Applewood-Smoked Chicken Thighs with Strawberry Gastrique
Applewood-Smoked Chicken Thighs with Strawberry Gastrique pairs crispy, juicy dark meat with a glossy sauce that balances sweet berries, bright white balsamic, and a whisper of thyme. A hint of lavender in the seasoning brings a subtle floral aroma that complements the smoke. Serve for a special weekend dinner or backyard gathering when you want richly layered flavors without fuss.
- Prep40 mins
- Cook2 hrs 5 mins
- Serves8
- DifficultyHard
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Applewood-Smoked Chicken Thighs with Strawberry Gastrique, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactPoor
- 25 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0.43 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 58 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 32
- Heart Health
- 16
- Metabolic
- 21
- Digestive
- 20
- Inflammatory
- 36
- Performance
- 25
- General Wellness
- 1
Prepare the strawberry gastrique: Blend the strawberries on high until fully smooth, about 1 minute.
- 2
Cook the sugar in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring now and then, until fully melted, amber-colored, and nutty-smelling, about 5 minutes.
- 3
Carefully add the vinegar (the mixture will crystallize at once and start to boil) and lower the heat to low.
- 4
Cook the sugar mixture, stirring often, until the crystallized sugar dissolves completely, about 5 minutes.
- 5
Add the strawberry puree and thyme and bring to a simmer over low heat.
- 6
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 7 minutes.
- 7
Remove from the heat and stir in the salt. Cover to keep warm until needed.
- 8
Prepare the chicken: Fully open the bottom vent of the grill. Light a charcoal chimney starter filled with briquettes.
- 9
When the briquettes are covered with gray ash, pour them onto the bottom grate and push them to one side of the grill.
- 10
Place 3 to 4 applewood chunks on the hot coals. Oil the top grate. Cover the grill and insert an instant-read thermometer into a lid vent.
- 11
Mix the lavender, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Generously and evenly sprinkle the chicken thighs with the lavender mixture.
- 12
Set the chicken thighs on the preheated grill, skin-side up, over the side without coals. Cover and smoke, keeping the smoker temperature between 225 and 250 degrees F (107 to 120 degrees C), for 1 1/2 hours.
- 13
Brush with 1/4 cup gastrique, cover again, and continue smoking until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 170 degrees F (76 degrees C), 15 to 30 minutes more.
- 14
Move the chicken thighs to a large plate or platter and lightly brush with another 1/4 cup gastrique.
- 15
Let rest for 10 minutes.
- 16
Serve with the remaining gastrique, if desired.
- Calories 429.22 kcal High 21%
- Protein 21.89 g Good Source 44%
- Carbohydrate 29.61 g 11%
- Total Fat 23.63 g High 30%
- Saturated Fat 6.8 g High 34%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 137.69 mg High 46%
- Sodium 212.67 mg Moderate 9%
- Dietary Fiber 2.19 g Low Source 8%
- Total Sugars 25.9 g --
- Added Sugars 8.09 g Moderate 16%
- Calcium 7.3 mg Low Source 1%
- Iron 1.87 mg Moderate 10%
- Potassium 24.79 mg Low Source 1%
- Vitamin A 0.69 mcg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin C 28.56 mg Good Source 32%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Strawberries 🍓
- Alcohol 🚫🍷
About This Recipe
Applewood Smoked Chicken Thighs with Strawberry Gastrique is made with 8 ingredients and serves 8. It takes about 2 hrs 45 mins and is rated hard. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Chicken Thigh, Fresh Thyme, and Lavender. Each serving provides about 429.22 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Applewood-Smoked Chicken Thighs with Strawberry Gastrique made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Chicken Thigh, Fresh Thyme, Lavender, Salt. The full list of 8 is above.
- How long does it take to make Applewood-Smoked Chicken Thighs with Strawberry Gastrique?
- About 2 hrs 45 mins in total: 40 mins to prepare and 2 hrs 5 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 429.22 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Applewood-Smoked Chicken Thighs with Strawberry Gastrique easy to make?
- This recipe is rated hard, with 8 ingredients and 16 steps.
- Is Applewood-Smoked Chicken Thighs with Strawberry Gastrique healthy?
- Applewood-Smoked Chicken Thighs with Strawberry Gastrique has an easyChef Pro health score of 29/100. Per serving, it provides 429.22 calories and 21.89 g of protein, or 44% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 212.67 mg (9% of the Daily Value), saturated fat at 6.8 g (34% of the Daily Value) and added sugars at 8.09 g (16% of the Daily Value). It contains Strawberries and Alcohol, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.
For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.
Score a recipe free, no app required