In a large skillet, cook the bacon over med-high heat for 5-7 minutes, until browned and crispy (Or you can bake in the oven @ 400F for about 12-15 minutes). Then remove the bacon with some tongs onto a towel lined plate and set it aside. Once it's cooled, roughly chop it.
Peel and roughly chop the potatoes. Place them into a greased slow cooker along with half of the drained bacon (save the rest for topping the finished soup with), broth, onion, garlic, thyme and herbs. Give it all a good stir, then place the lid on and cook on low heat for 6-7 hours, until the potatoes are tender.
Once tender, use a masher to just roughly mash some of the potatoes, until it reaches your desired consistency. Then stir in the sour cream, heavy cream, dried chives and the 1 cup cheddar cheese. Season it to taste with salt and pepper.
Place the lid back on for an additional 15-20 minutes, until everything is heated through.
Serve immediately, topped with the reserved bacon bits and additional cheddar cheese, along with some freshly chopped chives, if you'd like. Refrigerate any leftovers.
