Chicken Pot (Pock) Pie

Preston my eight year old has called chicken pot pies, "chicken pock pies" since he was little.  Someday soon he may grow out of it (or it may stick), but for now, it makes me feel like he's still a little boy (even though he's getting bigger by the minute) and I'm more than okay with that!  Everyone gets their first initial cut into the crust of their pot pie (instead of slits to let the steam escape).

Chicken Pot Pie

1 recipe for pie dough
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can low-sodium chicken broth with water added to equal 2 cups
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium-large onion, chopped fine
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut crosswise 1/4-inch thick
2 small celery stalks, cut crosswise 1/4-inch thick
Salt and ground black pepper
4 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3 tablespoon dry sherry
3/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed
3 tablespoons minced fresh parley

Make pie dough and refrigerate until ready to use.

Adjust oven rack to low-center position; heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Put chicken and broth in small Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.  Cover, bring to simmer; simmer until chicken is just done, 8 to 10 minutes.  Transfer meat to large bowl, reserve broth in measuring cup.

Increase heat to medium-high; heat oil in now empty pan.  Add onions, carrots, and celery; sauté until just tender, about 5 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  While vegetable are sautéing, shred meat into bite-sized pieces.  Transfer cooked vegetables to bowl with chicken; set aside.

Heat butter over medium heat in again-empty skillet.  When foaming subsides, add flour; cook about 1 minute. Whisk in chicken broth, milk, any accumulated chicken juices, and thyme.  Bring to simmer, then continue to simmer until sauce fully thickens, about 1 minute.  Season to taste with salt and pepper; stir in sherry.

Pour sauce over chicken mixture; stir to combine.  Stir in peas and parsley.  Adjust seasonings.  Pour mixture into 13 x 9-inch pan or any shallow baking dish of similar size.  Top with desired pastry dough; bake until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 30 minutes for large pies and 20 to 25 minutes for smaller pies.  Serve hot.

*I use small bowls or ramekins and make individual pot pies.