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1. Preheat the oven to 205°C (400°F). Scrub the russet potatoes, prick them all over with a fork, and place them directly on the oven rack. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until very tender.
4 pieces Russet potatoes
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2. While the potatoes bake, cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot, then crumble the bacon.
6 slice Thick-cut bacon
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3. Cook the yellow onion in the bacon fat over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, and dried thyme and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
1 piece Yellow onion, diced,
3 clove Garlic,
0.5 tsp Smoked paprika,
0.5 tsp Dried thyme
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4. Halve the baked potatoes and scoop the flesh from the skins, discarding the skins or saving them for another use. Add about three-quarters of the potato flesh to the pot along with the chicken stock. Mash the potato in the pot with a potato masher, leaving some chunks, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3 pieces Russet potatoes,
4 cup Chicken stock (wheat-free)
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5. Mash the remaining potato flesh until smooth and stir it into the soup along with the whole milk and heavy cream. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until thick and creamy, without boiling.
1 pieces Russet potatoes,
1 cup Whole milk,
0.5 cup Heavy cream
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6. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, a handful at a time, until melted. Stir in half of the sour cream, the salt, and the black pepper, and adjust the seasoning to taste.
1 cup Sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated, divided,
0.2 cup Sour cream, divided,
1 tsp Salt,
0.5 tsp Black pepper
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7. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the remaining cheddar cheese, the remaining sour cream, the crumbled bacon, and the chives. Serve hot.
6 slice Thick-cut bacon,
1 cup Sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated, divided,
0.2 cup Sour cream, divided,
3 tbsp Fresh chives, thinly sliced (garnish)
