Easy Japanese Chicken Yakitori Skewers for Family Dinners

You catch the smell through the steam vent and suddenly you are starving. It’s that warming scent of grilled chicken mixed with a touch of sweet soy that just grabs you. You remember the last time you made Yakitori and how dang good it tasted fresh off the skewer.

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As the steam rises you spot the little bits of chicken sizzling inside your pressure cooker. You can almost feel the tender meat ready to pull apart with your fork. It’s like the whole place gets cozy with smell alone.

You notice how the kitchen gets a little noisier with the hiss and pop of pressure build. That smell is telling you your meal’s about to hit different today. You gotta wait just a bit longer but it’s worth the dang wait, trust me.

The Truth About Fast Tender Results

• You wanna make sure your chicken thighs are cut just right so they cook evenly under pressure.
• Brushing the wire rack with neutral oil helps keep everything from sticking and burning up.
• The blend of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar gives this Yakitori that perfect balance of sweet and salty.
• Natural release lets the flavors settle and the meat stay juicy, no rushing it here.
• Using steam cues is key—you’ll know exactly when to flip and brush for that good glaze on your yakitori.

All the Pieces for This Meal

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• ½ cup soy sauce (go gluten-free if you gotta)
• ½ cup mirin (for sweetness that’s not too much)
• ¼ cup sake (adds a rich depth you won’t get anywhere else)
• ¼ cup water (to keep the sauce from getting too thick)
• 2 teaspoon brown sugar (packed and leveled off, no cheating on this one)
• 2 Tokyo negi or 9 green onions (cut into 1½ inch pieces, they add freshness)
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (keep these at room temp for even cooking)
• Neutral oil for brushing the wire rack (trust me, no sticking here)
• Shichimi togarashi (optional, but dang it’s good if you wanna spice it up)

Each piece plays its part to make this Yakitori taste dang near perfect. That sauce simmered down real nice brings all those umami notes out. The chicken thighs stay juicy inside while the green onions add a crisp snap outside. It’s like a team effort in your pressure cooker, and you’re the coach.

The Exact Process From Start to Finish

1. Grab a small saucepan and toss in soy sauce, mirin, sake, water, and brown sugar. Bring it up to a boil on medium heat. Once bubbling, slow it down and let it simmer 10 to 15 minutes till sauce thickens just a bit. Set aside and cool.
2. Cut your chicken thighs into bite-sized chunks about 1 to 1½ inches. Same deal with your Tokyo negi or green onions, slice ‘em 1½ inch pieces.
3. Thread chicken and onions alternately onto skewers. Start and end with a piece of chicken. Looks nice and cooks evenly this way.
4. Preheat your broiler with a rack about 6 to 8 inches from heat. Line a baking sheet with foil and put a wire rack on it. Brush that rack lightly with neutral oil, no stick zones here!
5. Put the skewers on the rack and broil for 6 to 7 minutes. Flip ‘em over and brush generously with your Yakitori sauce.
6. Broil another 6 to 7 minutes. Flip once again and brush with sauce one last time. The chicken should be cooked through and have that slight char you want.
7. Take off the heat, brush with some more sauce if you’re feeling saucy. Sprinkle shichimi togarashi if you want that spicy kick.
8. Enjoy right away or get ready to store your tasty Yakitori for later munching.

Valve Hacks You Need to Know

• If you wanna keep things juicy, always go for natural release after pressure cooking. Let the steam do its work slowly.
• To skip heat while waiting, use the slow release method but watch close so you don’t lose too much broth depth.
• If your pressure cooker has steam cues, use em to peek when it’s time to flip those skewers.
• Brushing sauce between flips locks in flavor better than a one-time glaze, don’t skip this step.
• For faster cleanup, line your wire rack and tray with foil or parchment paper—it works real good.

What It Tastes Like Fresh From the Pot

Your first bite is all about that tender chicken falling apart real easy. Juicy, with a little bit of chew from the edges that got that broiled char.

Then your mouth catches the rich broth depth from the sauce soaked through every bite. The sweet soy mix with mirin and sake pulls the flavors into this dang good balance.

Finally, if you went full spicy with shichimi togarashi you feel a light kick that wakes up your tongue but doesn’t overpower the rest. It’s homey, tasty, and simple comfort all wrapped in one skewer.

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How to Store This for Later

If you got leftovers, cool your Yakitori at room temp first. You wanna get rid of heat before the fridge.

Wrap each skewer in foil or place in an airtight container so the chicken doesn’t dry out. Pop it in the fridge and eat within 3 to 4 days.

For a longer stash, freeze wrapped skewers in a ziplock bag. When you’re ready, thaw overnight in fridge and reheat under broiler or in a hot pan to get that char back.

You can also save the leftover sauce as a dip or pour it over rice the next day. Just keep it sealed and refrigerated, don’t let it hang out too long.

What People Always Ask Me

• Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs? You sure can but thighs stay juicier and handle pressure cooker heat better. Breasts might get dry.
• Can I make this gluten-free? Yep! Just swap soy sauce for gluten-free soy sauce. The flavor stays close enough.
• Is broiling necessary or can I skip it? Broiling gets that char that makes Yakitori special. Pressure cooker does tender but broiler brings texture you don’t wanna miss.
• How do I know when the chicken is done? Meat should be cooked through no pink inside. If you got a meat thermometer, aim for 165°F.
• Can I make the sauce ahead of time? Absolutely. It keeps well in the fridge for a week. Reheat before brushing on skewers.
• What if I don’t have skewers? You can cook pieces separate but it won’t have the same grilling vibe yakitori’s known for. Still tasty though!

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Yakitori Recipe 焼き鳥

This mouthwatering Yakitori recipe features juicy chicken and scallion skewers glazed with a savory-sweet sauce made from soy sauce, mirin, and sake. Perfectly broiled for a slight char, it brings authentic Japanese pub flavors to your kitchen.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 12 yakitori skewers

Calories 70 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Mixing bowl Large
• 1 Small saucepan
• 1 Wire rack
• 1 Baking sheet
• 1 Gun skewers or bamboo skewers

Ingredients

  

Main ingredients

• ½ cup soy sauce go gluten-free if needed
• ½ cup mirin for sweetness that’s not too much
• ¼ cup sake adds a rich depth
• ¼ cup water prevents sauce from getting too thick
• 2 teaspoon brown sugar packed and leveled off
• 2 Tokyo negi or 9 green onions cut into 1½ inch pieces
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs at room temperature
• Neutral oil for brushing the wire rack
• Shichimi togarashi optional, for spicy kick

Instructions

 

Instructions

• In a small saucepan combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, water, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10–15 minutes until slightly thick. Set aside and cool.
• Cut chicken thighs into 1 to 1½-inch chunks. Slice Tokyo negi or green onions into 1½ inch pieces.
• Thread chicken and onion alternately onto skewers, starting and ending with chicken.
• Preheat broiler, line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Brush rack with oil.
• Broil skewers 6–7 minutes. Flip and brush with sauce. Broil another 6–7 minutes. Flip again and brush with final glaze. Broil until slightly charred and cooked through.
• Remove and optionally brush with more sauce. Sprinkle shichimi togarashi if desired and serve immediately.

Notes

Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3–4 days or frozen. Reheat under broiler or in a hot pan to regain texture and warmth.