Japanese Yakitori Menu – Chicken Meatballs, Cheese-Coated Beef Skewers and Mushroom Stir-Fried Noodles

Ingredients

• 500 g Chicken breast (fillet) (roughly chopped)
• 4 tiges Green chives (separate the green from the white, finely chop)
• 1 cuillère à soupe Fresh ginger (grated)
• 2 gousses Garlic (minced)
• 50 g Panko breadcrumbs (for lightness)
• 1 Egg
• 1 cuillère à café Salt
• ½ cuillère à café Black pepper
• 100 ml Soy sauce (tamari type if needed for gluten‑free)
• 100 ml Water
• 2 cuillères à soupe Brown sugar
• 2 cuillères à soupe Rice vinegar (or white grape juice)
• 2 cuillères à soupe Vegetable oil (for frying)
• 1 cuillère à soupe Sesame seeds (white and black) (for garnish)
• 150 g Cheddar (cut into sticks)
• 200 g Beef carpaccio (very thin slices)
• 1 cuillère à soupe Sesame oil
• 100 g Pink mushrooms (rehydrated then chopped)
• 100 g Button mushrooms (rehydrated then chopped)
• 2 gousses Garlic (for the wok) (minced)
• 1 cuillère à café Ginger (for the wok) (grated)
• 200 g Ramen noodles (soy) (200 g package)
• 500 ml Broth (water + soy sauce) (500 ml water + 1 tbsp soy sauce)

Instructions

1. Prepare the chicken meatball filling

   Finely chop the chicken breast, add the white part of the chives, ginger, garlic, Panko breadcrumbs, egg, salt and pepper. Mix until a homogeneous paste forms.

   Time: PT10M

2. Form the meatballs and refrigerate

   Shape small balls the size of a walnut with wet hands, place them on a sheet of parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

   Time: PT35M

3. Prepare the yakitori sauce

   In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, water, brown sugar and rice vinegar. Bring to a boil then simmer 5‑6 minutes until slightly thickened.

   Time: PT6M

4. Cook the chicken meatballs

   Heat vegetable oil in a pan over high heat. Add the meatballs and brown them, turning regularly, until cooked through (about 5‑6 minutes).

   Time: PT12M

5. Glaze the meatballs with sauce and caramelize

   Pour the yakitori sauce over the meatballs, reduce heat to medium and let caramelize 5‑6 minutes, stirring gently until the sauce clings and shines.

   Time: PT6M

6. Prepare the cheese‑wrapped beef skewers

   Cut the cheddar into 2 cm sticks. Soak the wooden skewers in water, then thread a cheddar stick, wrap 1‑2 slices of carpaccio around it and repeat until ingredients are used up.

   Time: PT10M

7. Cook the beef skewers

   Heat a mixture of sesame oil and vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook the skewers 3‑4 minutes, turning regularly, until the beef is just cooked and the cheese begins to melt.

   Time: PT7M

8. Glaze the skewers with sauce and caramelize

   Pour the same yakitori sauce over the skewers, lower the heat and let caramelize 2‑3 minutes until the cheese is well coated and lightly browned.

   Time: PT3M

9. Rehydrate and chop the mushrooms

   Soak the pink and button mushrooms in hot water for 5 minutes, then drain and finely chop.

   Time: PT10M

10. Stir‑fry garlic, ginger and the white part of the chives

    In the wok, heat a drizzle of oil, add the minced garlic and ginger, then the white part of the chives. Sauté 2‑3 minutes until fragrant.

    Time: PT5M

11. Add the mushrooms and cook

    Add the chopped mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook over high heat 5 minutes until the water evaporates.

    Time: PT5M

12. Add the noodles and broth

    Add the ramen noodles, pour in the broth (500 ml water + 1 tbsp soy sauce) and cook 5‑6 minutes according to package instructions, stirring so the noodles absorb the liquid.

    Time: PT6M

13. Finish with the green chives

    Remove the wok from heat, stir in the chopped green chive leaves for freshness.

    Time: PT1M

14. Plating and serving

    Arrange the chicken meatballs and beef skewers on a serving platter, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve the stir‑fried noodles on the side.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

640

Protein

35 g

Carbohydrates

70 g

Fat

25 g

Fiber

5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Chicken breast (fillet): ground turkey
• Instead of Green chives: green onion
• Instead of Fresh ginger: ground ginger (½ tsp)
• Instead of Garlic: garlic powder (½ tsp)
• Instead of Panko breadcrumbs: regular breadcrumbs
• Instead of Egg: egg substitute (linseed)
• Instead of Brown sugar: brown sugar
• Instead of Rice vinegar: white grape juice
• Instead of Vegetable oil: sunflower oil
• Instead of Cheddar: Gouda cheese
• Instead of Beef carpaccio: finely sliced steak
• Instead of Sesame oil: peanut oil
• Instead of Pink mushrooms: shiitake
• Instead of Button mushrooms: cultivated mushrooms
• Instead of Ramen noodles (soy): udon noodles
• Instead of Broth (water + soy sauce): vegetable broth

Equipment Needed

• Meat grinder or food processor
• Mixing bowl
• Parchment paper
• Refrigerator
• Wooden skewers
• Frying pan
• Wok
• Wooden spatula
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Measuring cup
• Colander (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• 30‑minute refrigeration for the chicken meatballs
• Caramelization of the sauce on the meatballs and skewers
• Cooking the beef just enough to melt the cheddar without burning it

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use freshly bought panko for a lighter texture.
• Replace rice vinegar with apple cider vinegar if you don’t have it.
• Drizzle a little sesame oil over the noodles just before serving for extra aroma.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Freezer: Raw meatballs can be frozen for 1 month; thaw before cooking.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the yakitori sauce the day before and keep it refrigerated.
• Form the meatballs and keep them chilled until ready to cook.
• Cook the noodles ahead of time, rinse under cold water and quickly reheat in the wok.