Gourmet White Chicken Chili

This is a wonderful chili recipe sure to please family or guests. I got this recipe from a friend who said this was truely the best white chili she had ever eaten.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup butter, unsalted
• 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3⁄4 cup chicken broth
• 2  cups half-and-half
• 1  teaspoon Tabasco sauce (to taste)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1  teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon white pepper (to taste)
• 4  ounces  of whole mild green chilies, drained and chopped
• 5  boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 2 lbs)
• 1 1⁄2 cups monterey jack cheese (about 6 ounces)
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream
•  coriander, to garnish chili
•  salsa, to serve

Directions

1. Drain beans in a colander and rinse well.
2. In a skillet cook onion in 2 tablespoons of butter over moderate heat until softened.
3. In a 6-8 quart heavy kettle melt remaining 6 tablespoons of butter over moderate low heat and whisk in flour. Cool roux, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. STir in onion and gradually add broth and half and half, whisking constantly. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in tabasco sauce, chili powder, cumin, salt, and white pepper. Add beans, chilies, chicken, and <Monteray Jack cheese and cook mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, 20 minutes. Stir in sour cream into chili.
4. Garnish chili with coriander and serve with salsa.