White Chicken Chili

Ingredients

1/2 lb. dried navy beans, picked over to remove any damaged beans
1 large white onion, chopped
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. chicken broth
2 c. half-and-half
1 tsp Tabasco red pepper sauce, or to taste
1 1/2 tsps chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp white pepper, or to taste
2 jalapenos, seeds and stems removed, finely diced
2 lbs. ckickn tenders OR breasts, cooked and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 c grated monterey jack cheese (about 6 oz)
1/2 c sour cream
garnish cilantro leaves
garnish* tomato salsa

1- soak the beans in cold water overnight.
2- Drain them in a colander and place in a pot with fresh cold water to cover by 2 inches. Cook the beans at a bare simmer until tender (about 1 hr.) and drain in a colander.
3- In a skillet, cook the onion in 2 Tablespoons of the butter over medium heat until softened.
4- In a 6-8 quart heavy stock-pot, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter over moderately low heat and whisk in the flour. Cook the roux, whisking constantly for 3 minutes. Stir in the onion and gradually add the broth and half-and-half, whisking constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened (about 5 minutes)
5- Stir in the tabasco, chili poweder, cumin, salt and white pepper. Add the beans, jalapenos, chicken and monterey jack and cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring regularly, for 20 minutes. Stir the sour cream into the chili.
6- Garnish with cliantro and tomato salsa.
Serves 8

*To make a basic salsa, combine peeled, small-dice tomatoes; chopped cilantro; lime juice; chili peppers, such as jalapenos; salt and pepper; and chopped green onion. Adjust the seasonings to taste.