Preparation

Brine the chicken:
For the brine, in a mixing bowl combine the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and thyme. Transfer the brine to a 2-gallon sized resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, close the bag and refrigerate 2 hours (if you’ve only got 15 minutes, that’s fine) to allow the salt and seasonings to penetrate the chicken.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce:
Wrap the bacon around the thyme sprigs and tie with kitchen twine. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook slowly 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and to give the sauce a smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic, cook slowly without browning for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Once the sauce is done cooking, remove about 1 ½ cups of the sauce and reserve; the remainder will be used for basting the chicken.

Grill the chicken:
Prepare a gas or charcoal barbecue to medium heat. Spray or wipe grilling surface with nonstick spray or olive oil to prevent sticking. Take the chicken out of the brine and pat it dry on paper towels. Arrange the chicken pieces on the grill and cook 3 to 4 minutes; turn over and finish cooking for 6 to 8 minutes. Liberally brush with barbeque sauce, coating entirely and cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the grill and serve with reserved sauce.