Japanese Chicken Yakitori Recipe - Went Here 8 This (2024)

FAQs

What is yakitori chicken made of? ›

Though I often found it served from flat tops by street vendors, yakitori is grilled skewers made from all parts of the chicken, including chicken breast, chicken thighs, hearts, and gizzards. Some Japanese chefs will go as far as to source from regions specially known for their texture and flavors.

Yakitori offers a variety of umami flavors depending on the breed of chicken, the part of the meat, and the way it is grilled and seasoned. Each meat part has a different taste, flavor, texture, and nutritional value. One of the main characteristics of Yakitori is that a whole chicken is used without wasting any of it.

Yakitori can be literally translated to "grilled chicken," from the Japanese words yaki (grill) and tori (chicken). Yakitori consists of bite-sized pieces of meat (usually chicken) served on a bamboo skewer.

Yakitori can be ordered in plates containing enough for a specified number of people, or by individual skewers. A plate for a single person will have three to six skewers.

Given that it is mainly chicken, yakitori is considered by many to be a relatively healthy dish as it is high in protein. However, depending on the cut of chicken used, each skewer can range anywhere from 8-75 calories plus.

Kikkoman Yakitori Sauce - 250ml.

Editor's note: It's helpful to keep a small spray bottle of sake handy for finishing this skewer. If you don't have a spray bottle, pour about 1 Tbsp. sake into a small bowl and brush a small amount onto each skewer to finish.

Negima (ねぎま) is one of the most popular types of yakitori and consists of pieces of chicken (usually thigh meat) skewered with pieces of leek in between. Momo (もも) refers to the thigh meat, so momo skewers are made up of pieces of chicken thigh.

Breaking Down the Whole Chicken

To get the thigh and leg, slice the skin, break the joints from the whole chicken, and pull it out. Slice off the butt skin and the belly meat skin (skin in the middle of the breast and rib). Pull the skin on top of the breast and “take it off” then slice it away from the chicken.

Offer a refreshing cucumber salad (sunomono) and Japanese rice balls (onigiri) on the side. Condiments and Dips: Enhance the flavor of the yakitori skewers by serving them with a selection of dips like tare sauce, ponzu sauce, or yuzu kosho (a spicy citrus paste).

What alcohol goes best with yakitori? ›

Other meats like beef and pork are called Kushiyaki (串焼き) meaning “grilled skewers”. Making Yakitori at home creates opportunities to enjoy Sake in a traditional pairing without the need to make sushi. From a flavor perspective, grilled and roasted meats are wonderful with Sake.

Chicken Yakitori With Chicken you can go for a medium-full bodied red wine like a Burgundy Pinot noir. If you are keener on white, we recommend trying a full-bodied, woody flavor dry wine. In that case a Burgundy Chardonnay should give you satisfaction. For seafood or fishes you should look on white wines.

How to Make Yakitori. Soak the bamboo skewers for 30 minutes. I use 5-inch bamboo teppogushi or “gun skewers” that have a flat tab for a handle. You can buy them at Japanese markets, on Amazon, or use regular bamboo skewers.

The Japanese word izakaya (居酒屋) is made up of three kanji with the meaning, in order, “stay-drink-place.” A spot to grab a drink, settle in, and get comfortable. Sounds about right.

Yakitori (焼き鳥) are grilled chicken skewers made from bite sized pieces of meat from all different parts of the chicken, such as the breasts, thighs, skin, liver and other innards. Usually made to order and cooked over charcoal, yakitori is a popular, inexpensive dish commonly enjoyed together with a glass of beer.

The main difference between chicken teriyaki and yakitori is that yakitori is grilled or broiled skewers of chicken thigh or leg meat, whereas chicken teriyaki is whole pieces of chicken that can be either grilled or pan-fried.

Construction material of the yakitori grill I have is diatomite brick, to better insulate the higher-than-normal heat of binchō-tan, although stainless steel yakitori grills are also common.

Tempura can be found in tempura restaurants, where it is often served with a side of tempura dipping sauce. Yakitori is skewered and grilled chicken, typically seasoned with soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. It can be found in yakitori-ya (yakitori restaurants) and izakaya (Japanese pubs) all over Japan.