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1. Let chicken and 1 tablespoon butter stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove the giblets from the chicken cavity. Rinse chicken inside and out under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Tuck the wing tips under the body. Sprinkle the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper.
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2. In center of a heavy-duty roasting pan, place onion slices in two rows. Place the palm of your hand on top of lemon and, pressing down, roll lemon back and forth to soften the lemon. Pierce entire surface of lemon with a fork. Gently press on garlic cloves to open slightly. Insert garlic cloves, thyme, and lemon into cavity. Place chicken in pan, on onion slices. Using kitchen twine bring chicken legs forward, cross them, and tie together.
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3. Spread softened butter over entire surface of chicken, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast until skin is deep golden brown and crisp (about 1 1/2 hours.) Chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer into breast reads 180 degrees and thigh reads 190 degrees.
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4. Remove from oven, and transfer to a cutting board with a well. Let chicken stand 10 minutes so the juices settle. Place roasting pan with juice and onions on the stove over medium-high heat to cook, about 1 minute. Add chicken stock, raise heat to high, and, using a wooden spoon, stir up and combine the brown bits with the stock until the liquid is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Strain the gravy into a small bowl, pressing on onions to extract any liquid. Discard onions, and stir in remaining tablespoon of cold butter. Untie the legs, and remove and discard garlic, thyme, and lemon. Carve, and serve gravy on the side.
