Chili’s Baked Potato Soup Copycat Recipe

This Chili’s baked potato soup copycat brings the thick, creamy restaurant bowl home in about 45 minutes. If you’ve ever ordered it at the table and thought about how to make it yourself, this is the recipe to bookmark.

It’s a straightforward weeknight soup: russet potatoes, sharp cheddar, sour cream, and bacon, all in a rich base that tastes like it simmered all afternoon.

Why I Love This Recipe

The balance here is what keeps me coming back to it. The sour cream adds a quiet tang that cuts through the richness, and the crispy bacon on top gives you a little crunch against the creamy broth.

It reheats well, too. The starch from the potatoes thickens it naturally, so it tastes just as good the next day without any extra work.

Recipe Ingredients

• 4 large russet potatoes (about 2 lbs / 900g) – Russets break down into a creamy texture; waxy potatoes won’t give you the same consistency
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon – Cut into small pieces; turkey bacon works in a pinch but gives a lighter flavor
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced – Adds a savory base; white onion works equally well
• 3 cloves garlic, minced – Fresh is best here; jarred is fine
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter – Adds richness to the roux
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour – Thickens the soup; see substitutions for gluten-free
• 3 cups chicken broth – Low-sodium lets you control the saltiness
• 2 cups whole milk – Whole milk gives the creamiest result; 2% works but thins it slightly
• 1 cup sour cream – Stirred in at the end for tang and body; full-fat gives the best texture
• 1.5 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded – Shred it yourself so it melts smoothly; pre-shredded has a coating that makes it grainy
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste – Start here and adjust at the end
• 0.5 tsp black pepper – Freshly ground if you have it
• 0.5 tsp smoked paprika – Adds a subtle warmth that rounds out the flavor
• 2 green onions, sliced – For garnish; adds a fresh, sharp contrast to the rich soup

Variations / Substitutions

• Gluten-free – Swap the 3 tbsp all-purpose flour for 2 tbsp cornstarch stirred into the cold milk before adding; the soup thickens a little differently but the result is still creamy and thick.
• Dairy-free – Use full-fat coconut milk in place of whole milk, a dairy-free sour cream, and a vegan cheddar; the flavor shifts slightly but holds up well.
• Smoked sausage instead of bacon – Slice 4 oz of smoked sausage and brown it in the pot first; it gives the soup a more savory, meaty flavor throughout rather than just on top.
• Extra heat – Stir in 1 tsp of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne with the paprika for a soup with a real kick.
• Lighter version – Replace whole milk with 2% and sour cream with plain Greek yogurt; the tang is actually a little brighter, and it’s still satisfying.

If you like this kind of loaded soup, you might also enjoy a Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup Copycat Recipe.

How To Make Baked Potato Soup

Step 1: Crisp the Bacon

Set a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the 4 slices of thick-cut bacon, cut into small pieces, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the pieces are deep golden and crisp.

Scoop the bacon out with a slotted spoon and set it on a paper towel to drain. Leave the drippings in the pot. That fat is going to carry a lot of flavor through the rest of the soup, so don’t wipe it out.

Step 2: Soften the Onion and Garlic

Add the 3 tbsp unsalted butter to the bacon drippings still in the pot, keeping the heat at medium. Once the butter melts, add the diced yellow onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent. Then stir in the 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook for another 60 seconds.

The onion should look almost glassy at this point, not brown. If the edges are catching color too fast, drop the heat down a notch. You want them soft and sweet, not caramelized.

Step 3: Build the Roux

Sprinkle the 3 tbsp all-purpose flour over the onion and garlic. Stir constantly for about 2 minutes, coating the vegetables in the flour and letting it cook out its raw taste. The mixture will look thick and paste-like, and that’s exactly right.

This step is what gives the soup its body. If you skip straight to adding liquid, you’ll end up with a thin, floury broth instead of a creamy soup.

Step 4: Simmer the Potatoes

Pour in the 3 cups chicken broth and 2 cups whole milk, stirring as you go to pull up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the peeled and diced russet potatoes (about 2 lbs / 900g, cut into roughly 1-inch pieces), the 1 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper, and 0.5 tsp smoked paprika. Raise the heat to medium-high to bring everything to a gentle boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender when you pierce them with a fork.

