Description
Strips of chicken are marinated in a savory homemade teriyaki sauce, then threaded onto skewers. Teriyaki chicken on a stick is an easy recipe for the grilling season. Serve as appetizers or dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 1/4 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced (or use minced ginger from a jar)
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup dark sesame oil
- 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar OR rice vinegar
- 3 1/2 tablespoons pineapple juice
- 2 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 1/2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter*
- 1 1/4 teaspoons crushed red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (white and/or black)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- OPTIONAL: Green onions for garnishing
*PEANUT ALLERGY ALERT: When cooking for a crowd, or for children who are not your own, leave out the peanut butter. You never know who might be allergic to nuts.
Instructions
PREP TERIYAKI MARINADE
- Add ingredients to a glass measuring cup. Whisk until blended.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The flavors need time to meld together.
ASSEMBLE CHICKEN SKEWERS
RECIPE PREP: Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. This prevents the wood from burning and breaking apart on the grill. Put the sticks in a baking dish filled with water. Anchor them down with 2 heavy utensils to keep them from floating to the surface.
- Slice the chicken breast into wide thin layers. Pound it even thinner with a mallet or the back of a heavy wooden spoon.
- Slice chicken into long thin strips, about 2-inches wide. Always slice meat and poultry against the grain. Shorter muscle fibers result in juicer more tender pieces of meat! It’s okay if some strips are shorter than others. To avoid shredding the meat, make each cut in 1 clean slice.
- Transfer the strips to a wide bowl. Set aside 1/2 cup of the teriyaki marinade for later. Pour remaining sauce over the top of the meat. Briefly toss chicken to make sure all areas are soaked. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. But marinating 5 to 6 hours will result in the best flavor!
- Thread the chicken onto wooden or metal skewers. Place them on a tray. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until grilling time. Discard the used marinade.
GRILL TERIYAKI CHICKEN ON A STICK
- Cook the kabobs over medium-high heat, about 350°F. Rotate the sticks, grilling the meat about 8 to 10 minutes. The teriyaki chicken skewers should be lightly charred on all sides. Brush grilled chicken with the reserved 1/2 cup of teriyaki sauce.
- Check the temperature with a meat thermometer. When done, the reading should be at least 165°F (73.9°C). Transfer kabobs to a clean platter. If desired, sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onion. Serve immediately.
Notes
FOOD SAFETY: Use a non-porous cutting board when prepping raw meat and poultry. Bacteria can successfully thrive in the pores of wooden boards, possibly contaminating other ingredients. This can lead to food poisoning.
HOW LONG CAN YOU KEEP RAW KABOBS? Chicken that’s raw and skewered can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. For food safety, if the shish kebabs have not been cooked within 1 to 2 days, they must be discarded.
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Marinating Time: 1 Hour
- Cook Time: 10 Minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: Asian, American