Yakitori chicken skewers recipe

Name: Yakitori chicken skewers
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 8 short wooden skewers; 600g skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets; 100ml soy sauce; 100ml mirin; 50ml rice vinegar; 2 tbsp dark brown sugar; 3cm ginger, peeled and finely grated; 1 large garlic clove, crushed; bunch spring onions, reserving 2 for garnish, trimmed and cut into 3cm lengths; 2 tsp sesame seeds; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp mirin; 2 tsp rice wine vinegar; ½ tbsp toasted sesame oil; 1 tsp sesame seeds

Marinated chicken thighs are threaded onto a skewer with chunks of spring onions and barbecued until golden and slightly charred. Serve with a homemade dipping sauce - delicious!

See method

Serves 4
25 mins to prepare and 5 mins to cook
428 calories / serving

Shop your ingredients

Tesco British Chicken Thigh Fillets 600G
£4.50 Clubcard Price
(£7.50/kg)
Offer valid for delivery from 29/10/2026 until 25/12/2026
600g skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets
£5.75
£9.58/kg
Tesco Light Soy Sauce 150Ml
Aldi Price Match
100ml soy sauce
£0.55
£3.67/litre
Tesco Light Soy Sauce 150Ml
Aldi Price Match
3 tbsp soy sauce
£0.55
£3.67/litre
Blue Dragon Mirin Japanese Rice Wine 150Ml
This product's currently out of stock
100ml mirin
Blue Dragon Mirin Japanese Rice Wine 150Ml
This product's currently out of stock
2 tbsp mirin
Lee Kum Kee Seasoned Rice Vinegar 120Ml
£1.35 Clubcard Price
(£11.25/litre)
Offer valid for delivery from 27/10/2026 until 23/11/2026
50ml rice vinegar
£1.70
£14.17/litre
Billingtons Dark Brown Sugar 500G
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
£2.25
£4.50/kg
Tesco Root Ginger Loose
3cm ginger, peeled and finely grated
£0.57
£5.70/kg
Tesco Garlic 4 Pack
Aldi Price Match
1 large garlic clove, crushed
£0.87
£0.22/each
Tesco Bunched Spring Onions 100G
Aldi Price Match
bunch spring onions, reserving 2 for garnish, trimmed and cut into 3cm lengths
£0.65
£6.50/kg
Tesco Sesame Seeds 100G
2 tsp sesame seeds
£1.20
£12.00/kg
Tesco Sesame Seeds 100G
1 tsp sesame seeds
£1.20
£12.00/kg
Tesco Rice Wine Vinegar 150Ml
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
£2.25
£15.00/litre
Tesco Toasted Sesame Oil 250Ml
½ tbsp toasted sesame oil
£2.75
£11.00/litre

Method

Soak the skewers in a bowl of water and set the barbecue to a medium direct heat. Cut the chicken into 3cm chunks and put in a medium mixing bowl. Mix the soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, sugar, ginger and garlic together in a small saucepan with a whisk until well combined. Simmer over a medium heat for 3-4 mins until the sugar has dissolved, then allow to cool.
Pour three-quarters of the marinade over the chicken and toss to coat. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 15 mins or up to 3 hrs in the fridge.
Mix all the ingredients for the dipping sauce together in a small bowl and set aside.
Thread the chicken followed by a piece of spring onion onto the skewers until you have 8 full skewers, and make sure to keep any leftover marinade. Put the skewers near the outer edges of the grill for about 2 mins each side, then brush with the reserved marinade and grill for another 2 mins each side. Repeat once more. Finely slice the reserved 2 spring onions, including the green bits. Put the skewers on a serving plate, scatter with the sesame seeds and spring onion, then serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

Tip: If the chicken darkens too quickly, move the skewers further out to the sides and turn more regularly until cooked through. To cook indoors, heat a griddle pan until just smoking and follow the BBQ timings, turning the heat down if they darken too quickly.