Copycat Loaded Baked Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS

3 lbs red potatoes

chicken stock (enough to cover potatoes)

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

4 cups half-and-half

4 cups milk

16 oz Velveeta cheese melted

3 cans Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese soup

2 tsp Black pepper more or less, to taste

2 tsp Garlic powder more or less, to taste

1 1/2 – 2 tsp hot sauce

1/2 lb bacon cooked and crumbled

1 cup cheddar cheese shredded

Fresh chives chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash and scrub potatoes. Dry, and dice into 1/2″ cubes. Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with chicken stock, bring to a boil. Boil for approximately 10 minutes, or until they are 3/4 of the way cooked. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large dutch oven or stock pot, melt butter over MED heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Let flour mixture cook about 1-2 minutes.
3. Carefully pour in half and half and milk, whisking constantly. Continue whisking until liquid is smooth and starts to thicken slightly.
4. Add in melted Velveeta cheese and whisk to combine. Add in the cans of cheddar cheese soup and whisk until everything is smooth.
5. Stir in hot sauce, pepper and garlic powder.
6. Add in boiled potatoes, stir, and place lid on pot.
7. Cook over LOW heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. To Serve:
9. Top individual servings with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon and fresh chives.

RECIPE NOTES

This soup is supposed to be ultra creamy, like the original O’Charley’s version.  If you aren’t a fan of milk/half and half based soups, then try substituting some of the half and half for chicken stock

Original Recipes visit: Copycat Loaded Baked Potato Soup @ thechunkychef.com