Step 1

Preheat oven to 350º. Rub potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Place potatoes on a cookie sheet and into the oven and bake for 1 hour. Check potatoes with a paring knife for doneness. A paring knife or fork should slide into the potato easily. Remove potatoes from oven and let cool. Do not remove the skins of the potatoes! Dice potatoes into 1/2 inch sized cubes.

Step 2

Place bacon slices in the Dutch Oven on the stove top over medium high heat until it starts to get crispy. Place on paper towel to drain. Once bacon cools, chop into small pieces and set aside. You could also make your bacon in the oven at 375º for 15 min or in the air fryer for If using these methods, pour bacon fat from oven or air fryer method into Dutch Oven.

Step 3

Over medium-high heat in a Dutch Oven or a large pot, add butter to bacon grease. Once melted, add the chopped onion and garlic. Cook until softened.You can use a small amount of oil instead of bacon grease but the bacon adds a lot of flavor to the soup.

Step 4

Add the flour and stir quickly to make a roux. Do not to burn the flour.

Step 5

Quickly add the chicken broth and water, whisking quickly, to keep the lumps away. Turn heat up to high and bring to a low boil. Once the chicken stock is simmering, slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Turn down to medium heat and allow the soup to reduce for 10 minutes.

Step 6

Add diced baked potatoes to the soup and bring mixture to a simmer again (about 5 minutes). The potatoes will help thicken the soup to a thick and creamy consistency. Add the sugar, salt, and pepper.If your soup is too thick, add 1-2 cups water or chicken broth. If your soup is too thin, whisk together 1/4 cup water and 1-2 tbsp cornstarch and add to soup. Let simmer for 5 minutes more to thicken to the proper consistency.

Step 7

Once soup is thickened, serve in individual bowls and top with shredded cheddar, bits of bacon, and chives. No sour cream needed!