Chicken Yakitori With Broccoli

Yakitori — chicken skewers common in Japan — get a thick soy glaze before and after grilling for maximum flavor in this healthy dinner recipe. Double or triple the recipe for a fun party appetizer. Serve with steamed short-grain brown rice or over rice noodles drizzled with the extra sauce.

Prep/Cook Time: 45 Minutes, Servings: 4

Ingredients

• ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup sake or dry sherry
• ¼ cup mirin
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1 pound broccoli crowns
• 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
• 1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts only
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

Directions

1. Preheat grill to medium. (No grill? Preheat broiler to high and follow the broiler variation for Step 4.)
2. Combine soy sauce, sake (or sherry), mirin and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 1 minute. Combine cornstarch with water; add to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Set aside a generous ¼ cup of the sauce.
3. Cut broccoli into florets with 1- to 2-inch stems; toss with oil in a bowl. Thread through the stems onto four 10- to 12-inch skewers. Cut scallions into 1- to 2-inch pieces. Cut chicken crosswise into 1-inch strips. Fold each strip in half. Thread the folded chicken onto the remaining 4 skewers, alternating with the scallions. Generously brush both sides of the chicken skewers with the sauce from the pan.
4. Oil the grill rack. Grill the skewers, turning once or twice, until the chicken is just cooked through and the broccoli is tender, 10 to 12 minutes total. Serve each portion with 1 tablespoon of the reserved sauce. (Broiler variation: Place the skewers on an oiled broiler pan or a wire rack set on a large baking sheet. Broil, turning once, 5 to 6 minutes per side.)

Nutritional Information

Per Serving: 317 calories; 14 g fat (3 g sat, 6 g mono); 106 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrate; 3 g added sugars; 9 g total sugars; 24 g protein; 4 g fiber; 637 mg sodium; 684 mg potassium

© Dotdash Meredith. All rights reserved. Used with permission.