Rinse and pat dry chicken. Rub salt and pepper into the chicken. Cover (or tumble into ziptop bags) and chill, 2 hours to 2 days. Let chicken come to room temperature, up to 1 hour, before grilling.
Build (or spark) a medium-hot fire. Clean and lightly oil grates. Set chicken over flame and grill until golden outside and cooked through inside (165 degrees), about 12 minutes per side.
Slather:
Brush chicken with sauce. Cook just long enough to sear sauce to chicken, about 1 minute per side. Enjoy, with napkins.
Provenance:
Sauce adapted from The New Basics cookbook.
Apricot barbecue sauce:
Combine in the food processor or blender 2 tablespoons each: soy sauce, dry white wine or sherry, finely chopped green onions, chopped garlic, chopped fresh ginger, lemon juice. Add 1/2 cup apricot jam and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Swirl smooth. Pour into a medium saucepan. Boil thick, stirring attentively, about 4 minutes.
Leah Eskin is a Tribune Newspapers special contributor. Email her at leahreskin@aol.com.
