Japanese · main

Chicken Yakitori Skewers

Chicken Yakitori Skewers reads umami 6.8, sweetness 6.0 and salinity 5.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Japanese main, about 26 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.6 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 6.4 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.7 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.8 · Sweetness 6.0 · Salinity 5.5 · Allium 3.9 · Richness 3.7 · Nutty 3.3 · Funk & Ferment 3.0 · Herbaceous 2.3 · Warm Spice 2.2 · Floral 1.4 · Fruity 1.3 · Sourness 1.1 · Bitterness 1.0 · Earthy 1.0 · Citrus 0.9 · Smoke 0.6

What's in it (11)

• boneless chicken — 907 g
• scallions — 600 g
• soybean soy sauce — 118 g
• mirin — 118 g
• dry sherry — 59 g
• granulated sugar — 38 g
• garlic — 6 g
• ginger — 15 g
• salt — 5 g
• vegetable oil — 14 g
• ground toasted sesame seeds — 5 g

Time & effort: about 26 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 103.6 kcal, 15.6 g protein, 2.4 g fat, 5.6 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes so they don't scorch on the grill. While they soak, cut the chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces and the scallions into 1-inch lengths.
2. Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sherry, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and lightly syrupy, reduced to about 3/4 cup, 12-15 minutes. Off the heat, divide the tare between two bowls: one for basting on the grill, one for serving.
3. Thread the chicken and scallion pieces alternately onto the skewers, packing them snugly, about 5-6 pieces of chicken per skewer.
4. Season the skewers evenly on all sides with the kosher salt.
5. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high, about 450 F, and brush the grates with the vegetable oil.
6. Grill the skewers, turning every 2-3 minutes, until lightly charred on all sides, about 8 minutes.
7. During the last few turns, baste generously with the basting tare each time you flip, until the chicken is deeply lacquered and reaches 165 F internal, 3-4 minutes more.
8. Transfer the skewers to a platter, brush with the reserved serving tare, and finish with the toasted sesame seeds.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Korean-Style Marinated Skirt Steak With Grilled Scallions — Korean
• Sweet and Sour Yellow River Carp (Tang Cu Li Yu) — Chinese · Shandong
• Agedashi Tofu (揚げ出し豆腐) — Japanese
• Di San Xian (Three Earthly Treasures) — Chinese · Dongbei
• Gong Bao Chicken (Gong Bao Ji Ding) — Chinese · Sichuan

Keep reading: what umami, sweetness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.