Teriyaki Chicken Skewers are the best chicken you’ve ever had, marinated in teriyaki sauce and grilled to perfection. Enjoy with steaming rice with a sprinkling of chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
The best-grilled teriyaki chicken skewers
This recipe asks for boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts if you don’t have thighs) marinated in teriyaki sauce for a few hours in the fridge. After marinating in those delectable teriyaki flavors, they are grilled for a delightful barbecued Asian supper.
The chicken is saturated with a teriyaki taste after being marinated. When you cook them on the grill, they get the best-grilled taste from the barbecue.
For Teriyaki Chicken Skewers, you will need:
Chicken Thighs/Breasts: No-bone, skinless chicken thighs, and breasts. The recipe calls for chicken, and while chicken breasts will work, thighs will yield the best results.
Water: Needed for teriyaki sauce.
Soy sauce: As for the soy sauce, I suggest Kikkoman’s low-sodium soy sauce. After trying several brands, I can say that this one is my favorite.
Cornstarch: Glazed teriyaki sauce? Cornstarch is your friend.
Cloves of garlic: For the greatest results, use fresh garlic in this dish.
Ginger: For this recipe, I used fresh ginger, but you can also use ground if needed. Reduce the quantity in half and proceed as usual.
Brown sugar: Either the light or dark variety will do the trick.
Honey: Adds another layer of sweetness
Sesame Oil: Make sure to use good quality pure sesame oil for the best results.
Rice Vinegar: You can use white wine vinegar instead.
Skewers: To prevent burning while grilling, soak the skewers in water.
Green Onion and sesame seeds: this is an optional topping.
To make this recipe gluten-free (you should use these ingredients instead):
- Use Tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) in place of soy sauce.
- Pure cornstarch is 100% naturally gluten-free. You can also use rice flour as another gluten-free option.
To make Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Step 1: Sauce first: Mix cornstarch and water. Add the remaining ingredients and cornstarch/water mixture to a medium pot. Simmer sauce, stirring often. Let the sauce thicken. The color of the sauce will be a quite deep brown. After the sauce thickens, remove from heat and chill (faster if refrigerated).
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Step 2: Place diced chicken in a big ziplock bag when the sauce cools. Shake chicken with half the sauce. Marinate chicken in the fridge for 30 minutes. Save leftover sauce.
Step 3: After marinating, skewer the chicken and cook on medium heat.
Step 4: Place skewers on a lightly greased grill when hot. Turn the skewers every 3-4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165 degrees), about 20-30 minutes. Baste the final few turns with teriyaki sauce.
Step 5: Serve with chopped green onion and sesame seeds if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to serve with teriyaki grilled chicken skewers?
Chicken skewers marinated in teriyaki sauce are quick and easy to prepare. We enjoy teriyaki grilled chicken skewers with steaming white rice and a refreshing cucumber salad, and it was delicious!
You can also enjoy these Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Skewers and other side dishes such as coleslaw, macaroni salad, potato salad, or roasted garlic potatoes.
Can you over marinate teriyaki chicken?
Chicken is ideal when marinated for at least an hour so that the flavor can soak in. The acidity of the marinade will begin to change the chicken’s texture after 8 hours, so try not to marinate for longer than that.
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Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
<Remember it later>
Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs or breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
Teriyaki Sauce/Marinade:
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/3 c. soy sauce - low sodium recommended
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 c. water
- 1/3 c. brown sugar
- 8 skewers
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Optional Topping:
- chopped green onion
- sesame seed
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce first: In a small dish, mix equal parts cornstarch and water. Combine the cornstarch and water in a medium saucepan, then add the rest of the ingredients. Bring sauce to a simmer while stirring regularly. Let the sauce thicken a little bit. The sauce will be a deep chocolate color. Take the sauce off the fire as soon as it reaches the desired thickness and let it cool fully. (place in the fridge to hasten the process)
- Place the chicken cubes in a big ziplock bag and pour half of the cooled sauce over them. Smother the chicken in the sauce and shake gently to coat. Allow the chicken to marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Save the leftover sauce for later use.
- When you're ready to cook the chicken, remove it from the marinade, thread it onto skewers, and fire up the grill.
- Insert skewers into hot, lightly greased barbecue grates. The chicken should be cooked thoroughly (an internal temperature of 165 degrees) after 20-30 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes. In the last couple of turns, baste the chicken with the leftover teriyaki sauce.
- When done, take skewers from the grill and serve with optional chopped green onion and toasted sesame seeds.
Notes
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