Well, I didn't have thyme, so I used basil. I didn't have a whole chicken, but I had skinless chicken thighs. I soaked the chicken in water with some salt substitute (potassium) for a few hours in the fridge. I patted them dry, sprinkled them with all the herbs, then cooked them on the gas grill - delicious!! Thank you very much for the idea, even though I did something somewhat different!!
-Catinhat