Easy Yakitori with Chicken Meatball Skewers

Yakitori seems to be the most favorite Japanese street food, especially in Tokyo. It was everywhere, from bustling street vendors to cozy restaurants tucked away in narrow alleys. Tokyo has over 7,000 yakitori restaurants. That’s a huge number for a dish. I love this dish too. It reminds me of the skewered chicken I usually have at a BBQ.

Yaktori recipe

Yakitori is a Japanese skewered chicken. It is traditionally grilled over charcoal with a distinct smokiness to the skewers. “Yaki” means grilled or cooked, and “tori” means bird or chicken.

The skewers are often brushed with yakitori sauce – a.k.a tare (a combination of soy sauce, sugar, sake, and mirin) during the grilling process to build layers of flavor. This creates a perfect balance of char, sweetness, and umami.

You can find the flavorful dish everywhere in Japan, from street food vendors to small shops to izakayas (Japanese pubs) to restaurants. The Japanese also use the dish as a main topping for donburi dishes (yakitori don). What surprised me was that they use almost every part of the chicken to make yakitori.

I decided to make the skewered chicken for the BBQ with an electric grill. I used chicken wings (tebasaki) and meatball (tsukune) skewers. These skewers don’t capture the same aroma and texture as charcoal-cooked yakitori I had in Japan. However, they’re still good.

Here is how to make DIY yakitori grill indoor:

Yakitori with chicken wings and chicken meatballs

A symphony of taste with every bite

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Asian, Japanese

Servings 4 skewers

Nutrition

Calories: 388kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 34gFat: 20g

Ingredients

  

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Chicken wing skewers

• 2 lbs chicken wings
• Skewers wooden or metal

For the tare

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sake
• 1/2 cup mirin
• 2 tbsp sugar

Chicken meatball skewers

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sake Japanese rice wine
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Bamboo skewers soaked in water

Instructions

 

Make the tare glaze

• In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar.
• Bring to a simmer and reduce until slightly thickened (about 7–10 mins). Set aside.

Chicken wing skewers

• Preheat your grill or oven to medium-high heat.
• Cut the chicken wings into drumettes and flats, then thread them onto skewers.
• Brush the wings with the marinade and grill for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally and basting with more marinade.
• Continue cooking until the wings are cooked through and have a nice char.

Chicken meatball skewers

• In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, green onions, panko breadcrumbs, egg, soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix the ingredients thoroughly.
• Chill 10–15 minutes for easier shaping.
• Wet your hands to prevent sticking and shape the mixture into small, oval-shaped meatballs. Thread the meatballs onto the soaked bamboo skewers.
• Cook skewers over medium heat on a grill or pan (with a bit of oil), turning until browned and cooked through (~8–10 mins).
• Brush with tare sauce during last couple of turns for caramelization.
• Garnish with additional chopped green onions or sesame seeds (optional)

Keyword homemade, japanese, skewer, street food

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Pairing suggestions

These Japanese grilled chicken skewers pair well with sides like Japanese pickles (tsukemono), miso soup, and rice ball onigiri. Fresh options include Japanese-style salads, steamed rice, and grilled vegetables like shiitake mushrooms or shishito peppers.

You can try edamame or cucumber sunomono or wasabi potato salad. For beverages, sake or wine complements the meal perfectly.

Types of yakitori

Here are some popular types of yakitori:

1. Negima is a classic yakitori chicken skewer. It alternates between pieces of chicken and negi (Japanese green onions).
2. Tsukune is a chicken meatball skewer.
3. Momo features skewered chicken thighs, offering juicy and flavorful bites. Momo is a favorite due to its tender texture.
4. Nankotsu is a skewer with chicken cartilage. I love its crunchy texture and the flavors.
5. Torikawa or kawa is made of chicken skin.
6. Seseri is chicken neck skewers with a rich, flavorful taste.
7. Bonjiri refers to a skewered chicken tail. It’s appreciated for its unique flavor and texture.
8. Tebasaki features chicken wings, offering a mix of crispy skin and tender meat. It’s one of my favorite yakitori.
9. Hasami is chicken skewer with gizzard and spring onion.
10. Shiro is skewered chicken intestines. It offers a chewy and rich flavor.
11. Rebā consists of skewered chicken liver.
12. Hāto / Hatsu or Kokoro is a skewered chicken heart. It boasts a unique taste and a slightly firmer texture compared to other cuts.
13. Sunagimo or zuri is skewered chicken with gizzards. The skewer can be grilled to a crispy texture, providing a delightful chewiness.
14. Mune is a chicken breast meat skewer. It’s known for its lean and slightly firmer texture compared to other cuts.
15. Yotsumi is a skewer with a mix of pieces of chicken breast.
16. Sasami consists of skewered chicken fillet or tenderloin. It has a mild, clean flavor.
17. Toriniku generally is a skewer with all white meat.