It’s a White Christmas @ Forge.
White Chili
Ingredients:
16 oz. can white beans, drained*
1 large onion, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter
1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
3⁄4 cup chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half
2 4-oz cans mild chopped green chiles, drained Salt, pepper and chili powder to coat chicken 11⁄2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1tsp Tabasco
11⁄2 tsps chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄2 tsp pepper
5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts Extra butter to cook chicken
1⁄2 cup sour cream
Directions:
Coat the chicken with salt, pepper and chili powder. Add chicken to hot skillet with butter and cook on each side for 5 minutes, or until nicely browned, ensuring the meat is done in the middle. Remove the chicken and let cool. Shred with fingers and set aside.
In a medium skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat and cook the onion until softened. In a large, heavy pot, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat and whisk in the flour to make a roux. Cook the roux, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes. Stir in the onion and gradually whisk in the broth and half-and-half. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the Tabasco, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Add beans, chiles, chicken and cheese. Increase the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes. Stir in the sour cream. Garnish with cilantro and salsa.
*Alternative: 1 cup dried navy beans, picked over and rinsed
In a medium pot, soak the beans overnight in enough cold water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Drain the beans in a colander and return to the pot fresh cold water, covering the beans by 2 inches. Cook the beans at a bare simmer on very low heat until tender, about 1 hour, and drain in a colander.
image courtesy of Daniel Jeffries
