Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs)

Japanese tsukune chicken meatball skewers glazed with tare and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds

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Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs)

Inspired by the tsukune I ate in Tokyo, these juicy Japanese chicken meatballs are pan-fried, glazed with sweet-savoury tare and ready in 30 minutes.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Resting in fridge1

Total Time1 30

Course: Appetiser

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings:

Calories: 546kcal

Author: Lee

Ingredients

Meatballs

650 g chicken thighs
½ tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp potato starch (or cornstarch/cornflour)
25 g panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
80 g onion (finely minced)

Tare Sauce

2 thin slices fresh ginger
30 g sugar
50 ml sake
100 ml mirin
100 ml soy sauce

Other Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil (for frying the tsukune)
sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the tsukune mixture

Using a food processor, pulse blend the chicken pieces to make a thick, rough paste.
Mix in all the other meatball ingredients with your hands until it's very well combined. Refrigerate while you make the tare sauce.

Make the tare

Combine the ginger, sugar, sake, mirin and soy sauce in a small saucepan.
Stir and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook gently uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until reduced and lightly syrupy.
Remove the ginger. Set the sauce aside—it will thicken further as it cools.

Portion and shape

Dampen your hands and, weigh out around 30 g per meatball and roll into compact balls. You should get approximately 28.
If using skewers, thread three meatballs per skewer, slightly flattening them.
Arrange on a platter that is lined with plastic wrap. If you layer the tsukune place a sheet of plastic wrap between to avoid sticking. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Cook and glaze

Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over a medium heat until hot.
Carefully place the meatballs in the pan (you may need to cook in batches). Leave undisturbed for 2 minutes before carefully flipping. Leave for a further 2 minutes then, cook for a further 4 minutes turning frequently.
Turn down the heat and brush over a thin coating of tare and continue cooking and turning for another 1 minute, being careful to not let the tsukune burn (the sugar in the sauce can caramelise quickly).
Serve immediately with extra tare on the side. Optional: Add a light sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.

Notes

Recipe Tips – Things I’ve Learned

Chicken thighs give me the best results – I’ve made tsukune with both thigh and breast meat, and thighs consistently produce the juiciest, most flavourful meatballs. Pre-ground chicken still works, but is often leaner and a little drier.
Really work the mixture – I mix it firmly with my hands until it becomes well combined and sticky. I’ve found this develops the characteristic springy texture and helps the meatballs stay together.
Damp hands make shaping much easier – The mixture is naturally sticky, so I keep a small bowl of water nearby and lightly wet my hands between meatballs.
I weigh the portions – Around 30g per meatball gives me approximately 28 evenly sized tsukune that cook at the same rate.
Chilling makes a noticeable difference – I refrigerate the shaped tsukune for an hour. They become much easier to handle and hold their shape better, especially on skewers or the BBQ.
Leave them alone at first – I don’t touch the frying tsukune for the first 2 minutes on each side. Once the exterior has firmed up, they’re much easier to turn without sticking or falling apart.
Add the tare at the very end – I learned quickly that its sugar can burn before the chicken cooks. I reduce the heat, apply a thin coating and turn the tsukune continuously for the final minute.
Cook in batches when needed – Overcrowding my pan causes the meatballs to steam rather than brown, so I leave a little space around each one.
Use a thermometer for certainty – I check the centre of one of the largest meatballs and make sure it has reached at least 75°C/167°F.
The BBQ adds another dimension – My pan version is the one I cook most often, but when the BBQ is already fired up, the extra smokiness is absolutely worth it.

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