Easy Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Deliciously easy teriyaki chicken skewers are perfect for a busy day when your family needs a treat. These succulent, kid-approved skewers can be made in either the oven or the grill.
These skewers came about thanks to my youngest son. He can be a picky eater and he hates packed lunches. So, it used to be a real struggle coming up with lunches he would actually eat and enjoy.
Finally, he and I settled on bento boxes. We concocted menus together, and I agreed to get up 15 minutes earlier to make onigiri (Japanese rice balls with fillings) and other treats he enjoys. One of his favourites is mini chicken teriyaki patties. These are great for me too because they are easy to prep, freeze, and finish before school in the morning.
With the pandemic, my son hasn’t been to school since March. So, I’ve had a reprieve from creative lunches. However, my son was missing the flavours in those little teriyaki bites. So, we decided to put them on a stick and share them with the rest of the family.
For an easy recipe, this one packs a terrific flavour punch. And, there’s no chilli in it whatsoever. Nonetheless, my entire chilli loving family adores these easy skewers. So, it makes a quick, busy day meal the whole family enjoys — which is always a win.
What Is Mirin?
Mirin (味醂 or みりん in Japanese) is a condiment that’s an important part of the flavour profile of these teriyaki chicken skewers. However, if you’ve never used it before, you may be scratching your head. What on earth is mirin
If you’ve ever visited a Japanese restaurant, you will probably recognise the fragrance of mirin
It’s much lower in alcohol content than traditional rice wine and higher in sugar. So, mirin
About this Recipe
Teriyaki chicken skewers are very easy to make. Nonetheless, I have a few suggestions to help you achieve the best results every time you make them!
Soak the Skewers
If you’re using bamboo skewers
Cut the Chicken Evenly
One of the biggest mistakes you can make with skewers is varying the size of the meat pieces too much. Cutting the meat into equal-sized pieces is not just to keep it looking pretty, it also ensures that all the pieces of meat cook through at about the same time. Otherwise, some pieces might wind up raw (not a good idea), while others might be overcooked.
How Long Must I Marinate the Meat?
There are no hard and fast rules for marinating. If you are pushed for time, you can leave the meat in the marinade for an hour or two. However, if you put the meat in the marinade the night before, it will have more time to absorb the flavours. So, you can adjust the marinating time to suit your schedule. However, ideally, I would leave the meat cubes to marinate in the fridge overnight.
I hope your family enjoys these easy teriyaki chicken skewers every bit as much as mine does. Bon appétit!
Easy Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
- 8 20 cm bamboo skewers, soaked in water for an hour
- 500 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 breasts), cut into 2.5 cm cubes
- 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 2.5 cm cubes
- 1 small yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 2.5 cm cubes
- 1/2 small red onion, peeled, cut into 2.5 cm cubes, petals separated
For the Marinade
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons mirin
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
For the Glaze
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 1/2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon sugar
To Garnish
- 1 spring onion, thinly sliced on the bias (optional)
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Stir together the marinade ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Then, add the chicken cubes to the bowl. Toss to coat. Cover the bowl tightly with cling film and pop it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight.
- When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 200º C or fire up the grill. Then, thread the chicken, bell peppers, and onions onto the skewers, alternating, and leaving a bit of space between the ingredients to facilitate even cooking.
- Set skewers aside and pop the glaze ingredients into a small saucepan set over medium heat. Allow the glaze to cook until the sugar dissolves and it thickens slightly. (Keep an eye on the stove, the glaze can bubble over very quickly.) Then, remove it from the heat and set it aside.
- To Bake in the Oven. Arrange the skewers on a lined baking sheet. Pop them in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes, turning halfway through.
- To Grill. Set your grill up for direct cooking and preheat it to about 200º. Place the skewers on the grill grate and cook, turning frequently until the chicken is nicely browned on all sides and cooked through, about 12-15 minutes.
- When the skewers are finished cooking, remove them from the grill or the oven, brush generously with the glaze, garnish (if using) and serve immediately.
Notes
The safe internal temperature for cooked chicken is 75º C. When in doubt, use an instant-read thermometer, and check the thickest piece of meat.