Freezer Chicken Pot Pies

• 1 1/2 pounds bonelss, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1 celery rib, minced
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 (9-inch) store-bought pied dough rounds
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
• 6 2-cup disposable aluminum loaf pans
• 1 large egg, beaten

1.  Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.  Heat 1 tablespoon oil in dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and cook until well browned, about 2 1/2 minutes per side.  Add broth and bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until thickest part of chicken registers 160, 6-8 minutes.  Transfer chicken to plate; strain broth through fine-mesh strainer set over bowl.

2.  Melt butter with remaining 1 tablespoon oil in empty pot over medium heat.  Add carrots, onion, celery, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables are lightly browned and softened, 8-10 minutes.  Reduce to medium, add flour, and cook for 1 minute.  Whisk in milk, thyme, and reserved broth and simmer, whisking often, until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces.  Off heat, stir lemon juice and chicken into sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer filling to bowl and let cool completely.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well-chilled, about 1 hour.

4.  Place 2 dough rounds on lightly floured counter.  Brush surface of each round with water, then place 1 remaining dough round (the third round) on the other two.  Press gently to adhere.

5.  Position 1 inverted loaf pan on one layered dough round.  Using a sharp knife, cut out piece of dough using pan as template.  Repeat twice more for a total of 3 dough pieces, then repeat the process on second layered dough round.  Discard excess dough.

6.  Stir in peas into chilled mixture.  Then evenly divide into the three loaf pans.  Top each pan with 1 dough piece, then use fork to seal edges.  Using a knife, cut 3 steam vents into each pie.

7.  TO STORE:  Tightly wrap each loaf pan in 2 layers of plastic and 1 layer of aluminum foil, then freeze up to 1 month

8.  TO SERVE:  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400F.  Unwrap frozen pot pies and arrange on cookie sheet.  Brush each pie with egg and cover with foil.  Bake until filling is bubbling, about 40 minutes.  Uncover pie and bake until crusts are golden, about 35 minutes.  Let pot pies rest for 10 min before serving.