Recipe Chicken yakitori with homemade tare sauce

Discover how to prepare yakitori, those grilled Japanese skewers, accompanied by a homemade tare sauce that sublimates their taste. Perfect for an aperitif or a convivial meal, yakitori are easy to make at home.

Ingredients

• 500 g boneless chicken thighs
• 2 leeks or 6 chives (negima)
• Bamboo skewers (approx. 12, soaked in water)
• 100 ml soy sauce
• 50 ml mirin
• 50 ml cooking sake
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)
• 1 piece fresh ginger (2 cm), grated (optional)

Directions

1. Cut the chicken into regular pieces (approx. 2-3 cm) for even cooking. Cut the leeks or chives into 3 cm chunks.
2. Alternate on each skewer a piece of chicken and a piece of leek/cibola. Repeat until the skewers are full.
3. In a saucepan, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar. Add garlic and ginger if desired. Heat over medium heat and reduce for 10-15 minutes until slightly syrupy. Set aside.
4. Preheat a grill, frying pan or barbecue. Lightly brush skewers with tare sauce before grilling. Cook skewers for 4-5 minutes on each side, brushing with sauce each time you turn, until golden brown.
5. Arrange the skewers on a platter and serve immediately, with the remaining tare sauce on the side.