Teriyaki Chicken Skewers & Baked Cauliflower Steaks

4.82 from 44 votes

This juicy chicken is coated in a thick and tasty teriyaki sauce and served alongside a baked cauliflower steak.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cauliflower, Chicken

Servings: Servings

Calories: 645kcal

Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, coat them with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, salt and pepper.
Thread the chicken onto the skewers, not packing them too tightly.
For the teriyaki sauce, heat soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, and sake in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil, then simmer on low for 3-4 minutes or until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens. Set aside.
Slice the cauliflower into 3/4" slices. Center slices will stay together better. generally you can get about 3 steaks from one head. Keep the florets for another use.
Put the remaining olive oil, paprika, salt, onion powder, and pepper in a bowl. Baste the cauliflower steaks and bake them in the oven on 425°F (220°C) for 25 minutes, flipping once during cooking. Baste with any remaining olive oil during cooking for an even crispier result.
Cook the skewers on a grill pan or outside on the BBQ. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook skewers for 2 minutes per side then start to baste them with the teriyaki sauce on both sides. Continue cooking and basting for 2 more minutes per side.
Transfer skewers to a serving plate with the cauliflower. Top with spring onion and sesame seeds. Drizzle on more teriyaki sauce.

It's not necessary to marinate the chicken ahead of time. That's what makes this meal so quick and simple to make. All the flavor comes from basting the chicken with the sauce.
If you're using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before threading the chicken onto them. This will prevent the skewers from burning during grilling.
While grilling the chicken skewers, baste them with teriyaki sauce to enhance the flavor and create a beautiful glaze. This will add a delicious caramelized finish to the chicken.
Look for large, firm heads of cauliflower with tightly packed florets. The larger the head, the easier it will be to cut into full, thick steaks. Smaller heads may yield fewer or smaller slices, but they’ll still taste just as delicious.
To get the best slices, start by cutting the cauliflower in half through the core. Then, cut 1" thick slices from each half. The core helps hold the florets together, so don’t remove it before slicing. Any florets that fall off can be saved for another use, like roasting or adding to a salad.
While this recipe uses a simple blend of paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper, you can easily customize the seasoning to suit your taste. Add a pinch of cayenne for extra heat, sprinkle with Parmesan before baking for a cheesy crust, or finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh herbs for a burst of freshness.