Cornbread Chicken Pot Pie

Rinse chicken with cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Place it in a large pot and add the water, onion, celery, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a large plate and let it cool slightly. Then remove all the meat from the carcass, discarding the skin and bones. Set the meat aside. Strain the stock and reserve 2 cups; place on low heat to keep it hot. Next, prepare the sauce; Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Over medium high heat add the chopped onions and celery and saute until softened. Stir in the stock and the milk. In a separate bowl mix flour with 1/2 cup water and gradually whisk into liquid in saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Stir in the drained vegetables, parsley, salt and pepper and chicken meat. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and chili powder in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, and oil together. Stir the mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined. Spoon the batter over the chicken mixture. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the cornbread is well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center of it comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.;