The broth will thicken noticeably as the potatoes cook and release their starch. If the heat is too high, the milk can scorch on the bottom, so keep it at a steady low simmer rather than a rolling boil.

Step 5: Stir in the Cream and Cheese

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the 1 cup sour cream until it’s fully blended into the soup. Then add 1 cup of the shredded sharp cheddar (reserving 0.5 cup for topping) and stir until the cheese has melted and the soup looks smooth and rich. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

Taking the pot off the heat before adding the dairy keeps the sour cream from curdling and the cheese from going grainy. Give it a full minute of stirring and everything will come together into a velvety soup.

Step 6: Ladle and Garnish

Ladle the soup into bowls and top each one with a share of the reserved crispy bacon, the remaining 0.5 cup shredded cheddar, and the sliced green onions. Serve immediately while the cheese on top is still melting at the edges.

Recipe Tips

• Dice the potatoes evenly. Pieces around 1 inch cook at the same rate. If some are much larger, they’ll still be firm when the smaller ones are done.
• Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheddar has an anti-caking coating that makes it resist melting. A block of sharp cheddar and a box grater takes about 2 minutes and makes a real difference in the final texture.
• Don’t let it boil after the dairy goes in. Once the sour cream and cheese are stirred in, keep the heat off or very low. Boiling at this point can make the soup grainy and separated.
• Taste at the end. The saltiness of chicken broth varies a lot by brand, so hold off on adjusting salt until the soup is fully assembled.

Cook times by potato size:

How To Store

• Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The soup thickens considerably as it sits, which is normal.
• Reheating – Warm it over medium-low heat on the stovetop, stirring often, and add a splash of milk or broth to loosen it back to the right consistency. Avoid high heat, which can cause the dairy to break.

What To Serve With Baked Potato Soup

A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette works well alongside because the acidity balances the richness of the soup without competing with it. Crusty bread or a soft dinner roll is the other obvious partner, useful for scooping up whatever’s left at the bottom of the bowl. If you want to make a fuller meal of it, a simple side of roasted broccoli adds color and a slightly bitter note that plays well against the cheddar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Yes. Make it up to 2 days ahead and store it covered in the fridge. Reheat gently on the stovetop and add a little milk to restore the consistency, then add the toppings fresh before serving.

Can I freeze baked potato soup?

It’s not ideal. The dairy base tends to separate and turn grainy when thawed, and the potato texture suffers. If you need to freeze it, do so before adding the sour cream and cheese, then stir those in after reheating.

How do I make it thicker without more flour?

Let it simmer a few extra minutes uncovered before adding the dairy. You can also mash a portion of the potatoes directly in the pot with a fork or potato masher to release more starch.

Can I use a different type of potato?

Russets are genuinely the best choice here because of how much starch they release. Yukon Golds will give you a slightly firmer texture and a more buttery flavor, which isn’t bad, just different from the Chili’s original.

Baked Potato Soup Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 large russet potatoes (about 2 lbs / 900g), peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1.5 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (divided)
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 green onions, sliced

Method

 

1. Cook the bacon pieces in a large pot over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pot.
2. Add the 3 tbsp butter to the drippings over medium heat. Cook the diced onion for 4 to 5 minutes until soft, then stir in the minced garlic for 60 seconds.
3. Sprinkle in the 3 tbsp flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes until the mixture looks thick and paste-like.
4. Pour in the 3 cups chicken broth and 2 cups whole milk, stirring to combine. Add the diced potatoes, 1 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper, and 0.5 tsp smoked paprika. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer on medium-low uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.
5. Remove from heat. Stir in the 1 cup sour cream until smooth, then stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheddar until melted. Taste and adjust salt.
6. Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved crispy bacon, the remaining 0.5 cup cheddar, and the sliced green onions. Serve immediately.

Notes

This soup thickens quite a bit as it sits, so if you’re making it for a crowd and holding it warm on the stove, keep the heat on the lowest setting and stir in a splash of milk every 10 minutes or so. The toppings matter here: don’t skip the green onion, because that fresh bite is what keeps the whole bowl from feeling heavy.