The OG yakitori. Chicken thigh and scallion chunks grilled over screaming-hot coals, glazed with sweet-savory tare. Each bite delivers char, smoke, and the onion's caramelized bite.←Back to Taco Base Recipes
1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
8 whole scallions (white and light green parts), cut into 1-inch pieces
0.5 cup soy sauce
0.5 cup mirin
0.25 cup sake
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp avocado oil
8 whole bamboo skewers (8-10 inches), soaked in water 30 minutes
Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by half and glossy, 8-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Thread chicken and scallion pieces alternately onto skewers, starting and ending with chicken. You should get 4-5 pieces of each per skewer.
Brush skewers lightly with avocado oil on all sides.
Grill over high direct heat (500°F+), turning every 45-60 seconds. After 4 minutes, start brushing with tare glaze every time you turn. Grill until chicken is charred at the edges and registers 165°F, 6-8 minutes total.
Let rest 1 minute. Use a warm tortilla as a glove to grip the skewer tip and slide the chicken and scallions off in one smooth motion.
Chef's Notes
The purists will tell you these skewers belong over screaming-hot binchotan charcoal in a proper robata setup—and they're right. That ancient Japanese technique delivers unmatched smoky char and caramelization. Learn the full art at [taco.ninja/techniques/robata](https://taco.ninja/techniques/robata). For the home cook: crank your grill to 500°F+ and don't walk away. Turn every 45-60 seconds for even char. The tare should reduce until it's glossy and clings to the chicken without dripping. Make extra—you'll want it on everything.
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