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.
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)
Method:
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.