Cream Cheese Crockpot Chicken

4 pounds Chicken Thighs without skin -- ready to cook
2 tablespoons Butter or Margarine -- melted
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 ounce Italian Salad Dressing Mix -- low salt
1 can Condensed Cream of Chicken soup
8 ounces Cream Cheese -- cubed
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
1 large Onion -- chopped
2 tablespoons Chicken Broth -- to cook onion
2 cloves Garlic -- minced

Brush chicken with butter and layer in crock pot with dry Italian seasoning mix sprinkled on each layer. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours. About 45 minutes before done, brown the onion in the chicken broth and then add the cream cheese, soup, salt & pepper and remaining chicken broth to the saucepan. Add the minced garlic and stir all ingredients until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over chicken in crockpot and cook an additional 30-45 minutes. Remove chicken to platter and stir sauce before putting in gravy

To Freeze: To freeze this dish for later use, place cooled, finished chicken into a large baking pan or oven-proof bowl, then pour finished sauce over chicken. Cool, and freeze

To Reheat: . To re-heat, thaw overnight in refrigerator and then bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes to 1 hour.