By Linda Gassenheimer / Tribune News Service
Little work is needed to make these Japanese kabobs. Known in Japan as yakitori, they’re made with a sweet Japanese barbecue sauce. Serve the chicken over sesame-flavored rice to complete this 20-minute dinner.
In Japan, clouds of aromatic smoke waft off the grill at yakitori stands, making these chicken kabobs a popular stopping-off place for an after-work snack. I’ve added vegetables to the skewers and served it over rice to make an entire meal.
The secret to quick and even kabob cooking is to leave a little space on the skewer between each piece of chicken. This allows the chicken to cook through on all sides.
Use the sauce given in the recipe or if pressed for time, use a thick, bottled teriyaki sauce and stir in some sliced scallions.
Any type of mushrooms can be used. The skewers can also be cooked in a broiler or an outdoor grill.
Quick fix: Make sauce and marinate chicken, mushrooms and red peppers. Heat a stovetop grill. Make the rice. Skewer and cook the kabobs.
Chicken and shiitake yakitori (Japanese grilled chicken skewers)
Vegetable oil spray
4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
¾ pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
¼ pound shiitake mushrooms (about 8 mushrooms)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces
1½ cups sesame rice (see recipe below)
Note: You’ll need 4 skewers for this recipe.
Heat a stovetop grill over high heat. Spray with vegetable oil spray. Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan. Add chicken, mushrooms and peppers and marinate 5 minutes while making the rice. Reserving the marinade, place chicken, mushroom and red pepper on skewers, alternating until the skewers are full. Leave at least ¼-inch space between ingredients. Place on stovetop grill and cook 5 minutes turn and cook 5 more minutes.
Bring reserved marinade to a boil and cook 3 minutes. Serve skewers over sesame rice and drizzle marinade on top.
Makes 2 servings. Nutrition per serving: 377 calories (17 percent from fat), 7 grams fat (1.2 grams saturated, 2.5 grams monounsaturated), 126 milligrams cholesterol, 43.1 grams protein, 32.9 grams carbohydrates, 1.7 grams fiber, 1,107 milligrams sodium.
Sesame rice
1 package microwave brown rice (1½ cups cooked)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Microwave rice according to package instructions. Measure 1½ cups and reserve remaining rice for another time. Add oil and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well.
Makes 2 servings. Nutrition per serving: 246 calories (30 percent from fat), 5.2 grams fat (1.4 grams saturated, 3.2 grams monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 4.2 grams protein, 38.8 grams carbohydrates, 2.4 grams fiber, 6 milligrams sodium.
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