Name: Low Carb Yakitori
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 205 min
Ingredients: 6 tbs soy sauce or tamari; 2 tbs smooth unsweetened almond butter (or peanut); 1 tbs sugar free honey; 1 tsp rice vinegar; 1 tsp sesame oil; ½ tsp garlic paste (or minced garlic); ½ tsp ginger paste; 6 boneless (skinless chicken thighs); 2 green onions (thinly sliced); 1 tsp sesame seeds

This low carb yakitori dish is made with marinated chicken and then grilled on skewers. A keto friendly version of the classic Japanese recipe.

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I've really been enjoying experimenting with low carb Japanese recipes recently - and a yakitori has been on my list to try for a while!

So let's just be sure what yakitori means:

Yakitori is a Japanese type of skewered chicken. Its preparation involves skewering the meat with kushi, a type of skewer typically made of steel, bamboo, or similar materials. Afterwards, they are grilled over a charcoal fire. During or after cooking, the meat is typically seasoned with tare sauce or salt. The term is sometimes used informally for kushiyaki (grilled and skewered foods) in general."

Tare sauce is best described as a sweetened, thickened soy sauce, used for grilling, marinating, dipping, and more. I decided to use an adapted version of my popular low carb hoisin sauce, as many of the flavor profiles are the same.

I also chose to use chicken thighs for superior flavor, but you can absolutely make this recipe with chicken breasts or tenders if you prefer.

How to Make Low Carb Yakitori

Make the marinade by combining soy sauce, smooth/creamy almond or peanut butter, sugar free honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic paste and ginger paste in a small saucepan. (Read my recipe for Low Carb Honey Mustard Sauce where I discuss sugar free honey options!)

Cook over a low-medium heat until the nut butter has melted and a smooth, glossy sauce has formed. Let cool for 10 minutes. Dice the chicken thighs and place them in a bowl. Try and make the pieces as evenly-sized as possible for the skewers.

Add the marinade to the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and marinate for at least three hours (overnight is fine too).

Soak some wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes (this helps to prevent them burning while grilling), then thread the chicken onto them.

Discard any remaining marinade, then cook the skewers on a hot grill or grill pan until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165F. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

The meat is super juicy and tender - and has SO much flavor!

Serve these skewers as a light lunch for two to share (maybe with something like this Asian Cucumber Salad) or for six people to share as part of an appetizer course. I've given the nutritional information per skewer to make it easier for you to work out the data!

📖 Recipe

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