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Japanese chicken meatball tsukune served on a white plate on the skewer.
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Tsukune Chicken Meatball

Explore the delicious world of Tsukune, a Japanese chicken meatball recipe that's a flavor-packed delight. Perfect for your next meal!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword Japanese chicken meatballs, tsukune recipe, tsukune yakitori
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 3 Skewers
Calories 439kcal

Ingredients

Chicken Meatball

  • 1 lbs Ground Chicken
  • 1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
  • 1 Clove Garlic
  • 1 tsp Miso
  • 2 Stalk Green Onions
  • 1/8 tsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Japanese Sake can substitute with dry sherry wine or Chinese cooking wine
  • 2 tbsp Panko
  • 3-4 Pieces Wooden Skewers
  • 1/4 tsp Toasted Sesame Seed optional

Yakitori Tare Sauce

  • 3 tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 4 1/2 tbsp Japanese Sake can substitute with dry sherry wine or Chinese cooking wine
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Water
  • 2 tbsp Sweetener your preferred sweetener
  • 1/2 Cup Bonito Flakes can sub with 1/8 tsp of hondashi
  • 1 Clove Garlic

Instructions

  • Gather all the ingredients.
    Ingredients for tsukune chicken meatball.
  • Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 10 minutes.
    Skewers being soak in water.
  • Finely dice garlic and set aside.
    Chopped garlic.
  • Combine soy sauce, Japanese sake, water, sweetener, bonito flakes, and diced garlic in a sauce pan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes until it slightly reduces. Strain the sauce through a strainer, making sure to press out any extra sauce from the bonito flakes. Split the tare into 2 bowl, one for basting and other for dipping. Note – no need to strain if using hondashi.
    Tsukune sauce in a pot.
  • While waiting for the sauce to reduce, finely chop green onions and set aside.
    Chopped green onions.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, toasted sesame oil, remaining diced garlic, miso, chopped green onions, salt, Japanese sake, panko and mix well.
    Tsukune mixture in a mixing bowl.
  • Take about 2 tbsp of chicken/tsukune meatball mix, throw the mix from one hand to another while using the palm of your hands to form a ball about the size of a ping pong ball. Take the meatball and place onto skewer. Take note the meatball mix is very fragile prior to being cooked, so handle with care. Each skewer should hold about 4-5 meatballs. Set on holding plate.
    Tsukune on a skewer.
  • Preheat grill to 350F. Once grill is preheated, reduce heat to medium-low and place skewers on the grill. Using a basting brush, generously brush marinade on each skewer from bowl with 3/4 the sauce and close lid. Rotate skewers every 2 minutes basting on each rotation keeping covered until done, should take around 12-15 minutes or once internal temp reaches 165F. Mix sauce from reserve bowl and drizzle before serving along with sprinkle of optional toasted sesame seed.
    Tsukune being basted on the grill.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 1376mg | Potassium: 1196mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 2mg