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Best Ever Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

Best ever teriyaki chicken skewers with glossy caramelized glaze and visible grill marks. Marinated chicken thigh cubes are grilled until charred and juicy, then finished with a quick thickened teriyaki sauce.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Japanese-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 2 lb chicken thighs, cut into 1.5-inch cubes Cut into 1.5-inch cubes for even grilling.
Teriyaki marinade
  • 0.5 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup mirin
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 3 garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
Glaze thickener
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water
Garnish and skewers
  • 1 sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish
  • 1 wooden skewers, soaked in water Soak to prevent burning on the grill.

Method
 

Make the teriyaki marinade
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil until the sugar dissolves (about 1 minute), forming a smooth marinade with a glossy look.
Marinate the chicken
  1. Reserve 1/3 of the marinade, then pour the remaining marinade over the chicken thigh cubes so they are fully coated.
  2. Marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours, covered in the refrigerator, so the chicken looks slightly darker and more infused.
Skewer the chicken
  1. Thread the marinated chicken onto soaked wooden skewers, 5-6 pieces per skewer, leaving a little space between cubes for even charring.
Grill and caramelize
  1. Grill over medium-high heat for 12-15 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes, until the edges are charred and the center is cooked through and sizzling.
  2. Simultaneously, simmer the reserved marinade with cornstarch and water until thickened and glossy (about 2-3 minutes), then brush it over the skewers in the last 2 minutes of grilling so it caramelizes.
Finish and serve
  1. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions before serving so the top looks fresh and speckled.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the reserved marinade separate and simmer the reserved sauce with cornstarch until thickened before brushing—this helps it cling like a glaze. Refrigerate cooked skewers up to 3 days; reheat gently. Freezing is not recommended due to texture changes in grilled chicken. For a lower-sugar option, replace brown sugar with a 1:1 sugar alternative that caramelizes (or reduce by 2–3 tbsp and add a small splash of extra rice vinegar for balance).