rests in the refrigerator.  The grill does the cooking in about 12 minutes.  Finally, the thickened glaze brushed on at the end gives each skewer a lacquered, caramelized finish with sesame seeds and green onion scattered over the top.

The result is the kind of chicken that pulls apart easily, tastes deeply savory and slightly sweet, and works alongside almost anything else on the table.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The marinade is the sauce and the glaze. Half goes into the bag with the chicken, and the other half gets reduced into a thick, glossy glaze to brush on at the end. No separate recipe needed.
• Chicken thighs stay juicy on the grill. The higher fat content of thighs means they don’t dry out under direct heat the way breast meat can, and the edges caramelize beautifully.
• The caramelization is visible. At the right heat, the sugars in the glaze darken on the surface of the chicken into something that looks and tastes far more involved than it is.
• Marinate time is flexible. One hour gives good flavor. Eight hours gives deep, all-the-way-through teriyaki flavor. It fits the schedule either way.
• Works for a crowd. The recipe scales easily, the skewers look great on a platter, and they hold their temperature well enough that everyone doesn’t have to eat at exactly the same second.

Let’s Talk Ingredients

Chicken thighs are the right choice for skewers, specifically boneless and skinless. The extra fat in the thigh keeps the chicken moist through direct grill heat and gives the edges room to caramelize without the interior drying out. Breast meat is leaner and more prone to overcooking on a hot grill – especially cut into chunks where the exposed surface area is high.

Soy sauce forms the salty, umami backbone of the marinade. Mirin adds a gentler sweetness and a slight depth that plain sugar alone doesn’t provide. Brown sugar and honey together give the glaze its body and its ability to caramelize under heat. The combination of two sweeteners means the glaze colors gradually rather than burning quickly which gives more control on the grill.

Rice vinegar brings a mild brightness that cuts through the richness without making the marinade taste sharp. Sesame oil goes in at the end and adds a toasted, nutty aroma that carries through even after the grill. Garlic and fresh ginger round out the flavor profile.

Cornstarch mixed with cold water gets stirred into the reserved marinade as it simmers, thickening it into a proper glaze that clings to the surface of the chicken rather than dripping off. This step takes less than two minutes and makes a significant visual and flavor difference on the finished skewers.

Step-by-Step Cooking Tips

Cutting the chicken into even pieces before threading is worth the extra attention. Pieces that are similar in size cook at the same rate. This means no pieces are overcooked on the outside while others are still underdone. About one and a half inches is the right size: large enough to stay juicy, small enough to cook through in four to five minutes per side.

Leaving a small gap between pieces on the skewer allows hot air to circulate around each chunk which promotes even cooking and better caramelization. Packing them tightly creates steam pockets where the pieces touch and results in steamed rather than grilled surfaces.

The grill should be at medium-high heat before the skewers go on. A hot grate is what creates the sear on contact. If the grill isn’t hot enough, the chicken sticks and tears rather than releasing cleanly when it’s ready to turn.

Only turn the skewers once – after four to five minutes. Turning too frequently prevents proper caramelization on any surface. The chicken will release easily from the grates when it’s ready to flip. If it’s pulling and sticking, it needs another minute.

The glaze goes on in the final minute of cooking, not throughout. Adding it too early means the sugars burn before the chicken is cooked through. One brush on each side at the end with a final brush on the platter just before serving, builds up the lacquered appearance without burning.

Equipment

• Grill for the direct heat that caramelizes the glaze and chars the edges of the chicken
• Skewers wooden or metal, for threading and turning the chicken pieces evenly
• Basting brush for applying the glaze cleanly during the final minute of cooking
• Small saucepan for reducing the reserved marinade into a thick glaze
• Large zip-top bag for marinating the chicken evenly with minimal mess
• Cutting board for cubing the chicken and slicing the green onion garnish
• Chef’s knife for cutting the chicken into consistent pieces

Serving Suggestions

Teriyaki Chicken Skewers work as a centerpiece or as part of a larger grill spread.

