Chinese chicken on a stick

Marinate the chicken

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and whisk them together thoroughly.
2. Pour the marinade over the chicken pieces and use a spoon to stir it around, making sure each piece is fully covered in the marinade.
3. Cover the marinating chicken with plastic wrap and place the bowl in the fridge. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes. You can leave it as long as overnight for more flavour.
4. In the meantime, soak your bamboo skewers in water for about 15 minutes, especially if you plan to cook the chicken on the BBQ. It helps prevent the sticks from catching fire or burning excessively.

Preparing and cooking the chicken

1. Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers, packing the pieces closely together. Feel free to add as much or as little chicken onto each skewer as you prefer.If you have long, thin pieces of chicken, fold the pieces in half and skewer them through both halves.
2. Pour the remaining marinade from the bowl into a small saucepan or frying pan. Remove any large bits of raw chicken.
3. Over medium heat, simmer the marinade for about 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes sticky. You should be able to draw a line through the sauce with a spoon that disappears in a second or so.It's important to cook the sauce thoroughly because it contained raw chicken. This ensures it's safe to eat.
4. Thoroughly oil your griddle pan and heat the pan over medium-high heat. Arrange the skewers on the pan, leaving enough space between them for heat circulation. Turn the heat down to medium and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes.You can also cover the pan with a lid. This helps the chicken cook from the top as well.
5. Turn the skewers around and cook for an additional 3 minutes, undisturbed. Then, turn the skewers on their sides and cook for roughly 1.5-2 minutes per side. Aim for some charring on the chicken as it adds extra flavour.To check for doneness, slice a thick piece right up to the centre. There should be no pinkness and any liquid should be clear. Alternatively, you can check for an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F. Cook for longer on all sides if needed.
6. Using the cooked, reduced marinade you prepared earlier, generously brush each chicken skewer with the sauce using a pastry brush.
7. Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, sliced spring onions or finely chopped coriander.