Chicken Yakitori (Air Fryer & Oven)

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This easy chicken yakitori recipe made with juicy chicken thighs marinated in an easy sweet and savory sauce are cooked to perfection in the air fryer (or the oven). The chicken is threaded onto skewers with green onions before cooking.

Chicken skewers with green onions and teriyaki sauce.

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What is Chicken Yakitori?
Why You Will Love Japanese Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
How to Make Yakitori Chicken
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
More Japanese Recipes
Chicken Yakitori (Air Fryer or Oven)

What is Chicken Yakitori?

Yakitori is the Japanese phrase for grilled (yaki) fowl (tori). In most cases chicken is marinated and then cooked over the grill on skewers.

I love eating Chicken Yakitori, but I don’t always have the patience to cook it on the BBQ with coals, even though the charcoal version is more fragrant. This quick air-fryer version (oven version also included in the recipe card) works great so you can have tasty chicken skewers at home.

The yakitori sauce is super easy to make and the only hard part is putting the chicken on the skewers. If you’re not feeling skewers or you don’t have the sticks on hand, you can cook your chicken by itself in the oven. It would make a yummy chicken teriyaki rice bowl as well.

Want to try more Asian-inspired recipes to cook in your air fryer? I think you will love this Taiwanese fried chicken, Korean Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer, and Shrimp Toast.

Why You Will Love Japanese Chicken Skewers

Appetizer or Main Dish. These Japanese chicken skewers make a delicious appetizer for parties or BBQs but also will work as a main dish when served with your favorite side dishes.
Easy to Make. Cooking Japanese chicken yakitori in the air fryer or oven saves you time and the prep is pretty quick too.
Great Flavor. The sweet and savory marinade infuses the chicken thighs with so much flavor.

Ingredients

Chicken thigh: I recommend using boneless thighs with skin. The skin keeps the chicken moist as it cooks and adds flavor.
Green onions: Piece of green onion are layered with the chicken on the skewers infusing a mild onion flavor into the chicken as it cooks.
Ginger and garlic: Add aromatic flavor to the marinade. Be sure to grate it rather than chopping. The finer consistency will infuse more of the flavor into the marinade.
Soy sauce: Gives the marinade saltiness and savoriness.
Mirin: A golden sweet wine made from glutinous rice that adds sweetness and flavor. You can often find it in well-stocked grocery stores or an Asian market.
Sugar: For a bit of additional sweetness.
Sake: A wine made from rice it’s used in Japanese cooking to add flavor. Check your local Asian market to buy it.
Bamboo skewers: You will also need these for cooking the chicken skewers. Make sure to get a size that will fit in your air fryer basket. However, if they’re too long you can cut them.
Garnish and for serving: Roasted sesame seeds and extra dipping sauce.

How to Make Yakitori Chicken

These Japanese skewers need a bit of time to soak the skewers and marinate but requires very little hands-on time to make.

Cooking marinade in a pot with garlic, ginger and soy sauce.

Step 1: Soak the bamboo sticks in water for 30 minutes while you’re prepping the marinade and chicken pieces.

Step 2: Make the marinade. Combine the grated ginger and garlic with the soy sauce, mirin, water, sugar, and sake in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes until the sauce starts bubbling and thickens. Set it aside to cool for about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Add the cooled marinade to the chicken and marinate for 15-30 minutes. Cut the green onions in 3 inch pieces.

Step 4: Add a piece of chicken to the skewer followed by 1-2 green onions. Repeat until the chicken reaches the end of the stick.

Chicken skewers with green onion in the air fryer basket.

Brushing sauce on chicken skewers in the air fryer.

Step 5: Cut a piece of parchment paper or foil to fit your air fryer (for easy clean up). Add the skewers to the basket and cook for 3-4 minutes at 425 degrees F.

Step 6: Brush sauce on top of the chicken and then flip them over and brush sauce on the other side. Cook for 3-4 minutes on 450 degrees F or until slightly charred.

To serve, brush more sauce over the top and garnish with sesame seeds! Hope you enjoy!

Expert Tips

Cut the chicken in to similar sized pieces. This allows for even cooking of your yakitori skewers.
Save some of the marinade. Use a half cup to marinate the chicken for the skewers and the other half cup for during and after cooking to brush over the chicken. Any extras can be served on the side as a dipping sauce with your Japanese chicken yakitori.
Soak your wooden skewers. It will take about thirty minutes but is important to keep them from burning while the chicken skewers cook in the air fryer.
Cool the marinade before adding the chicken.
Discard the marinade left in the dish after marinating the chicken only use the fresh half cup of marinade for brushing and serving as a sauce.

Recipe FAQs

How can I make chicken yakitori without an air fryer?

Place the chicken skewers on parchment paper on a sheet pan. I recommend to cook at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-4 minutes on one side. Add sauce, flip it over and cook for 3-4 minutes or until your desired char 🙂

Can I make this recipe vegetarian?

Yes, you can substitute the chicken with some cut tofu or shiitake mushrooms. I recommend to dry the tofu and mushrooms with a paper towel and get the water moisture out. Then you can add the same marinade to ensure the tofu or mushroom soaks up the yummy sauce and tastes flavorful.

What dishes do I serve with yakitori skewers?

Enjoy it with some spicy salmon sushi or this tofu sushi, and some yaki onigiri to start off a meal or for a few small plates. This hijiki seaweed salad and one pot mushroom rice or steamed rice also make great side dishes when serving chicken yakitori skewers for a meal.