Japanese Chicken Skewers - Negima Yakitori
Get these deliciously juicy Japanese chicken skewers (negima yakitori) on the table in just 20 mins! Featuring bite sized chicken and spring onion smothered in yakitori sauce.
Servings 6 skewers
Calories 102kcal
Cost $10
Equipment
- Large fry pan or cast iron skillet
- 6 bamboo skewers soaked in water for 20 mins prior
Ingredients
- 2 chicken thighs boneless, chopped into roughly 4 cm / 1.5 inch square pieces, sub chicken breast
- 6 spring onion / green onion white to light green section sliced into 4 cm / 1.5 inch lengths
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 tbsp yakitori sauce sub with teriyaki sauce
Instructions
- Thread chicken and spring onion / green onion pieces onto skewers. Tip: Make sure they’re pressed tightly together so they hold their shape and don’t fall off the skewer.2 chicken thighs, 6 spring onion / green onion
- their shape and don’t fall off the skewer.Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan or skillet over a medium high heat. Add the chicken skewers and cook for 3 minutes on each side, then cover and steam for another 5 minutes until almost cooked.1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Remove the chicken skewers and pour in the yakitori sauce. Turn the heat up and bring it to a boil – it should be bubbling quite a bit.6 tbsp yakitori sauce
- Return the skewers back into the pan and cook for another minute or two on each side, basting the sauce over the top as you go until it reduces and sticks to the skewers.
Notes
- Chicken - Thighs are best because they’re extra juicy and soak up all the flavour. You can use chicken breast if you prefer, they just won’t be quite as tender and juicy. Slice into even strips about 4 cm / 1.5 inch in width.
- Spring Onion / Green Onion - Also known as scallions or negi. Use the thicker stem end rather than the soft leaves. Trim to the width of the chicken pieces to make it easier to flip the skewers while cooking.
- Yakitori Sauce - Make your own or use a store bought brand such as Kikkoman. If making your own, feel free to experiment with the quantity of each ingredient until the flavour is just how you like it. Sub with teriyaki sauce if you already have some on hand.
- Skewers – Regular skewers work fine, you may like to use two per yakitori to make it easier to flip them while cooking. If you have flat cocktail skewers these are even easier to cook with. Soak them in water for around 20 mins beforehand to prevent the bamboo from burning as you cook.
- Thread Tightly – Thread the bite-sized pieces of chicken and spring onion tightly onto the skewer, as they will shrink while they cook.
- Soak Up Oil – Juices and oil can splatter when cooking these skewers in a frying pan, so use a piece of paper towel to soak up excess oil as you go.
- Serving - Baste one last time with any leftover cooked sauce from the pan for an extra glossy shine!
- Dipping Sauce – Feel free to serve fresh unused yakitori sauce in clean bowls for dipping, or sub with any of your favourite Japanese sauces.
Nutrition
Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 720mg | Potassium: 151mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 149IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg