Negima Yakitori (Chicken and Scallion Skewers)

A homemade basting sauce is key to recreating this izakaya favorite at home.

Serves
6–8
Time
2 hours

PHOTO: MURRAY HALL • FOOD STYLING: TYNA HOANG

Updated on January 22, 2026

Far tastier than the bottled stuff often slathered on Japan’s skewered, flame-kissed meats, this homemade concoction of soy sauce, rice wine, sake, sugar, ginger, and garlic gets savory depth from a long boil with broiled chicken bones. There’s no better dressing for negima, the yakitori classic of scallions and chicken—or most anything we grill. Reserve the chicken skin for another use, such as schmaltz or fried chicken caramel.

Featured in the SAVEUR 100 in the January/February 2012 issue.

Ingredients

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken legs
2 cups mirin
2 cups soy sauce
1 cup dry sake
2 Tbsp. packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
16 large scallions, cut into 1-in. lengths, white and green parts separated
5 garlic cloves, crushed
One 2-in. piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

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Instructions

Step 1

Make the yakitori sauce: Position a rack in the upper third of the oven (about 4 inches from the broiler) and preheat the broiler. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken legs. Discard the skin or reserve for another use. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut the bones into 1-inch pieces and transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet. Cut the meat into ¼-inch-thick slices and refrigerate until ready to use. Broil the bones, turning once, until golden brown all over, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Transfer the bones to a medium pot and add the mirin, soy sauce, sake, brown sugar, black pepper, scallion greens, garlic, ginger, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium-low and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 1½ hours. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl. Set aside to cool.

Step 3

Meanwhile, soak 16 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes, then drain. On each skewer, alternately thread 4 slices of chicken with 3 scallion whites, piercing the chicken through the ends to form folded slices and piercing the scallions perpendicular to the skewer.

Step 4

Heat a charcoal grill, gas grill, or grill pan to medium-high. Working in batches if necessary, grill the skewers, turning frequently, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Brush with the yakitori sauce and continue grilling, turning and basting with the sauce every 30 seconds, until the chicken is glazed and cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with more yakitori sauce. Serve immediately.

Make the yakitori sauce: Position a rack in the upper third of the oven (about 4 inches from the broiler) and preheat the broiler. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken legs. Discard the skin or reserve for another use. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut the bones into 1-inch pieces and transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet. Cut the meat into ¼-inch-thick slices and refrigerate until ready to use. Broil the bones, turning once, until golden brown all over, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the bones to a medium pot and add the mirin, soy sauce, sake, brown sugar, black pepper, scallion greens, garlic, ginger, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium-low and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 1½ hours. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, soak 16 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes, then drain. On each skewer, alternately thread 4 slices of chicken with 3 scallion whites, piercing the chicken through the ends to form folded slices and piercing the scallions perpendicular to the skewer.
Heat a charcoal grill, gas grill, or grill pan to medium-high. Working in batches if necessary, grill the skewers, turning frequently, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Brush with the yakitori sauce and continue grilling, turning and basting with the sauce every 30 seconds, until the chicken is glazed and cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with more yakitori sauce. Serve immediately.