We are having an engagement party for our son and his fiancé in a couple of weeks so we are testing a couple of new appetizers. Chicken Yakitori definitely made the short list.
This recipe is easy but does take a little preparation. You need to cut the chicken into small strips and also soak the skewers if you are using wooded ones like we did. You don’t have to marinate the chicken, but I did so that I got deeper flavors. Be careful not to marinate the chicken more than an hour because the chicken will “cook” in the marinade and will crumble on the grill.
We served this with a bright cucumber salad that went perfectly with the spices of ginger and the sweet Mirin. Speaking of Mirin, it can be a bit costly for a condiment but it’s worth. Mirin is an essential element in Japanese cooking; it’s like Sake but with a lower alcohol content and it is much sweeter.
Chicken Yakitori With Cucumber Salad
You can make these for a crowd or just for a couple. They don’t need to be served hot, in fact, we prefer them at room temperature.
- Prep Time: 1 1/2 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minute
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 1 lb skinless/boneless chicken breasts, cut into long think strips
- 1/4 Mirin
- 1/4 low sodium soy sauce (I always use low sodium but you can use regular too)
- 3 TBS brown sugar
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1 TBS fresh grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Black and white sesame seeds (optional)
For the Sauce (this sauce is very spicy; to cut down on spice, omit the red pepper flakes)
- 1/4 Mirin
- 1/4 low sodium soy sauce
- 3 TBS brown sugar
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1 TBS fresh grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the Cucumber Salad
- 1 large English cucumber
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 TBS granulated sugar
- Black and white sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
For the Chicken
- Mix together the Mirin, soy, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes.
- Pour the mixture into a large zip top bag and add chicken.
- Marinate the chicken in the sauce, in the refrigerator for not more than 1 hour.
- While the chicken is marinating, soak 10-12 long wooden skewers in water. (If you are using metal skewers, omit this step.)
- Thread the chicken strips on to the skewers. (HINT: Pat dry the skewers and then spray with non-stick cooking spray so they don’t stick to the skewer after cooking.)
- Grill the chicken skewers until they are cooked. You are looking for a nice char due to the sugars in the marinade.
For the Sauce
- Mix together the Mirin, soy, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes in a small stove top pot.
- Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Cook for about 10 minutes until it reduces.
For the Cucumber Salad
- Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, cut the cucumber vertically into long thin strips.
- Add vinegar and sugar to a bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves (this may take a few minutes).
- Toss cucumbers and dressing together.
- Sprinkle with black and white sesame seeds
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