Tsukune (つくね) is a Japanese chicken meatball skewer, and one of the most popular menu from Yakitori restaurant or izakaya restaurant. Indulge in tsukune’s juicy tenderness, where each bite promises a delightful burst of moist deliciousness from the very first moment. The combination of flavours and textures makes tsukune a popular and enjoyable dish in Japanese cuisine.
My mom’s tsukune features a savoury salt flavour that allows you to taste the juicy ground chicken and delightful aroma of the ingredients directly.
Find your own favourite ingredients
Each restaurant has their original flavour, by adding preferred ingredients such as shiso leaves, green onions, ginger, lotus root, cartilage, and more. Here are some of the typical toppings to add to tsukune.
For more enjoyable texture –
Chicken cartilage, Lotus loots, Bamboo shoots
To enjoy the aroma –
Shiso leaves, Cilantro, Green onions, Garlic
Toppings –
Cheese, Tare (a sweet and savoury sauce) , Shichimi (Japanese chili flakes)
Healthier protein alternative options –
Tofu, Edamame
Various ways to enjoy Tsukune
Not only is tsukune tasty, but there are also many different ways you can enjoy it.
Yakitori Style
The most common style for tsukune to be served is on a skewer as yakitori. Commonly shaped in a bite sized balls or in an oval-shaped, on the bamboo skewers. Typical flavors you’ll find at yakitori restaurants include options with tare (a sweet and savory sauce) or simply seasoned with salt. Additionally, some establishments may offer it with a raw egg yolk as a dipping sauce. (Japanese raw eggs are fresh enough to eat it as raw!) You can find them at izakayas, yakitori restaurants, convenience stores, and some grocery stores might even sell them as prepped-meal.
Japanese Hamburger Steak Style
Hamburger steak is another Japanese favourite dish, is frequently enjoyed with side dishes like rice. If you prepare too much tsukune patties or you want to skip the step of skewing, this is your style. Just make a larger patty and cook it without skewers. This allows you to enjoy the flavours of tsukune in a different form, just like a hamburger steak. Adjust the seasoning and ingredients to suit your taste preferences.
Meatball style
Another delightful way to enjoy tsukune is by shaping the mixture into small meatball-like forms, making it versatile for use in various dishes. Whether added to soups, hot pots, or used as a protein in pasta, incorporating these flavorful morsels offers a fantastic way to explore different cuisines.
Tsukune (つくね) - Japanese Chicken Meatball Yakitori
Ingredients
- 1.7 lb ground chicken
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp salt and pepper
- 4 tbsp sake
- 4 inch scallion
- 10 shiso leaves
Instructions
- Cut 4 inch of white part of scallion crosswise, and then finely chop it.
- Cut shiso leaves into julienne slices, and chop them.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, 1/5 cup of sake, egg, salt, and pepper, and mix the ingredients thoroughly. It's often done by hand to ensure even distribution of ingredients.【TIP】Mix well until it becomes sticky
- Add chopped scallion and shiso leaves to the bowl and mix again.【TIP】For this step, don’t mix too much in order to keep the ingredients texture.
- Divide the mixture into equal portions and shape them into oval patties. The thickness should be about 1/2 inch.
- Heat sesame oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Carefully place the patties in the pan and cook each side until golden brown, covering the pan with a lid. This typically takes about 2 minutes per side.【TIP】Don’t overcook, otherwise you will lose the juiciness.
- When it’s cooked, put bamboo skewers into the patties. Enjoy it with your favorite beverage or a bowl of rice!
