Negima Yakitori Chicken Skewers (Japan)
Juicy grilled chicken skewers glazed with a sweet and savory tare sauce — Negima Yakitori is the ultimate Japanese street food comfort. Chef Devan Rajkumar brings this smoky favorite to life on Global Street Eats, showing how a few simple ingredients can create incredible depth of flavor.
In the Asian Favorites episode, Chef Dev takes viewers on a journey through some of his most memorable street food experiences across Asia — from Chinese Pork Buns to Vietnamese Salt and Pepper Crab. His Negima Yakitori captures the essence of Japan’s bustling night markets: tender pieces of chicken and scallion charred over open flames, brushed with glossy tare sauce, and finished with a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi for heat.
Balanced, flavorful, and endlessly satisfying, this recipe reflects what Global Street Eats celebrates — bold, authentic, and approachable recipes that bring the world’s best street food into your home kitchen.
The Inspiration
For millions across Japan, yakitori is not just food—it’s an experience. From the sizzling skewers cooking over binchōtan charcoal to the rhythmic basting of tare sauce by grill masters, each bite represents craftsmanship born from precision and patience.
On Global Street Eats, Devan Rajkumar dives into culinary traditions around the world, and Japan’s yakitori scene offers a masterclass in balance and restraint. At its heart, Negima Yakitori focuses on contrast—fatty, tender chicken thighs paired with crisp scallions, bound together by a lacquered glaze that dances between salty and sweet. Devan’s version layers authenticity with accessibility, building a glossy tare sauce from soy, mirin, sake, and dark brown sugar. A touch of ginger cuts through the richness, while shichimi togarashi (Japanese chili spice) adds optional heat at the table.
Ingredients
For the Skewers:
- 2 lbs (1 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 bunch scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces
- Black pepper
For the Tare Sauce:
- 1 cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup (60ml) dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) mirin
- ¾ cup (180ml) sake
- 1 ½ tbsp (22.2ml) cornstarch
- 1 tbsp (14.8ml) grated ginger
To Finish:
- Shichimi togarashi (optional)
Methods
For the Tare Sauce:
- Add the soy sauce, dark brown sugar, mirin, and ginger to a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, mix the sake and cornstarch together in a small bowl to form a slurry.
- When the saucepan has come to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, add the slurry, and cook for 1 minute, stirring throughout.
For the Skewers:
- Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes.
- Thread 6 pieces of chicken and 3 pieces of scallion onto each skewer, adding a scallion after every 2 pieces of chicken. Season skewers with pepper.
- Preheat your grill or a grill pan on high heat. Place skewers on the hot grill and cook for 2 minutes. Carefully flip the skewers over and brush with the tare sauce. Cook for another 2 minutes, then flip and brush the skewers with sauce again. Repeat flipping and brushing the skewers with sauce until they have cooked for 10 minutes.
- Let skewers rest for 2 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with sichimi togarashi if desired.
Serving Suggestions
For a true izakaya experience, arrange the skewers over a narrow platter, brush lightly with one last coat of warm tare, and pair with cold beer or chilled sake. The saltiness of the soy glaze and the smokiness of the chicken complement crisp drinks beautifully.
For gatherings, yakitori can be part of a larger spread of Japanese street favorites—think takoyaki, okonomiyaki, or gyoza. The skewers also pair wonderfully with fresh cucumber salad or a bowl of miso soup to round out the meal. It’s the kind of dish that invites conversation, laughter, and shared discovery—just like the bustling lantern-lit stalls that inspired it.
Final Thoughts
This Negima Yakitori Chicken Skewers recipe is a loving homage to Japan’s dynamic street food scene—simple yet artful, structured yet expressive. Through Global Street Eats, Devan Rajkumar shows how one humble skewer can tell a story of balance, community, and global flavor.
Every bite reflects the delicate harmony of Japanese cooking: the tenderness of chicken, the punch of scallions, the depth of tare, and the slight burn of the grill. It’s street food elevated through technique, yet it remains faithful to its origins—designed to be eaten with your hands, shared with your friends, and remembered long after the last bite.