• Steamed jasmine rice is the most natural pairing, and it soaks up any extra glaze well.
• Grilled vegetable skewers alongside the chicken make the meal feel like a full spread with very little extra effort.
• A simple cucumber salad dressed with rice vinegar, sesame oil, and a pinch of salt adds a cool contrast to the warm, caramelized chicken.
• Serve over rice noodles with a drizzle of extra glaze for a slightly different presentation.
• For a lighter option, serve the chicken over shredded cabbage with a sesame dressing as a warm salad.

Macros Per Serving

Teriyaki Chicken Skewers are high in lean protein from the chicken thighs, moderate in fat, and provide a modest amount of carbohydrates from the marinade and glaze making them a balanced grilling option for a satisfying dinner.

• Calories: ~390
• Protein: ~42g
• Fat: ~14g
• Carbs: ~22g

Values will vary depending on specific ingredients and portion size.

Other Recipes to Try

Pineapple Chicken Skewers – Sweet, smoky grilled chicken skewers with pineapple that use the same skewer format for a tropical summer grilling option.

Grilled Vegetable Skewers with Chimichurri – A fresh, herb-forward side dish that grills alongside chicken skewers and adds bright flavor to the plate.

BBQ Chicken Pizza – A smoky, cheesy pizza with tender chicken that’s another great way to put grilled chicken flavor at the center of a meal.

Keto Stuffed Chicken Breast with Jalapeno Cheddar Wrapped in Bacon – A bold, low-carb chicken dinner from Keto Recipe Collection packed with jalapeno, cheddar, and wrapped in crispy bacon.

Teriyaki Chicken Skewers are a grilling recipe that earns its place every summer. The marinade is simple, the glaze is glossy, and the caramelized edges on the chicken are exactly what a skewer should taste like.

Fire up the grill and share how it turned out. Marinade tweaks, serving ideas, and variations are always welcome in the comments.

Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

Chunks of chicken thigh marinated in a sweet soy teriyaki glaze, threaded onto skewers, and grilled until caramelized and deeply flavored, finished with sesame seeds and sliced green onion.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Marinate Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 27 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 4 Servings

Equipment

• Grill used to cook the skewers over direct heat
• Basting Brush used to apply reserved glaze during grilling
• Cutting board used to cube the chicken and prep garnishes
• Chef's knife used to cut the chicken into even pieces
• Small saucepan used to reduce the reserved marinade into a glaze
• Skewers wooden or metal, used to thread the chicken for grilling

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Marinade and Glaze

• ½ cup soy sauce 120 ml
• ¼ cup mirin 60 ml
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar 36 g
• 2 tablespoons honey 42 g
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 15 ml
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil 15 ml
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger finely grated (2 g)
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch 3 g, mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water

Skewers

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1½-inch chunks (905 g)
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil for brushing the grill grates
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds for garnish
• 3 green onions thinly sliced, for garnish

Instructions

 

• Whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a bowl until the sugar dissolves.
• Reserve half the marinade in a small saucepan for the glaze and pour the remaining half into a zip-top bag with the chicken chunks.
• Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours for deeper flavor.
• If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling to prevent burning.
• When ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium-high heat and brush the grates lightly with neutral oil.
• Thread the marinated chicken chunks onto the skewers, leaving a small gap between pieces.
• Bring the reserved marinade in the saucepan to a simmer over medium heat, add the cornstarch slurry, and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the glaze thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Grill the skewers for 4 to 5 minutes per side, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through and the edges are deeply caramelized.
• During the last minute of grilling, brush each skewer with the thickened glaze and turn once more to set it on the surface.
• Transfer to a serving board, brush with any remaining glaze, and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onion before serving.

Notes

• Chicken thighs are strongly preferred over chicken breast for skewers. The higher fat content keeps them juicy over direct heat where breast meat can dry out quickly.
• For indoor cooking, use a grill pan over medium-high heat. The char marks and caramelization will be similar, though less smoky.
• The glaze can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently before brushing.
• Do not reuse the bag marinade. Only the reserved portion that never touched raw chicken is safe to use as a glaze.
• Skewers are done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest piece.
• Macros estimate (per serving, based on 4 servings): Calories ~390 | Protein ~42g | Fat ~14g | Carbs ~22g

Keyword chicken, skewers

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!