Description
Indulge in the deliciousness of Tsukune, a traditional Japanese dish featuring tender chicken meatballs grilled to perfection on skewers. This easy-to-follow recipe brings together the savory notes of ground chicken and the sweet-salty glaze of tare sauce, making it an ideal choice for parties, casual snacks, or family dinners. With minimal ingredients and straightforward preparation, even novice cooks can create these flavorful bites that capture the essence of Japanese street food. Whether served over rice, drizzled with extra tare sauce, or enjoyed as appetizers, these juicy chicken skewers are sure to impress your guests.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh garlic (about 2 medium cloves)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/2 cup mirin
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sake
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 3 medium cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled
- 3 scallions, roughly chopped
- 1 (1-inch) piece of ginger, sliced
- 1 tablespoon whole black or white peppercorns
Instructions
- Prepare the tare sauce by combining mirin, soy sauce, sake, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and scallions in a saucepan. Simmer until thickened and strain.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, egg, grated ginger, minced garlic, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper. Mix well.
- Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs and thread onto skewers.
- Grill over medium heat until golden brown on all sides. Brush with tare sauce during the last moments of cooking.
- Serve warm with rice or as appetizers.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 skewer (85g)
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 70mg