Chicken yakitori

Recipe by: Norma MacMillan

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Prep: 1 hour 20 mins Cook: 15 mins
Serves: 30

These delicious Japanese-style bites of chicken speared with green pepper and spring onions can be assembled in advance and then grilled just before serving. For the best flavour, leave the chicken to marinate for several hours or overnight, and remember to soak the skewers first so they do not burn under the grill.

Recipe provided by:

Reader's Digest | Light bites & Lunches

Ingredients
(See nutrition)

3 tbsp shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)

3 tbsp sake or dry sherry

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh root ginger

2 tsp clear honey

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) skinless boneless chicken breasts (fillets), cut into 2 cm (¾ in) cubes

1 large green pepper, seeded and cut into 30 small cubes

4 large spring onions, cut across into 30 pieces

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Preparation method

Place the shoyu, sake or sherry, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and honey in a shallow dish and stir together to mix. Add the chicken pieces and spoon the marinade over them. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Just before cooking, put 30 short wooden skewers in warm water and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Preheat the grill to moderate.

Thread about 2 pieces of chicken onto each skewer, alternating with a piece of pepper and one of spring onion, threaded widthways. Place the kebabs on the grill pan and cook under the grill for 10–15 minutes or until tender, turning from time to time and brushing with the marinade. Serve hot.

Each kebab provides

C, niacin

Some more ideas

*Sprinkle the kebabs with a few sesame seeds towards the end of the grilling time.
*An alternative marinade is 3 tbsp hoisin sauce mixed with 2 tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry and 1 tbsp groundnut oil. If liked, add ½ tsp five-spice powder or ½ finely chopped and seeded fresh red chilli.
*Instead of green pepper, use pieces of baby leeks, red or orange peppers, courgette or tiny mushroom caps.
*For salmon yakitori, use 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) skinless salmon fillet and marinate in a mixture of 3 tbsp shoyu or other soy sauce, 2 tbsp dry sherry, 1 tbsp groundnut oil, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 tsp clear honey and the grated zest of 1 small orange for about 30 minutes. Thread onto soaked wooden skewers, alternating the cubes of salmon with whole firm cherry tomatoes and pieces of spring onion. Grill for 10–15 minutes, turning and basting frequently with the marinade.

Plus points

*Many party food nibbles are made with pastry and are high in fat and calories. These little kebabs, made with lean chicken and vegetables, offer a lower-fat choice and look really appealing.
*Honey has been used since ancient times as a sweetener and preservative. It has a higher fructose content than sugar, which makes it sweeter and it is also lower in calories on a weight for weight basis because of its higher water content.