When an editorial brief has two separate goals, the recipe concept needs to solve both. Here’s how yakitori chicken did just that.
A press release from the global flavor F&B research and development firm T. Hasegawa recently landed in my inbox touting the biggest flavors for this summer. Of course, I wanted to check their predictions.
Two caught my eye: charcoal (makes sense, if a little obvious, since summer is prime grilling season) and yakitori (classic Japanese grilled chicken skewers).
That immediately reminded me of this recipe I developed for PARADE Magazine.
One Ask, Two Goals
For editorial outlets, recipe concepts are sometimes developed to satisfy ad-adjacency requests, meaning a potential advertiser may want their ad to run alongside related content. The recipe doesn’t have to call for a specific product, but the idea is that the ad and editorial generally work together.
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In this case, sometime in March, my editor looked ahead at the ad schedule and saw a vague request for content on grilled chicken in a July issue. We didn’t have to do that, she noted, adding that instead we could focus on the Olympics, which would be in Tokyo that summer.
How I Solved Both
My suggestion: Why not do both?
Yakitori means “grilled chicken” in Japanese and would be a delicious nod to the Olympics in Tokyo that summer. It made sense editorially regardless of where the magazine landed on the ad front when the issue went into production. And my editor would be prepared if the ad request firmed up at the last minute.
These yakitori skewers are simple to make, always good, and their appeal would last long after the Olympics’ closing ceremony.
Working on a brief that has more than one job to do? That’s exactly the situation my Brand Recipe Brief is designed for. It walks through the questions that help clarify what a recipe really needs to accomplish – before development starts. Download it here →
Yakitori Chicken Recipe FAQs
What is tare?
Tare (pronounced “tah-reh”) is salty-sweet, umami-rich sauce that uses classic Japanese ingredients, such as soy sauce and mirin (sweet rice wine). It’s used as a marinade and a dipping sauce.
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How else can I use tare?
Tare also works as a nice marinade for fish. Try it with salmon or cod, including black cod (sablefish).
You can toss vegetables with the tare before grilling (or roasting). Or thread veggies on skewers and brush with the tare.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
While the richness of chicken thighs is ideal here, you can substitute skinless, boneless chicken breast. If you must.
Can I prepare this ahead of time?
You can make the tare sauce a day or two in advance. Let it cool to room temperature and refrigerate until you’re ready to marinate the chicken.
What are the best skewers to use?
Any type of metal or wood skewer is fine, but I like the sturdy Japanese-style bamboo paddle skewers, which have a flat shape so the meat (or whatever you’re skewering) doesn’t spin as you turn it on the grill. You can find them at supermarkets or online.
Olympic Yakitori Chicken
Equipment
- 1 small saucepan
- 1 chef's knife
- 8-10 wooden skewers
- 1 basting brush
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Tare Sauce
- ¾ cup soy sauce
- ¾ cup mirin (or dry vermouth)
- 1/3 cup sake (or dry sherry)
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 1 1-inch piece ginger, grated
Remaining Ingredients
- 5 green onions, divided
- Oil, for grill
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Chicken
- Pat the chicken dry and cut it into 1½-inch pieces. Place it in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, rubbing to coat. Refrigerate while making the marinade.
Tare Sauce
- Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, water, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook 15 minutes or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Cool to room temperature.
- Set aside 1/3 cup of the marinade. Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken, tossing to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
To Finish
- Soak 8-10 wooden skewers 30 minutes.
- Cut the white and pale-green parts of onions into 1-inch pieces. Thinly slice darker green parts for garnish.
- Preheat the grill to high.
- While the grill heats up, remove the chicken from the marinade; discard the marinade. Thread the chicken, alternating with 1-inch green onion pieces, snugly onto the skewers.
- Oil the grill grates. Grill skewers 5-7 minutes or until done, turning to cook evenly and basting with the reserved tare sauce. Serve garnished with thinly sliced green onions and, if desired, sesame seeds.