It’s the 4th of July weekend–and one of my favorite pastime is firing up the grill before firing up the fireworks. There’s more to grilling than just burgers.
Whether you call them skewers or kebabs, serving food on a stick is fun. And the end result is portable. Add some Asian flare to your ‘cue with these teriyaki skewers. Most skewer recipes use chicken breasts, but I prefer to use chicken thighs. Not only are they less expensive, but chicken thighs are more juicy. Chicken breasts have very little fat and collagen, thus there is a higher risk of them overcooking and drying out while they’re on the grill.
Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
- 4-5 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks (no bigger than about one inch)
- ½ cup Kikoman Teriyaki Marinade (If you do not have marinade, you can simply use soy sauce or tempura sauce)
- 1 14.5 oz can of pineapple chunks
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 TBS brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground ginger (you can add more or less to taste)
- ¼- ⅓ tsp ground black pepper
- A pinch or two of salt (Do not use more than a pinch or two. Soy sauce is naturally salty, so not much is needed)
Directions
- For the marinade, combine all ingredients in a non-corrosive dish. Stir to make sure sugar is absorbed into the liquid. Add chicken skewers. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight. This gives a chance for the marinade to work its flavors into the meat.
- If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. This will help prevent your skewers from burning on the grill. The tips of the skewers may still get a little charred, but they won’t turn into a burned crisp.
- Alternately thread chicken and pineapple chunks onto the skewers.
- Preheat your grill to a medium high setting. Make sure to spray your grill with some non-stick grill spray to prevent your skewers from sticking. Alternatively, you can swab a tea towel with vegetable oil and rub it on your grill grates.
- Place chicken skewers on the grill and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side. If desired, brush more marinade onto skewers during the cooking process. Serve alone or over white rice.
