Yakitori Negima with Extra Skin

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 0.5 pound chicken skin (reserved or purchased separately)
• 8 stalks scallions (negi), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 0.5 cup soy sauce
• 0.5 cup mirin
• 0.25 cup sake
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
• 1 piece garlic clove, smashed
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for brushing

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning on the grill.

2. 2

   Prepare the 'Tare' sauce by combining soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan; simmer until reduced by half and syrupy.

3. 3

   Cut the chicken thighs into 1-inch cubes and cut the extra chicken skin into long, thin strips roughly 1 inch wide.

4. 4

   Thread the skewers by alternating a piece of chicken thigh and a piece of scallion, ensuring each skewer has 3-4 pieces of meat.

5. 5

   Tightly wrap a strip of the extra chicken skin around each piece of chicken thigh on the skewer, securing the ends between the meat and the scallion.

6. 6

   Preheat your grill or broiler to high heat and lightly oil the grate to prevent the skin from sticking.

7. 7

   Grill the skewers for 3-4 minutes per side, turning frequently until the skin is golden brown and rendered crispy.

8. 8

   During the last 2 minutes of cooking, generously brush the skewers with the prepared Tare sauce and flip once more to caramelize.