Tamarind "Teriyaki" Chicken Skewers

A flavorful Asian-inspired dish featuring chicken thighs glazed with a sweet and tangy tamarind sauce, finished with sesame seeds and green onions. This unique twist on teriyaki combines the sour notes of tamarind with traditional Asian seasonings.

4 servings

31 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 tablespoon tamarind paste
•1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
•2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
•2 teaspoons molasses
•¼ teaspoon garlic powder
•3 cloves garlic
•¾ cup water
•1 tablespoon cornstarch
•2 teaspoons sesame oil
•8 pieces chicken thighs
•8 pieces bamboo skewers
•2 tablespoons sesame seeds
•2 whole green onions
•thinly sliced
•for garnish

Cooking Instructions

1.
In a small pot or saucepan, mix together the first 7 ingredients (tamarind paste to 3/4 cup water). Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and cook for 10 minutes.
10 min
2.
In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch with the 2 tablespoons of water until it is dissolved and smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot and stir until it is well combined and the sauce begins to thicken like a glaze. Continue to cook and reduce by one third, 2 to 3 minutes. Then turn the heat to the lowest possible setting and cover the pot with a lid to keep the sauce warm.
3 min
3.
In a large skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add your chicken pieces and about a quarter of the sauce and cook for 5 minutes without stirring. Then toss the chicken pieces, doing your best to flip them over, adding another quarter of the sauce. Cook until the inside of the meat is white, 6 to 8 minutes more.
13 min
4.
Remove the chicken from the heat and allow it to rest until the pieces are cool enough to handle. Weave the chicken onto the bamboo skewers, about 4 per skewer, and lay them flat on a serving dish or a large plate. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the skewers and sprinkle with white toasted sesame seeds and the sliced green onions. Serve and eat immediately.
5 min

Ingredients

•1 tablespoon tamarind paste

•1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

•2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar

•2 teaspoons molasses

•¼ teaspoon garlic powder

•3 cloves garlic

•¾ cup water

•1 tablespoon cornstarch

•2 teaspoons sesame oil

•8 pieces chicken thighs

•8 pieces bamboo skewers

•2 tablespoons sesame seeds

•2 whole green onions

•thinly sliced

•for garnish

Cooking Instructions

In a small pot or saucepan, mix together the first 7 ingredients (tamarind paste to 3/4 cup water). Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and cook for 10 minutes.

10 min

In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch with the 2 tablespoons of water until it is dissolved and smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot and stir until it is well combined and the sauce begins to thicken like a glaze. Continue to cook and reduce by one third, 2 to 3 minutes. Then turn the heat to the lowest possible setting and cover the pot with a lid to keep the sauce warm.

3 min

In a large skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add your chicken pieces and about a quarter of the sauce and cook for 5 minutes without stirring. Then toss the chicken pieces, doing your best to flip them over, adding another quarter of the sauce. Cook until the inside of the meat is white, 6 to 8 minutes more.

13 min

Remove the chicken from the heat and allow it to rest until the pieces are cool enough to handle. Weave the chicken onto the bamboo skewers, about 4 per skewer, and lay them flat on a serving dish or a large plate. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the skewers and sprinkle with white toasted sesame seeds and the sliced green onions. Serve and eat immediately.

5 min