Preheat oven to 350°.

Melt 2T butter in a saute pan and add onion and garlic and cook 5 minutes. Add 2T butter and carrots, celery and asparagus and cook for 2 minutes. Add flour and stir to coat veggies cooking for 2 minutes more. Add the broth and thyme and 1 tsp each S&P and bring to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes to thicken. Now add the chicken, peas and parsley. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Put baking soda, 2 tsp salt and 8C water in a large pot and bring to a boil. (it really bubbles up)

Divide the dough into 4 pieces to make pretzels. Roll each piece out to about 24" long. Form into a pretzel shape using water to help the ends stick together. Use a slotted spoon to lower 1 pretzel into the boiling water. Cook 30 seconds then flip and cook for 30 seconds more. Remove and drain on a cutting board. Do the rest of the pretzels the same way.

Spray the baking dish with cooking spray. Put the chicken mixture into a 9"deep dish pie plate or an 8"x8" baking dish. Arrange the pretzels on top of the pot pie mixture with part of the pretzel touching the edges. Whisk the egg and 1Tbsp water in a small bowl. Brush each pretzel with this egg wash and sprinkle with pretzel salt.

Bake for 45-50 minutes. The pretzels will be a beautiful brown and the filling will be bubbling !