Grilled Chicken Yakitori with Yuzu and Orange Glaze
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Grilled Chicken Yakitori with Yuzu and Orange Glaze
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Yield/Serves:
Makes 4 servings
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sake
- ¼ cup mirin
- ½ cup orange juice
- 3 tablespoons yuzu juice (or lime if you can’t find yuzu)
- 1 4" piece of ginger, peeled and sliced into coins
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 8 green onions cut into 1" pieces, green and white parts separated, divided
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 8 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1" cubes
- Vegetable oil for brushing grill
To make glaze: To a small saucepan set over high heat, add soy sauce, brown sugar, sake, mirin, orange juice, yuzu, ginger, garlic, green parts of green onion and honey. Bring contents of saucepan to a boil then decrease heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until liquid is reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Using a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, strain glaze, discarding solids. Allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer 1/3 sauce to small bowl for final coating.
To build skewers: Working with 1 skewer at a time, alternately thread 4 pieces of chicken with 3 pieces of white parts of green onion, piercing green onion pieces perpendicular to skewer.
To grill skewers: Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, heat a gas grill to medium, or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Using a silicone pastry brush, lightly coat grill grates with oil and place skewers onto grill. Cook until grill marks develop, about 2 minutes. Brush with yakitori sauce and turn, cooking until grill marks develop on the second side. Brush with yakitori sauce and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into chicken reads 165°F.
To serve: Transfer skewers to a serving platter and drizzle with reserved yakitori sauce; serve immediately.
Recipe variations:
To build skewers: Working with 1 skewer at a time, alternately thread 4 pieces of chicken with 3 pieces of white parts of green onion, piercing green onion pieces perpendicular to skewer.
To grill skewers: Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, heat a gas grill to medium, or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Using a silicone pastry brush, lightly coat grill grates with oil and place skewers onto grill. Cook until grill marks develop, about 2 minutes. Brush with yakitori sauce and turn, cooking until grill marks develop on the second side. Brush with yakitori sauce and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into chicken reads 165°F.
To serve: Transfer skewers to a serving platter and drizzle with reserved yakitori sauce; serve immediately.
Recipe variations:
- Try marinade with other izakaya skewer ingredients like pork belly or zucchini. Or try other cuts of chicken like cubed chicken breast.