Japanese Chicken and Enoki Mushroom Skewers

Name: Japanese Chicken and Enoki Mushroom Skewers
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: ¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce; 3 tbsp (45 ml) mirin (sweet rice wine); 2 tbsp (30 ml) sake (rice wine); 3 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger, finely grated; 1 tsp (5 g) granulated sugar; 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or light sesame oil); 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes; 14 oz (400 g) fresh enoki mushrooms, trimmed and separated into small bundles; 2 green onions (30 g) green onions (scallions), 2-3 stalks, thinly sliced (optional); 1 tbsp (10 g) sesame seeds (white or mixed) (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A delicious Japanese yakitori-style grilled chicken skewer with sweet and savory flavors from a soy-mirin-sake marinade. Tender chicken cubes alternate with delicate enoki mushrooms on skewers, creating an impressive appetizer or light main dish that's easier to make than it appears.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 10 min
Wait: 45 min
Total: 1 hr 20 min
Makes: 8 skewers (4 servings)

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Ingredients

4 servings

¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce
3 tbsp (45 ml) mirin (sweet rice wine)
2 tbsp (30 ml) sake (rice wine)
3 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp (5 g) granulated sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or light sesame oil)
1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
14 oz (400 g) fresh enoki mushrooms, trimmed and separated into small bundles
2 green onions (30 g) green onions (scallions), 2-3 stalks, thinly sliced (optional)
1 tbsp (10 g) sesame seeds (white or mixed) (optional)

Equipment (9)

Medium mixing bowl
Cutting board
Sharp knife
8 wooden or metal skewers (10 inches / 25 cm)
Grill (charcoal, gas, or tabletop)
Paper towels
Meat thermometer (optional but recommended)
Small basting brush
Serving platter

Steps

Before you start

If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before starting
Pat the chicken breast dry with paper towels before marinating to ensure the surface browns well on the grill
Have your grill space accessible and ready—once marinating is complete, you'll move quickly to threading and cooking
Measure all marinade ingredients ahead and mince the garlic and grate the ginger

1
Combine marinade ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 3 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp sake, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tbsp neutral oil until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Divide the marinade in half—set aside one portion in a separate small container for basting on the grill.
- Keep the other portion for marinating the chicken.
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Ready when: Sugar is completely dissolved
Tip: Reserve the basting marinade before adding raw chicken to prevent food safety issues
2
Prep chicken and mushrooms
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels.
- On a cutting board, cut them into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes—you should have approximately 32 pieces.
- Trim the dark root ends from the enoki mushrooms, then gently separate them into 8 small bundles of about 10-12 mushrooms each, keeping them loosely bound but still in clumps that can be threaded onto skewers.
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Ready when: Chicken is cut into uniform 1-inch cubes and mushrooms are separated into 8 small bundles
Tip: Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels—this helps the surface brown and crispen beautifully on the grill
3
Marinate chicken
- Place the diced chicken into the bowl with the marinating portion of the sauce (not the reserved basting marinade).
- Toss until all pieces are evenly coated.
- Set at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Do not add the mushrooms to this marinade—they release too much moisture and will become soggy.
- You'll add them to the skewers right before grilling.
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Ready when: Chicken is evenly coated in marinade and has absorbed some of the liquid
Tip: While the chicken marinates, prep your grill area and assemble your skewers and other equipment
4
Preheat grill and oil gratesOven 400°F / 205°C
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (approximately 400°F / 200°C).
- If using a gas grill, turn on both the front and back burners for even heat.
- About 2 minutes before you're ready to grill, lightly oil the grill grates using a paper towel dipped in a bit of neutral oil.
- This prevents the skewers from sticking.
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Ready when: Grill grates are very hot; a drop of water should sizzle and evaporate immediately when it hits the surface
Tip: Oil the grates just before grilling, not earlier, so the oil doesn't burn off
5
Assemble skewers
- Remove the marinated chicken from the bowl, letting excess marinade drip back in.
- Thread the chicken and mushrooms onto skewers in an alternating pattern: start with a chicken cube, then a small bundle of enoki mushrooms (held together as a clump on the skewer), then another chicken cube, and repeat the pattern.
- Each skewer should have about 4-5 chicken pieces and 4 mushroom bundles.
- Don't pack them tightly—leave a tiny bit of space between pieces so heat circulates and cooks them evenly.
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Ready when: All 8 skewers are assembled with chicken and mushroom bundles evenly distributed and spaced
Tip: Keep mushroom bundles compact and together on the skewer so they cook at the same rate as the chicken cubes
6
Grill skewers until cooked through
- Place the assembled skewers on the preheated grill grates, positioning them perpendicular to the bars.
- Grill for 10 to 12 minutes total, turning every 2 to 3 minutes to ensure even cooking and light charring on all sides.
- Starting on the third turn (at about 4 minutes), brush the reserved marinade generously onto the skewers, re-coating them with each subsequent turn, especially in the final 5-6 minutes of cooking.
- The chicken should be cooked through and opaque, and the mushrooms should be slightly wilted with light golden-brown edges.
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Ready when: Chicken is cooked through and shows no pink, with light charring on edges; mushrooms are wilted and browned
Tip: If the marinade begins to char or burn darkly, stop brushing and finish cooking the remaining time with dry heat. Burnt glaze tastes bitter and acrid
7
Check doneness and restOven 165°F / 75°C
- Transfer the skewers to a clean serving platter.
- To confirm the chicken is safely cooked through, either insert a meat thermometer into the thickest piece of chicken (it should read 165°F / 74°C), or cut into the largest piece of chicken on one skewer—the meat should be white throughout with no pink.
- Let the skewers rest for 1 to 2 minutes before serving.
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Ready when: Chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), or shows no pink when cut through the thickest piece
8
Plate and serve
- Arrange the rested skewers on a serving plate.
- Garnish with thinly sliced green onions and a light sprinkle of sesame seeds if desired.
- Serve immediately while hot.
- These skewers are best enjoyed fresh off the grill, ideally accompanied by steamed short-grain rice and a simple cucumber or vegetable salad.
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Tip: Serve immediately—the skewers are at their best when the chicken is still hot and the skin is crispy

Good to know

Tips

For authentic yakitori flavor, use a charcoal grill if available—it adds a smoky depth that gas grills can't match. Gas grills still produce excellent results.
Don't pack ingredients tightly on the skewers; space them out so heat circulates on all sides for even cooking and better charring.
If the marinade starts to char excessively on the grill, stop brushing and finish cooking the remaining time with dry heat. Burnt glaze tastes bitter and acrid.
Serve immediately with steamed short-grain rice and a simple cucumber salad or grilled vegetables on the side for a complete meal.

Make ahead

You can marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours ahead (keep it covered). However, thread the skewers just before grilling; assembled skewers sitting too long will accumulate moisture from the mushrooms, which can dry out the chicken.

Storage & reheating

Best served immediately while hot. Leftover cooked skewers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8-10 minutes or on the grill over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Do not freeze, as the mushroom texture degrades significantly during thawing.

Substitutions

fresh enoki mushrooms → Button or cremini mushrooms. Cut into similar-sized pieces; they will take about the same cooking time and hold up slightly better to marinating
boneless, skinless chicken breast → Boneless pork loin. Use the same marinade and cooking method; pork may take 1-2 minutes longer to cook through
soy sauce → Tamari. Use the same amount; this makes the entire recipe gluten-free while maintaining authentic flavor
granulated sugar → Honey. Use the same amount; it will give a slightly deeper flavor and subtle caramel notes