Yakitori Chicken
Rotisserie.

Watch Luke Cook

See How It's Done.

Watch Luke cook a kilo of marinated chicken thighs over the coals on a campfire rotisserie. Plenty of basting, plenty of caramelisation and absolutely worth the wait.

The Shopping List

What You'll Need.

Just chicken, four sauce ingredients and a bit of patience. Tick everything off before you get the coals going.

You'll need enough sauce for both marinating and basting. Prepare separate batches if marinating overnight, and never use marinade that has touched raw chicken as a finishing sauce.

The Method

Let's Get Cooking.

A little preparation, a slow rotisserie and plenty of sticky yakitori glaze.

1. Make the Yakitori Sauce

   Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the sauce by approximately one-third, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

2. Marinate the Chicken

   Prepare enough sauce to marinate the chicken and keep a separate clean batch for basting. Place the chicken thighs in a sealed container or zip-lock bag with the cooled marinade. Refrigerate overnight to develop the flavour.

3. Prepare the Coals

   Light your campfire and allow it to burn down to a bed of steady hot coals. Set up the rotisserie so the chicken will turn evenly above the heat without sitting directly in the flames.

4. Load the Rotisserie

   Thread the marinated chicken thighs tightly onto the rotisserie skewer, folding each thigh over itself several times. Secure the chicken between the rotisserie forks so everything stays firmly in place as it turns.

5. Start Cooking

   Position the rotisserie over the hot coals and start it turning. Adjust the distance from the heat to maintain steady cooking and avoid burning the glaze. Allow the chicken to slowly develop colour.

6. Baste, Baste, Baste

   Using the reserved clean yakitori sauce, baste the chicken every 10–15 minutes as it rotates. The glaze will gradually caramelise, creating a sticky, glossy coating. Keep an eye on the coals and move the chicken away from excessive heat if the sauce begins to burn.

7. Check the Temperature

   After approximately 90 minutes, check the thickest parts of the chicken with a meat thermometer. Cooking time will vary depending on the heat and size of the thighs. The chicken should reach 75°C internally before being removed from the rotisserie.

8. Slice and Serve

   Carefully remove the chicken from the rotisserie and allow it to rest briefly. Slide it off the skewer and slice into portions. Serve with sushi rice, steamed vegetables or tucked into a soft bread roll. Or just eat it straight off the board. We won't judge.