Smoked Cherrywood BBQ Chicken with Kalamazoo Honey Glaze

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Juicy chicken thighs smoked over cherrywood chips and finished with a sweet honey glaze inspired by Kalamazoo local flavors. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 140 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, cherrywood smoking chips, honey for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 120 min Serves 4 American cuisine 350 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat your smoker to 275°F and soak 2 cups of cherrywood smoking chips in water for 30 minutes to ensure steady smoke.
  2. Step 2: In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Pat dry 6 bone-in chicken thighs and rub them evenly with 2 tbsp olive oil, then coat with the spice mix.
  3. Step 3: Place the chicken thighs on the smoker rack and smoke for 1.5 to 2 hours, maintaining the temperature at 275°F, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the skin is crispy.
  4. Step 4: Meanwhile, whisk together 1/4 cup honey and 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar to create the glaze.
  5. Step 5: During the last 15 minutes of smoking, brush the honey glaze generously on each thigh every 5 minutes to develop a sticky, shiny coating.
  6. Step 6: Remove the chicken from the smoker, let rest for 5 minutes, and serve warm with remaining glaze on the side.

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