Wash and dry chicken. Season liberally with salt, rubbing into skin all over. Place in shallow dish uncovered and chill two days.

Preheat oven to 500ºF. Bring chicken to room temp. Pat chicken dry.

Heat wine in a small pot, add butter and melt; remove from heat. Stuff chicken with onion, bay leaves, lemon and thyme; tie legs together and set chicken on a roasting rack or wire rack over baking dish. Add chicken stock to the pan. Brush chicken with butter and wine, roast 30 minutes, reduce heat to 325ºF, baste chicken with butter and wine and return to oven once oven has cooled to lower temp, 10-15 minutes.

Roast 40-50 minutes more, basting every 10-15 minutes. Let rest 20 minutes, carve and douse with pan drippings.