Cherry-Smoked Chicken Thighs
Cherry-Smoked Chicken Thighs deliver juicy, tender meat infused with a gentle fruitwood aroma and a balanced, peppery-garlic rub. The subtle sweetness of cherry smoke pairs beautifully with paprika and herbs, creating layers of flavor without overpowering the chicken. Perfect for weekend cookouts, casual dinners, or meal prep when you want bold, satisfying barbecue notes.
- Prep10 mins
- Cook2 hrs
- Serves8
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Cherry-Smoked Chicken Thighs, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic Impact
- 70 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 89 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 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.
- 35
- Heart Health
- 74
- Metabolic
- 12
- Digestive
- 20
- Inflammatory
- 53
- Performance
- 48
- General Wellness
- 1
Preheat the smoker to 200 degrees F (93 degrees C).
- 2
Mix salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, and oregano in a bowl, then rub the mixture onto the chicken thighs as a dry rub.
- 3
Smoke the thighs with cherry wood for 1 hour. Rotate and flip the thighs, then continue smoking until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 1 hour more.
- Calories 163.45 kcal Moderate 8%
- Protein 20.99 g Good Source 42%
- Carbohydrate 1.05 g 0%
- Total Fat 8.98 g Moderate 12%
- Saturated Fat 3.04 g Moderate 15%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 98.22 mg High 33%
- Sodium 99.54 mg Low Source 4%
- Dietary Fiber 0.42 g Low Source 2%
- Total Sugars 0.08 g --
- Added Sugars 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 8.21 mg Low Source 1%
- Iron 1.26 mg Low Source 7%
- Potassium 20.49 mg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin A 8.52 mcg Low Source 1%
- Vitamin C 0.01 mg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Garlic 🧄
About This Recipe
Cherry Smoked Chicken Thighs is made with 8 ingredients and serves 8. It takes about 2 hrs 10 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Boneless Chicken Thigh, Dried Oregano, and Dried Thyme. Each serving provides about 163.45 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Cherry-Smoked Chicken Thighs made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Boneless Chicken Thigh, Dried Oregano, Dried Thyme, Garlic Powder. The full list of 8 is above.
- How long does it take to make Cherry-Smoked Chicken Thighs?
- About 2 hrs 10 mins in total: 10 mins to prepare and 2 hrs to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 163.45 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Cherry-Smoked Chicken Thighs easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 8 ingredients and 3 steps.
- Is Cherry-Smoked Chicken Thighs healthy?
- Cherry-Smoked Chicken Thighs has an easyChef Pro health score of 52/100. Per serving, it provides 163.45 calories and 20.99 g of protein, or 42% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: saturated fat at 3.04 g (15% of the Daily Value). It contains Garlic, 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.
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