Yakitori Recipe (Japanese Chicken Skewers with Tare Sauce)

Yakitori is a classic Japanese dish of bite-size pieces of chicken threaded onto skewers and cooked over high heat. In Japan, it’s the kind of food you’ll find at neighborhood yakitori shops, yatai (street food stalls), or izakayas (bars). The chicken is juicy, the edges are lightly charred, and everything is brushed with tare, a simple glaze made from soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar that caramelizes as it cooks.

While yakitori is traditionally grilled over charcoal, it’s very easy to make at home under the broiler or on a regular grill. This version uses chicken thighs and scallions, basted with a homemade tare that’s rich, savory, and just sweet enough. It’s deeply flavorful and best enjoyed hot off the skewers—served on its own as an appetizer, or paired with rice and a simple vegetable to make it a satisfying main dish.

What You’ll Need To Make Yakitori

Chicken thighs: Juicy and forgiving, they stay tender and flavorful over high heat. Chicken breasts or tenderloins may be substituted, but they won’t be as tender or flavorful.

Scallions: Add sweetness and char; the whites cook with the chicken while the greens flavor the sauce.

Soy sauce: The salty, savory backbone of the tare.

Mirin & Sake: Japanese rice wines that add depth and balance to the sauce; mirin is only used for cooking and is usually found in the international foods aisle, while sake is typically in the wine section or at liquor stores (both are also available at Asian markets).

Brown sugar: Rounds out the sauce and helps it caramelize.

Ginger and garlic: Add warmth and aroma to the tare.

Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce so it coats and glazes the chicken.

Sesame seeds (optional): A simple finishing touch with a bit of nuttiness.
Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step 1. Make the tare (sauce). In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and dark green scallions. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the ginger, garlic, and scallions, then stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Set aside.

Pro Tip: Making the tare first gives it time to cool slightly, which helps it cling better to the chicken when it’s brushed on.

Step 3. Cook the skewers (broil or grill). To broil, line a baking sheet with heavy-duty foil and arrange the skewers in a single layer. Broil 4 to 6 inches from the heat for 5 minutes per side. Brush the top with sauce, broil 1 to 2 minutes until caramelized in spots, then flip, brush again, and broil another 1 to 2 minutes until glazed and cooked through. To grill, preheat to medium-high and lightly oil the grates. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side, then baste with sauce and continue cooking a few minutes more, basting once or twice, until cooked through and nicely caramelized.

Pro Tip: Go easy on the sauce when glazing—because the sauce contains sugar, if it pools too much on the baking sheet, it can burn under the high heat and create a lot of smoke. A light brush is enough to get that glossy finish without scorching.

Step 4. Serve. Transfer the skewers to a platter, drizzle with a little extra sauce, and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using. Serve hot with any remaining sauce for dipping.