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.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Marinate Time 1

Total Time 1 27

Course Dinner

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 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

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

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