Homemade Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Perfect for Solo Drinks! Homemade Teriyaki Chicken Skewers Recipe
Craving delicious chicken skewers that rival those from your favorite restaurant? Instead of settling for less-than-ideal value, make them yourself at home! These skewers feature juicy chicken thigh meat coated in a sweet and savory homemade teriyaki sauce, easily prepared in the oven or on a pan. They’re the ultimate accompaniment to a cold beer!
Chicken Skewer Ingredients
- 350g boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat
- 1 Tbsp Mirin (sweet rice wine)
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1/2 bell pepper (use different colors for visual appeal)
- 1 stalk green onion (white bulb part)
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- 200mL water
- 10-15g dried kelp (kombu)
- 100mL sugar
- 100mL soy sauce
- 100mL Mirin (sweet rice wine)
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 green onion (mainly white parts)
- 1/3 carrot
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- 200mL water
- 10-15g dried kelp (kombu)
- 100mL sugar
- 100mL soy sauce
- 100mL Mirin (sweet rice wine)
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 green onion (mainly white parts)
- 1/3 carrot
- 4-5 cloves garlic
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the boneless chicken thigh meat for the skewers. If you enjoy chicken skin, you can leave it on; otherwise, feel free to remove it. Leaving the skin on will make the skewers more savory and delicious when grilled.
Step 2
In a bowl, combine the prepared chicken thigh meat with 1 tablespoon of Mirin and a pinch of black pepper. Gently massage the ingredients into the chicken. Let it marinate for about 10 minutes; this helps to remove any gamey odor and tenderize the meat.
Step 3
Prepare the vegetables for the teriyaki sauce. Wash the onion, green onion, and carrot, then peel and chop them into large pieces. Peel the garlic cloves. (Note: Garlic was missing from the photo – be sure to include it!)
Step 4
In a pan, add the roughly chopped onion, green onion, and carrot. Sauté over medium heat. Charring the vegetables slightly, as if you’re almost burning them, will deepen the sauce’s flavor.
Step 5
In a pot, bring 200mL of water to a boil. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, immediately turn off the heat and remove the dried kelp. Boiling the kelp for too long can result in a bitter taste.
Step 6
To the kelp-infused water, add 100mL of sugar, 100mL of soy sauce, and 100mL of Mirin. Stir well until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once the sugar has melted, return the pot to the stove and heat over medium-low heat.
Step 7
Add the charred vegetables (onion, green onion, carrot) and whole garlic cloves to the saucepot. Simmer the sauce until its volume reduces by half, stirring occasionally. This process should take about 10-15 minutes.
Step 8
Once the sauce has thickened and reduced, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Press down on the solids to extract all the flavorful sauce. Your smooth and glossy teriyaki sauce is now ready!
Step 9
Prepare the ingredients for skewering. Cut the chicken thigh meat into bite-sized pieces. Chop the white bulb part of the green onion and the bell pepper into similar sizes. Using bell peppers of various colors will make the skewers more visually appealing.
Step 10
Thread the prepared chicken and vegetables onto skewers, arranging them attractively. For stability, place pieces of green onion at the very top and bottom of the skewer. This will help hold the chicken and bell pepper pieces securely in place while cooking.
Step 11
Using a brush, generously coat both sides of the skewered ingredients with the prepared teriyaki sauce. Ensure an even coating so the sauce can permeate the chicken well.
Step 12
Place the chicken skewers in an oven preheated to 190-200°C (375-400°F) and bake for 10 minutes. Adjust the cooking time based on your oven’s performance.
Step 13
After 10 minutes, carefully remove the skewers from the oven. Brush them again with teriyaki sauce on both sides. Flip the skewers and return them to the oven for another 10 minutes. This will result in skewers that are slightly crisp on the outside and wonderfully juicy on the inside!
Step 14
Enjoy your delicious homemade chicken skewers while they’re warm! They make a fantastic snack or appetizer, perfect for enjoying with a drink or as a treat for the family.
