I am very new to this (smoking and the SM025) as well, so just some thoughts from a fellow newbie. You said you only put salt and pepper on the chicken, I don't think it should have been that dark. I had a rub on my chicken with sugar and cooked it at 300 the whole time with Apple wood the first time I did chicken and that didn't come out dark. Most of the time if you have a rub with sugar that is the component that makes it darker. I would definately skip the Hickory for Chicken, as what I read on here, chicken takes in a lot of smoke flavor. 2oz sounds like a good weight, I think I used around that (the chicken did come out very smokey). Ribs for me usually get real dark, but then again, that's the sugar/spices in the rub, pork butt as well, but could easily have taken 6oz of apple without a problem. Has your family had anything to compare their experience to, say another smoke restaurants food. That is sad to me that they are so unhappy with the food, and I bet you feel that way too, I know I would. I don't know if the experts would recommend this, but maybe clean the sides of the smoker, just in case it was the wood, just to get the remainder of the smoke out of it. I agree with Randy E about backing down on the wood, perhaps you have to start from almost 1/2 to 1 oz to see if they like it and then add a tiny bit at a time each smoke to see where your family's threshold is??? Good Luck, Vicki