Smoked Memphis BBQ Chicken Thighs with Tangy Mop Sauce

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 smoked chicken thighs basted with a tangy vinegar-based mop sauce, capturing the essence of Memphis barbecue. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 190 minutes, pairs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, kosher salt, black pepper 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: 40 min Cook: 150 min Serves 4 American cuisine 350 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

Know when the chicken is done: thermometers under $100 → Best Instant-Read Thermometers for 2026: Fast, Accurate Picks Under $100

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Kitchen tools → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Combine 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp paprika, and 1 tsp garlic powder in a bowl. Rub this seasoning evenly over 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  2. Step 2: Mix 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup water, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp hot sauce, and 1 tbsp brown sugar in a bowl to create the mop sauce.
  3. Step 3: Preheat smoker to 250°F and add 2 cups soaked apple wood chips for smoke.
  4. Step 4: Place the chicken thighs skin side up on the smoker grate. Smoke for 1 hour, then baste with the mop sauce using a brush. Repeat basting every 30 minutes for a total cook time of 2 to 2.5 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and skin is nicely colored.
  5. Step 5: Remove chicken and let rest for 10 minutes before serving with extra mop sauce on the side.

Related recipes