Chicken Yakitori (Air Fryer or Oven)

This easy chicken yakitori recipe made with juicy chicken thighs marinated in an easy sweet and savory sauce are cooked to perfection in the air fryer (or the oven). The chicken is threaded onto skewers with green onions before cooking.

PREP TIME

45minutes mins

COOK TIME

15minutes mins

TOTAL TIME

1hour hr

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken thigh (skin-on preferred) cut in 1 inch pieces

5-6 green onions cut in 3 inch pieces

15-20 bamboo wooden skewers soaked in water

½ cup marinade

½ cup sauce** (see notes) for brushing and dipping

marinade & sauce (makes 1 cup sauce)

1 teaspoon ginger grated

3-4 garlic cloves grated

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup mirin

½ tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoon sake

¼ cup water

garnish

roasted sesame seeds

sauce brush on after cooking

Instructions

Soak bamboo sticks in water for 30 minutes. After you start prepping the marinade and chicken, it will be around 30 minutes ◡̈

Grate ginger and garlic cloves and set aside.

To make the marinade, add grated ginger, grated garlic, soy sauce, mirin, water, sugar, and sake in a saucepan. Heat marinade on saucepan on medium heat for 7-8 minutes until the sauce starts bubbling and thickens. Cool marinade for 10 minutes.

Cut chicken thigh in 1 inch pieces. Make sure the marinade has cooled down and add ½ cup of the marinade to the chicken. Marinate for 15-30 minutes.

Cut green onions in 3 inch pieces. Get your skewer and add a piece of chicken then add 1-2 green onions. Repeat until the chicken reaches the end of the stick.

Cut parchment paper or foil to fit your air fryer (see above for baking instructions). Cook skewers for 3-4 minutes on 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

After 5 minutes, brush sauce on top. Flip over and brush sauce on the other side (both sides sauced!). Cook for 3-4 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit until slightly charred.

To serve, brush some sauce at the top and garnish with sesame seeds.

Oven Instructions

Place the chicken skewers on parchment paper or foil on a sheet pan. Cook at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-4 minutes on one side. Add sauce, flip it over and cook on broil 2-3 minutes or until your desired char.