Serves 4
480 min
Sweet-and-Sour Grilled Chicken Skewers (Yakitori Nanbansu)
Recipe GLPR11dc1b98fdc4ca
Tender chicken pieces grilled to golden perfection and glazed in a tangy-sweet Japanese nanbansu sauce of rice vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar. These authentic yakitori skewers are marinated for hours to develop deep flavor, then grilled over high heat until the exteriors crisp while interiors remain juicy. Serve with extra sauce for dipping and optional spicy shichimi togarashi or yuzu kosho for heat and complexity.
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Ingredients
½ cup Rice vinegar
½ cup Mirin
¼ cup Soy sauce
¼ cup Sugar
1 pound Boneless, skinless chicken breast and/or thighs, cut into 1½- to 2-inch pieces
Shichimi togarashi or yuzu kosho, for serving (optional)
Directions
Prepare the nanbansu sauce by combining the rice vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar in a small saucepan. Set the pan over medium heat and stir constantly until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 3–5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Set aside 2/3 cup (plus 1 tablespoon) for marinating and reserve the remainder for dipping at the table. The sauce can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Place the chicken pieces into a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag (if using both breast and thigh meat, marinate them in separate bags). Divide the 2/3 cup marinade proportionally between the bags (use 2/3 cup total if using one bag, or 1/3 cup per bag if using two). Press out as much air as possible and seal. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or up to overnight, to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat.
About 45 minutes before grilling, soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from charring excessively on the grill. Prepare your grill for high-heat cooking: if using charcoal, light one full chimney and allow the coals to become completely covered with gray ash, then spread them evenly across half of the grill grate. If using gas, preheat with half the burners set to high for 5 minutes. Clean and lightly oil the cooking grate with a paper towel and neutral oil.
Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator. Thread 5 to 6 pieces of chicken onto each soaked skewer, packing the pieces snugly together so they are touching. This contact helps keep the interior moist while allowing the exterior to develop a crispy, caramelized crust. Keep breast and thigh pieces on separate skewers if you marinated them separately.
Place the loaded skewers over the hot side of the grill (where coals are concentrated or gas burners are on high). Grill with the lid open, turning the skewers frequently every 2–3 minutes to ensure even cooking and browning on all sides. Continue until the chicken is well browned and caramelized on the outside and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, about 10 minutes total. If any skewers begin to char excessively, slide them to the cooler side of the grill to finish cooking gently.
Transfer the grilled chicken skewers to a serving platter. Pour the reserved nanbansu sauce into small individual dipping bowls. Serve the skewers hot alongside the sauce for dipping. If desired, sprinkle shichimi togarashi over the skewers for heat, or stir a small amount of yuzu kosho into the sauce for added complexity and spice.
