These teriyaki chicken skewers are inspired by the anime, The Apothecary Diaries, and it's official cookbook. The chicken skewers are juicy with crispy edges and coated in a delicious sweet and savory teriyaki glaze, packing each bite with flavor! They are easy to make, perfect for the grilling season, and just as delicious cooked on the stovetop. Enjoy them as appetizers or serve them over rice with your favorite veggies. For more anime food recreations, also check out our Marine Captain's Curry from One Piece and Pork Gyoza from Campfire Cooking in Another World!
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Ingredient notes and substitutions
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the ingredient quantities!
- Skin-on, deboned chicken thighs - We highly recommend using skin-on chicken thighs because the skin gives the skewers extra flavor and the fat helps to protect and keep the chicken juicy. Deboned, skin-on chicken thighs can be hard to find, so we've provided steps with photo guide below to help walk you through it!
- Salt
- Oil - Any neutral oil will do.
- Soy sauce - We used regular soy sauce.
- Sugar
- Sake or Chinese mijiu (clear rice wine) - Alcohol helps to get rid of any unwanted chicken-y smells and flavors. You can find sake and mijiu at most asian grocery stores. Chinese mijiu is usually kept in the dry aisle near vinegars and soy sauces. If you have Shaoxing rice wine, you can use that too. If you are trying to do without alcohol, you can use substitute with water instead.
- Water
- Chinese five spice powder - This adds a subtle Chinese BBQ flavor which goes really well with teriyaki sauce. If preferred, you can skip it.
- Shichimi togarashi and green onion (optional for serving) - Shichimi togarashi is a classic Japanese condiment that's mildly spicy, a little nutty, savory, a slightly citrusy. It's often added to udons and soba, rice bowls like gyudon, and grilled meat/yakitory.
How to debone chicken thighs
- Flip your chicken thigh skin-side down, and feel for the thigh bone. Run the tip of your knife over the bone to cut a slit.
- Using the tip of your knife, carve along both sides of the bone to reveal the bone. You can use your fingers to help dislodge the meat from the bone.
- Now remove the bone completely by cutting the flesh connected to the top and bottom of the bone.
- Trim the chicken thigh as necessary and feel around to make sure you didn't miss any bone fragments. Save the bones for chicken stock or discard them.
How to make teriyaki chicken skewers
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and instructions!
Prepare the chicken
Cut the chicken thighs into one inch (2.5cm), small bite-size pieces. Place them into a bowl and season with salt. Mix well and finish by mixing in the oil.
If you have time, you can let the chicken marinate for about 30 minutes. This is a good time to preheat your grill if you're grilling them.
Otherwise, go ahead an thread the chicken onto skewers. Also, if you're grilling, make sure to soak the skewers in water ahead of time.
Prepare the sauce
Combine all the ingredients for the sauce and mix until the sugar has dissolved. Set it aside until needed.
Cook the chicken skewers
Grill method: Arrange the chicken skewers on the preheated grill. Cook the skewers three-quarter of the way through, rotating it every so often. Then brushing each side with the prepared sauce every 30 seconds until the chicken is cooked through.
Stovetop method: Lightly grease a pan large enough for the skewers and place it over medium to medium-low heat. When the pan is hot, arrange the skewers in the pan and pan sear each side for 2-3 minutes, until they are light golden brown and about three-quarter of the way cooked.
At this point, add the prepared sauce and let the chicken skewers simmer in the sauce. Rotate and baste the chicken skewers every so often, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thicken and looks shiny.
If you're cooking on the stovetop and want some char, you can broil the skewers (after they're done being glazed in sauce) or char them with a kitchen torch.
Serve
Enjoy the chicken skewers while they're hot. If desired, garnish the skewers with some green onions and top with some shichimi togarashi for extra flavor and a mild kick.
🌟 Tips from our kitchen
✔ If you're using wood or bamboo skewers AND grilling the chicken skewers, make sure to presoak the skewers for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning.
✔ Cook the chicken skewers low and slow. Well, not super low, but you want to give the chicken skin time to render and become crispy and delicious! So keep it on medium or even medium low, depending on your stovetop.
Storage and reheating
Leftover chicken skewers can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days.
To reheat, cover and microwave the chicken until warmed through. If you used metal skewers, remove before heating.
Alternatively, you can heat them in a pan over medium heat with a couple tablespoons of water. Cover and let them steam until warmed through, about 3-5 minutes. At the last minute or so, uncover and let the residual water evaporate.
📖 Recipe
Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1½ pound skin-on chicken thighs deboned (about 4 boneless thighs per 1.5lb/680g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oil plus more as needed for cooking
- Sliced green onion optional for garnish
- Shichimi togarashi optional for serving
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons sake or Chinese mijiu (clear rice wine)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
Instructions
- Cut the chicken thighs into 1 inch (2.5cm), small bite-size, pieces. Try to be even with the skin. Then place the chicken into a bowl and season with salt. Mix well and finish by mixing in the oil. Thread the chicken chunks onto skewers.Optionally, let the chicken sit and marinate for about 30 minutes before skewering.1½ pound skin-on chicken thighs, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon oil
- If grilling, start preheating the grill on medium heat.
- In a bowl, make the sauce by mixing together all the sauce ingredients until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside until needed.2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sake, 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- Stovetop method:Lightly grease a pan large enough to fit the skewers and place it over medium to medium-low heat. Once the pan is hot, arrange the chicken skewers in the pan and cook on each side for about 2-3 minutes until lightly golden brown and about three-quarter (70-80%) of the way cooked through.As the chicken cooks, the skin will render and more fat will appear in the pan. Wipe away excess grease as needed with paper towels.
- Once the chicken is three-quarter of the way cooked, add the prepared sauce and let the chicken simmer in the sauce for about 5-7 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened and look glossy. Baste the chicken and rotate the skewers every so often.
- Grill method:When the grill is done preheating and is hot, place arrange the skewers on the grates. Rotate the skewers every so often. Once the chicken is about about three-quarter (70-80%) of the way cooked start brushing the chicken with the prepared sauce every 30 seconds, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve:If desired, garnish the chicken skewers with some sliced green onions and top with a sprinkle of togarashi for extra flavor and a little kick. Enjoy while warm.Sliced green onion, Shichimi togarashi
Notes
- If possible, we highly recommend using skin-on chicken thighs. The skin provides extra flavor and helps keep the chicken extra juicy. Skin-on, boneless chicken thighs can be hard to find, so we've included steps and photo guides to help guide you if you wish to debone your own chicken thighs. You can then freeze and save the bones for stocks!
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