Teriyaki Chicken on a Stick is little scrumptious morsels of juicy chicken coated in a thick and tasty teriyaki sauce and grilled to perfection with a little bit of char and crunch for texture.
I’ve not met a single person who doesn’t love teriyaki chicken skewers. Whenever we make them on the grill for a barbecue or party, they’re gone in an instant. Not only are they super delicious but they’re great finger food that can be eaten easily while standing at a party.
You can prepare the skewers in advance with the chicken, then just put them on the grill whenever you’re ready to eat. I like making a large batch for parties so you can throw on extra when they no doubt disappear in the first 5 minutes.
» You might also like these smoked chicken thighs.
What Teriyaki Sauce to Use
One of the biggest questions for this recipe is what teriyaki sauce to use. I like to make my own, so this recipe includes the ingredients to make your own sauce. However, there are some really good teriyaki sauce brands that you can find at the store that will save you some time.
The brand I like best is Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce. It has a well balanced flavor – sweet and robust, with some ginger, garlic and soy flavors. It’s not too thin or thick, which is great because it’s difficult to find the right balance. I highly recommend this sauce, if you can find it. The less sodium version is the best.
You can purchase it on Amazon (that’s our affiliate link). Or you can find it at most grocery stores in the U.S.. I also like the La Choy Teriyaki Marinade and the Panda Express Teriyaki Sauce. I wouldn’t recommend the Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade. It’s too thin and tastes more like soy sauce than teriyaki. Blue Dragon is too sweet for my taste.
What Cut of Chicken to Use
The best pieces of chicken to use are boneless skinless chicken thighs. As the meat cooks, it doesn’t become dried out like chicken breast does, so thighs are definitely the way to go.
You can marinate them ahead of time in the sauce so they soak up extra flavor and become primed for juiciness. You’ll just want to cut the thighs into small pieces that you can thread onto the skewers to make your teriyaki chicken on a stick.
What Size Skewers to Use
I use long 8-10″ bamboo skewers for these. Make sure you soak wooden skewers in water for about 15 minutes before using them so they don’t burn on the grill.
If you’re making these for a party or get together, use smaller 6″ skewers and put less meat on each skewer. Half-sized skewers are better as finger food.
How to Make Teriyaki Sauce
To make the sauce, you’ll need these ingredients:
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar
- Cider vinegar
- Ground ginger
- Garlic powder
- Cornstarch
- Cold water
You just need to put all of these things into a small sauce pan and let them cook down for about 5 minutes. This will make a thicker sauce with the cornstarch and water in it, so this will be used as a glaze.
If you wanted to marinate your meat with the sauce, then mix it up without the cornstarch and water and remove half of it to use as a marinade. You’ll then probably need less cornstarch to thicken the remaining sauce.
This sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. It will keep for up to a week.
How to Make the Skewers
Thread the chicken onto the skewers. Baste with sauce.
Heat the grill to 400° F. You can cook these skewers on their own or just add them to whatever else you’re making on the grill.
Once the grill is hot, place skewers on the grill. Turn skewers every 3-4 minutes until the chicken is cooked to an internal temp of 165° F, about 20 minutes. During the last few turns baste with remaining teriyaki sauce.
Garnish with sesame seeds and serve.
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Cooking Temperature for Chicken
To ensure that chicken is cooked safely and properly, it should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Using a food thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of the meat without touching the bone to accurately measure the internal temperature.
Chicken breasts, being leaner and containing less fat, cook relatively quickly and can become dry if overcooked, so you’d want to remove it from the grill when it reaches 160°F, then rest it so it reaches165°F.
On the other hand, chicken thighs have a higher fat content, which means they can be cooked longer without drying out and are often more forgiving in terms of cooking time.
To ensure meat at the bone is no longer pink, you’d want to cook bone-in pieces, like thighs and wings, to 165°F and let it rest to come up to 170°F.
What to Serve With Grilled Chicken Teriyaki Skewers
There are countless options for things to serve with chicken teriyaki skewers, but here are a few that we recommend:
- Potato salad
- Corn on the cob
- Baked beans
- Macaroni salad
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Grilled Teriyaki Chicken on a Stick
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-size pieces
- 8 wooden or metal skewers
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, cider vinegar, ginger, garlic powder to a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Mix the cornstarch with water in a bowl and add it to the sauce.
- Simmer for about 4 minutes until thickened.
- Thread the chicken onto the skewers. Baste with sauce.
- Heat the grill to 400° F.
- Once the grill is hot, place skewers on the grill. Turn skewers every 3-4 minutes until the chicken is cooked to an internal temp of 165° F, about 20 minutes. During the last few turns baste with remaining teriyaki sauce.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and serve.
Nutrition
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Laura is a passionate home cook and grill enthusiast who has spent years perfecting her culinary skills, with a particular focus on grilling techniques and flavor combinations. Her fascination with the grill, smoke, and the mouthwatering results they produce has led her on an exciting journey to discover the best methods for grilling delicious and unforgettable meals.