Bring restaurant-style Korean chicken skewers right to your dinner table with this easy-to-follow teriyaki chicken sticks recipe. With the tender, juicy texture of grilled chicken marinated in Korean sweet & spicy teriyaki sauce, these delicious chicken teriyaki sticks are sure to be a hit!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This Korean inspired meal can be cooked in the comfort of your own home with simple ingredients, and without a grill. This recipe will give you all that spicy teriyaki flavor associated with grilled Korean chicken skewers. Impress your family and friends with homemade teriyaki sticks they won't soon forget!
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Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients and about 20 minutes to whip up some mouthwatering homemade Korean chicken skewers. Our spicy teriyaki sauce recipe can be adjusted to be more or less spicy, also.
For the Korean style spicy teriyaki sauce:
- Rice wine - You can use leftover Sake, some cooking rice wine, or even dry white wine.
- Honey - Or white or brown sugar. You can also use sugar substitute for a sugar free teriyaki sauce.
- Soy Sauce - regular Kikoman or other brand, but NOT a teriyaki sauce.
- Rice vinegar - Any plain or seasoned rice vinegar.
- Gochugaru Chile Pepper Flakes - Look in the spice aisle at the grocery store, McCormick sells them as Korean style red pepper. Gochugaru chilie pepper flakes have a moderate heat and add smoky, fruity notes to food.
- Ginger - Fresh, grated.
- Garlic - Fresh, grated.
For the Chicken Teriyaki Skewers
- Chicken thighs - Skinless and boneless.
- Skewers - Wooden or stainless. If you use wooden, soak in water before using.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Korean Chicken Skewers
Not only is this Korean inspired meal surprisingly easy to make, it's also packed with flavor and appealing enough for the entire family.
In just four steps, we'll show you how simple - and delicious - these teriyaki chicken sticks can be!
Step 1. Cut the Chicken into Chunks
Rinse off the chicken with cold water. Cut into large chunks and place in a bowl until the teriyaki sauce is made.
If using wooden skewers, soak in cold water until ready to use.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 2. Make the Korean Spicy Teriyaki Sauce
In a medium size bowl mix the rice wine, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, Gochugaru Chile Pepper Flakes, fresh grated ginger and garlic. Mix well. Refrigerate or set aside until chicken is ready to marinate.
Place the chunks of chicken to a ziploc bag. Pour in the spicy teriyaki sauce and seal. Let marinate for 30 minutes minimum, or up to 24 hours.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 3. Skewer Chicken and Grill
Set your oven rack to 8 inches from the broiler. Spray the broiler pan with non stick cooking spray. Turn the broiler on.
Thread the chicken chunks onto 8 wooden or stainless skewers. Place on a broiler pan and broil for 10 - 12 minutes, turning halfway.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 4. Garnish with Sesame Seeds and Serve
Remove the chicken teriyaki skewers from the oven or grill when juices run clear and serve on a platter with steamed white rice. Garnish the teriyaki chicken sticks with a sprinkling of sesame seeds or minced green onions.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Serving Suggestions
These chicken teriyaki skewers combine some of your favorite Asian flavors with our Korean inspired spicy teriyaki sauce. Making these teriyaki chicken sticks at home is a fun & easy process that your family will enjoy.
Serve with our Foolproof Steamed White Rice, Kimbap - Korean 'Sushi' Rolls, and some Beef Bulgogi for a perfect Korean inspired menu. You may also enjoy these chicken teriyaki skewers with our Steamed Mantou Buns, and Air Fryer Japanese Green Beans!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutions
If you have a teriyaki sauce you like, you can use it instead. You can also substitute the chicken for pork or beef. Gochugaru chile pepper flakes are readily available in the grocery store, but you can use a little black pepper and some red pepper flakes as a reasonable substitute.
Variations
Chicken teriyaki skewers are also referred to by other names, such as teriyaki chicken sticks, and teriyaki chicken kabobs. There are endless variations of these culturally diverse teriyaki skewers, as they are universally popular. Grilled, baked, broiled, you name it. Here are a few of my own personal favorites:
- Shrimp & Chicken Skewers - Follow the recipe, except use large shrimps as well as the chunks of chicken when marinating, skewering, and grilling. Alternate the chicken and shrimp on the skewers.
