Keep chicken separate from other kitchen items as to avoid any cross contamination. Wash hands after touching raw meat as well.
Carefully cut chicken from thigh bones into 1" x 1/4" thick strips. Or, cut chicken breasts into 1" x 1/4" strips or, a bit thicker. Reserve bones. Place chicken in fridge until ready to construct skewers.
IGNORE THIS STEP IF USING BONELESS CHICKEN BREASTS: Place bones on a tinfoil lined sheet and broil bones for 10 minutes turning them as needed. This is an important step for authenticity and fullest flavor.
Transfer broiled bones to a saucepan and add soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, pepper, green parts of scallions, garlic, ginger, and 1 cup water to make your Tare Sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 1 hour. Pour through a fine strainer into a bowl. Let yakitori sauce cool.
Discard bones and scallions.
Soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes in water. Or, clean and set your metal skewers to the side.
Construct skewers. On 6" wooden skewers, [traditional] stagger 4 pieces chicken meat and 3 scallions. On long metal skewers, thread chicken and scallions until skewers are fully loaded.
Get a cleaned charcoal grill heated. When flames have died down and coals are lit, place chicken skewers on grill. Baste with sauce and turn continually for about 6 minutes. If grilling longer skewers, follow the same directions but grill 6 to 10 minutes basting regularly.
Baste chicken before serving. Serve with sticky rice and cold beer. Enjoy!
In Yakitori, almost every part of the chicken is utilized. Here are some additional options. Chicken Skin (kawa) Chicken Tender (sasami) Chicken Wings (tebasaki) Chicken Tail (bonjiri) Chicken Liver (reba) Chicken Gizzard (sunagimo) Chicken Meatball (tsukune) and Chicken Intestines.
Authors Note: You will not receive that authentic Yakitori flavor you're looking for by brining your chicken, gas grilling, pan searing or broiling your chicken. For authenticity, grill only over charcoal.
