Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

Name: Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon – Sunflower oil; 6 – Large chicken thighs (boneless and skinless, cut into cubes); 5 – Spring onions (white part cut into 4 cm strips, green stems thinly sliced); 4 tablespoons – Soy sauce; 4 tablespoons – Mirin; 5 tablespoons – Cooking sake; 2 teaspoons – Granulated sugar; Seasonings to taste; 1 tablespoon – Sunflower oil; 2 – Carrots (cut julienne); 4 – Parsnips (cut julienne); 1 tablespoon – Soy sauce; 1 tablespoon – Mirin; 1 teaspoon – White sesame seeds (toasted); Seasonings to taste

Sweet Family Meals

12 April 2025

super easy

Main Dish

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

These Teriyaki chicken skewers are a great choice for a quick and tasty weeknight dinner. You can serve them with rice and pickled cucumbers or just enjoy them straight off the stick. Everyone in the family will love them! The chicken is soaked in a homemade teriyaki sauce, so every bite is full of sweet and yummy Asian flavors that will make you want more.

So, if all that sounds good to you, read on!

With their delicious glaze, these Teriyaki chicken skewers are perfect as a starter or a party snack. You can save time by prepping the sauce, threading the chicken onto the skewers, and toasting the sesame seeds a couple of hours ahead of time.

I also recommend these recipes, which will surely fascinate you:

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Skewers

Crispy Parmesan Garlic Butter Wings with Citrus Glaze

3 Reasons You’ll Love This Teriyaki Chicken Skewers Recipe :

SUPER SIMPLE – Easy to prep and cook, even on a busy day.
FULL OF FLAVOR – That homemade teriyaki sauce is sweet, savory, and totally addictive.
FUN TO EAT – Serve them with rice and pickled cucumbers or just eat them right off the stick!

And do you know what I love about these skewers? That sticky, glossy glaze on the chicken after it cooks, it’s seriously mouthwatering. Plus, they’re great for sharing (or not, no judgment here).

These skewers are a total crowd-pleaser. Whether it’s dinner with the family or finger food at a party, they’re always a hit. And fair warning, you might want to make extra. They disappear fast!

Ingredients in Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

Here’s what you need to make Teriyaki Chicken Skewers:

Sunflower oil: Use a light, neutral-flavored oil like sunflower oil. It’s perfect for stir-frying because it can handle high heat without burning or adding any unwanted taste to your food.

Chicken thighs: Go for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They stay juicy and tender when cooked, and cutting them into small cubes makes them cook faster and soak up all the delicious teriyaki sauce.

Spring onions (green onions): Fresh spring onions add a mild onion flavor and a nice crunch. Slice the white part into strips about 4 cm long to cook with the chicken, and chop the green tops thinly to sprinkle on at the end for a burst of color and freshness.

Soy sauce: Soy sauce is the base of the teriyaki flavor. It adds saltiness, umami (that savory taste), and depth. Choose a good-quality soy sauce for the best results.

Mirin: Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine used in cooking. It balances the saltiness of the soy sauce and adds a subtle sweetness that’s key to an authentic teriyaki flavor.

Cooking sake: Sake used for cooking helps tenderize the chicken and enhances the overall flavor. It also gives a traditional Japanese taste that pairs perfectly with the other ingredients.

Granulated sugar: A little sugar helps create that signature glossy teriyaki glaze and balances out the savory flavors. Stir it in while cooking the sauce to let it melt and blend smoothly.

Seasonings to taste: Add salt, pepper, or a pinch of chili flakes if you like a little heat. Taste as you go to adjust the seasoning just the way you like it.

Carrot & Parsnip Stir-Fry

Sunflower oil: This oil is great for quick stir-frying. It heats up fast, doesn’t smoke easily, and won’t overpower the natural taste of your vegetables.

Carrots: Use fresh, firm carrots. Peel them and slice them into thin strips (julienne style). This shape helps them cook quickly while still staying a little crisp, adding color and sweetness to the dish.

Parsnips: Just like the carrots, cut the parsnips into thin strips. They have a naturally sweet and earthy flavor that goes really well with the light soy-based sauce.

Soy sauce: A splash of soy sauce gives the vegetables a savory boost and ties them in with the teriyaki chicken for a balanced meal.

Mirin: This sweet rice wine brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots and parsnips. It also adds a little shine and helps the flavors blend together nicely.

White sesame seeds (toasted): Toasted sesame seeds add a nutty crunch and look beautiful sprinkled on top. Toast them briefly in a dry pan until golden and fragrant for the best flavor.

