Ingredients:

1/2 cup shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)

2 tablespoons mirin

1/4 cup sake

1 tablespoon sugar

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

 

Essential equipment: 8 attached pairs presoaked wooden chopsticks or 8 10-inch presoaked bamboo skewers.

 

Directions:

Combine shoyu, mirin, sake, and sugar in small pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

 

Lower heat and simmer until thick and syrupy, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool. Set aside half the sauce for glazing the chicken. Reserve remaining half to drizzle over before serving. Cut each thigh into three even-sized pieces. Insert the blade of a small, sharp knife through the middle of each chicken piece to make a slit. Thread three slit pieces onto each pair of attached chopsticks. Brush all over with the cooled sauce to glaze. Grill according to instructions below, basting with sauce. Drizzle with reserved sauce. Serve hot.

 

Outdoor

Grill over medium hot coals until the chicken is opaque with no trace of pink, about 7 minutes per side.

 

Indoor

Preheat broiler. Broil until the chicken is opaque with no trace of pink, about 7 minutes per side.

 

Think Ahead

Make sauce up to 3 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate.

 

Serves 4