- Jerk Chicken Skewers - Instead of using teriyaki sauce, create a Jerk sauce using pineapple juice, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar or molasses, grated garlic and ginger, and ground Allspice, Cloves, and Cinnamon. Alternate the skewers with meat of choice, red bell pepper chunks, and pineapple chunks.
- Oven Shrimp Kabobs - Instead of grilling on a Blackstone grill or other outdoor grill, use a table top electric grill, or bake at 425 F in your oven for 10 - 12 minutes.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this dish. or burnt on the outsides.
- Korean Spicy Teriyaki Sauce
- Cast Iron Stovetop Grill
- Blackstone Grill
- Broiling Pan & Rack
- Wooden Skewers
- Stainless Steel Skewers
Storage
Store any of the spicy teriyaki sauce that has NOT been used to marinate the chicken in a jar. Discard any leftover teriyaki sauce that the chicken marinated in, as it will not be safe to use due to the raw chicken steeping in it.
Tips for Success
- You can baste the chicken teriyaki sticks after threading on skewers instead of marinating, if you prefer milder flavored chicken.
- For full flavored chicken teriyaki, mix the chunked chicken and spicy teriyaki sauce in a ziploc bag, and refrigerate over night, or up to 24 hours. Discard any leftover teriyaki sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Due to the high level of vinegar, sugar, and salt, all natural preservatives, an opened bottle of teriyaki sauce is safe to consume past its expiration date. If you store it in your kitchen cabinet or pantry, it will last for 3 to 6 months before it loses its quality.
Teriyaki sauce uses soy sauce as a base, but includes a number of other ingredients. Teriyaki sauce has a sweeter flavor, while soy sauce is more salty.
Food Safety
- Cook chicken to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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📖 Recipe
Korean Chicken Skewers
Equipment
- skewers, stainless steel
Ingredients
For Korean Spicy Teriyaki sauce
- ¼ cup Rice wine (Sake, or Dry White Wine)
- ½ cup honey or sugar
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Gochugaru Chile Pepper Flakes (or red chile pepper flakes & a dash of black pepper)
- 1 teaspoon ginger freshly grated
- 2 cloves garlic freshly grated
For the Korean Chicken Skewers
- 2 lb chicken thighs boneless and skinless
Instructions
Make Korean Spicy Teriyaki Sauce
- In a medium size bowl mix the rice wine, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, Gochugaru Chile Pepper Flakes, fresh grated ginger and garlic. Mix well. Refrigerate or set aside until chicken is ready to marinate.¼ cup Rice wine, ½ cup honey, ½ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon Gochugaru Chile Pepper Flakes, 1 teaspoon ginger, 2 cloves garlic
Make Korean Chicken Skewers
- Rinse off the chicken with cold water. Cut into large chunks and place in a bowl until the teriyaki sauce is made. If using wooden skewers, soak in cold water until ready to use.
- Place the chunks of chicken to a ziploc bag. Pour in the spicy teriyaki sauce and seal. Let marinate for 30 minutes minimum, or up to 24 hours.2 lb chicken thighs
- Set your oven rack to 8 inches from the broiler. Spray the broiler pan with non stick cooking spray. Turn the broiler on.
- Thread the chicken chunks onto 8 wooden or stainless skewers. Place on a broiler pan and broil for 10 - 12 minutes, turning halfway. Remove when juices run clear and serve on a platter with steamed white rice.
Notes
- You can baste the Korean chicken skewers after threading on skewers instead of marinating, if you prefer milder flavored chicken.
- For full flavored chicken teriyaki, mix the chunked chicken and spicy teriyaki sauce in a ziploc bag, and refrigerate over night, or up to 24 hours. Discard any leftover teriyaki sauce.
- Spray your grill, broiler pan, or baking sheet with non stick cooking spray to prevent the chicken teriyaki sticks from sticking.
Nutrition
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