Tsukune – Japanese Chicken Meatball Skewers

Tsukune are classic Japanese minced meat skewers, commonly served in izakaya pubs and at yakitori grills. Juicy ground chicken combined with scallions, ginger, and mirin creates a tender, flavorful mixture with a perfectly balanced Japanese taste. The skewers are finished with a glossy yakitori-style glaze that adds a rich, lightly sweet-and-savory finish.

They are perfect as a snack, appetizer, light dinner, or as part of a bento lunch box.

Ingredients (about 10–12 skewers)

Tsukune:

• 300 g ground chicken

• 1/2 leek

• 4 scallions

• approx. 5 cm lotus root (renkon)

• 1 tsp grated ginger (or ginger paste)

• 1 tsp sake

• 1 tsp mirin

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• freshly ground black pepper

Yakitori glaze:

• 1 1/2 tbsp sake

• 1 1/2 tbsp mirin

• 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp sugar

Preparation

1. Vegetables
   Finely chop the leek, scallions, and lotus root. The lotus root adds a pleasant crunch and springy texture.

2. Meat mixture
   In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, vegetables, ginger, sake, mirin, pepper, and oil. Mix thoroughly until the mixture becomes thick and slightly sticky.

3. Shaping
   Lightly wet your hands and shape the mixture into meatballs using about 2 tablespoons per piece. Thread them onto skewers and gently flatten.

4. Cooking
   Heat a pan over medium heat. Place the skewers in the pan and cook without moving until the bottoms are well browned. Turn and cook until the meat is fully cooked on all sides.

5. Glazing
   Add the sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar to the pan. Turn the skewers until the sauce thickens and coats the meat with a glossy glaze.

Serving

Serve hot straight from the pan. Traditionally, tsukune can be:

• drizzled with fresh lemon juice

• dipped in raw egg yolk

• served with rice or as part of a bento box

Tips

• Tsukune can also be made without skewers, shaped into small patties.

• If the mixture feels too soft, add a small amount of potato starch.

• Works equally well on a grill or grill pan.