Ingredients:

  • 5 lbs Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken bone broth
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 8 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened and cubed
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 cups sharp shredded cheddar cheese
  • 0.5 lb thick-cut bacon, fried and crumbled
  • 1 bunch fresh chives, snipped
  • 0.5 cup sour cream

Instructions:

  1. Place the 5 lbs of cubed russet potatoes, diced onion, and minced garlic into the slow cooker insert. Sprinkle the 1 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp pepper, and 0.5 tsp dried thyme over the top to ensure every layer is seasoned.
  2. Pour in the 4 cups of chicken bone broth until the potatoes are just barely submerged. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours (or LOW for 8 hours) until the potatoes are fork tender and starting to crumble.
  3. Add the 8 oz of cubed cream cheese and 1 cup of heavy whipping cream to the pot. Use a potato masher to crush about half of the potatoes directly in the liquid until the mixture looks thick and incorporated.
  4. Stir in 1.5 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese (reserve the rest for topping). Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and the soup is bubbling.
  5. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top each with a dollop of the 0.5 cup sour cream. Finish with the 0.5 lb crumbled bacon, the remaining 0.5 cup of cheddar, and a generous sprinkle of fresh chives.