Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Eight grilled chicken skewers with cooked and cooled homemade teriyaki sauce divided for marinating, basting, and serving.
Equipment
- 8 skewers, metal or wooden
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 1 cup water cold
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup soy sauce low-sodium preferred
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger minced
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
For the skewers
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8 skewers
- sesame seeds optional, for garnish
- green onion chopped, optional, for garnish
As Needed
- neutral cooking oil as needed for grill grates
- water as needed for soaking wooden skewers or loosening sauce
Instructions
Method
- Whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch into 1 cup cold water. Add to a saucepan with the brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, rice vinegar, ginger, honey, and sesame oil; simmer over medium heat, stirring, for 3–5 minutes until glossy and thickened.
- Transfer sauce to a shallow heat-safe container and cool until no longer warm, about 20 minutes with refrigeration as needed. Use half for the chicken; divide the other half equally between separate basting and serving bowls.
- Coat 2 lb chicken cut into 1-inch cubes with the marinade half; cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Soak 8 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes concurrently, or use metal skewers.
- Thread chicken evenly onto 8 skewers; preheat grill to medium, about 350–400°F, and lightly oil the grates. Grill for about 10–15 minutes, turning every 3–4 minutes and brushing with the basting portion near the end, until the thickest pieces reach 165°F.
- Discard raw-chicken marinade and leftover basting sauce. Serve 2 skewers per portion with the untouched serving sauce and optional sesame seeds and green onion.
Notes
- Refrigerate promptly at 40°F or below; use within 3 days.
- Reheat cooked leftovers to 165°F.