Seasonings to taste: Finish with salt and pepper, or add a few drops of sesame oil for extra aroma. Always taste before serving to make sure the flavors are just right.

How to make Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

Well friends, This recipe is surprisingly easy to follow, but a little kitchen confidence goes a long way. What really makes it shine is the perfect pairing with the stir-fried vegetables. Together, they create a delicate, well-balanced flavor that’s both comforting and full of depth. It’s a dish that feels special without being complicated.

For this recipe, I used 6 large chicken thighs, which gave me 5 skewers with 4 – 5 pieces of chicken each. If you’d like to make a larger batch, feel free to add more chicken, the marinade is flavorful enough without needing to adjust anything else. However, if you’re cooking for more than two people, it’s a good idea to also increase the amount of carrots and parsnips to keep everything balanced.

To make this recipe even easier and ensure the best results, I highly recommend using two reliable pans for cooking. Here are my top picks, available on Amazon:

Non-Stick Skillet – This high-quality non-stick skillet is perfect for cooking the chicken skewers. It heats evenly, so you can get that golden brown color without worrying about the chicken sticking to the pan. Plus, the non-stick surface makes cleanup a breeze!

Stir-Fry Pan/Wok – For the veggies, a stir-fry pan or wok is ideal. With its wide, sloped sides, it allows you to toss and stir the vegetables easily, ensuring they cook evenly and stay crispy. It’s a must-have for stir-fry lovers!

These pans will make the cooking process smoother, and you’ll get the perfect texture and flavor in your dishes. Plus, using quality cookware really does make a difference in the end result!
Also, to make these Teriyaki Chicken Skewers just right, you’ll need a good set of skewers. I recommend these bamboo skewer sticks , they’re sturdy, the perfect length for grilling, and don’t splinter easily. I use them all the time and they’ve held up great, even with juicy, sauce-coated chicken like this!

Note: The links above are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself!

Step 1: Prep the Chicken and Vegetables

Start by cutting the chicken into bite-sized cubes. Season with salt to taste. Next, slice the white part of the spring onions into pieces about 5 cm long—just the right size to thread onto skewers.

Carrots – Peel and cut into thin, matchstick-sized strips (julienne). This helps them cook quickly while staying slightly crisp.

Parsnips – Peel and julienne just like the carrots. They add a natural sweetness and earthy flavor that balances the dish perfectly.

Step 2: Assemble the Skewers

Take a skewer and thread on the following ingredients in this order:

A piece of chicken
A piece of spring onion
Another piece of chicken
Another piece of spring onion
Repeat until the skewer is full, and continue this process with all the chicken.

After, heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sunflower oil, and once hot, place the skewers in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes on each side, turning each skewer four times for an even cook (a total of 8 minutes).

Step 3: Stir-Fry the Vegetables

In a separate pan, heat sunflower oil. Add the julienned carrots and parsnips. Stir-fry the vegetables until tender, with a slight golden color but still crunchy. Once done, set them aside.

Step 4: Make the Teriyaki Sauce

In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. Heat over medium heat while stirring for a few minutes until the sugar dissolves completely and the sauce begins to thicken.

Step 5: Combine the Sauce with Vegetables and Chicken

When the vegetables are almost done, pour some of the teriyaki sauce over them and mix well to coat evenly. Once the skewers are cooked through, drizzle the remaining teriyaki sauce over the skewers. Using a spoon, drizzle the sauce from the pan over the skewers. As the sauce begins to caramelize, rotate the skewers several times to ensure they’re evenly coated. Make sure the pan is not too hot to avoid caramelizing the sauce too quickly.

Step 6: Toast the Sesame Seeds

In a dry pan, toast the sesame seeds over medium heat for a few minutes until they turn golden brown and fragrant. Be careful not to burn them. Once toasted, remove from the pan and set aside.

Ready to Serve

Place a generous portion of the stir-fried vegetables on each plate. Top with the chicken skewers and drizzle with any remaining teriyaki sauce. Finally, sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds over the top for a crunchy, nutty finish.
Serve hot and enjoy!

And that’s it dears! You’ve got a tasty, flavorful dish with tender chicken teriyaki skewers, stir-fried veggies, and a little crunch from the toasted sesame seeds. It’s simple, delicious, and perfect for any occasion. Serve it up, dig in, and enjoy every bite! Happy cooking, and I hope you love it as much as I do!

I’d love to know what you think if you give this a try! 🙂 – Angie

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.