Instant Pot Instructions:

1. Sauté bacon: Hit "Sauté" on your 6-quart Instant Pot, 8-quart Instant Pot, or comparable electric pressure cooker. Add chopped bacon to the pot, and sauté until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon pieces to a plate covered in paper towel, leaving the bacon fat in the pot. Set bacon aside.
2. Sauté leeks: Add garlic-infused oil to the pot and swirl to coat. Add leeks and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add broth and scrape: Hit “Cancel” on the Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of the chicken bone broth, wait about 15 seconds, and scrape the bottom of the pot clean with a plastic spoon or spatula (I love my Instant Pot spatula). Add the remaining 2 cups of broth.
4. Add herbs and spices: Add dried chives, salt, pepper, thyme, and smoked paprika to the pot and stir. Add chopped potatoes and stir again to distribute evenly in the broth.
5. Pressure cook: Close the lid and set the pressure release valve to "Sealing." Press the "Pressure Cook" button and set the timer for 10 minutes.
6. Blend: Once the cooking cycle has completed, quick release the pressure. Open lid and allow the soup to cool for a few minutes. Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the soup to your desired consistency, leaving some of the soup chunky or blending the soup until just smooth (do not over-blend).
7. Add remaining ingredients: Add coconut cream and 2/3 of the reserved bacon to the soup and stir. Taste the soup and adjust seasonings as desired. Chop the remaining 1/3 of the bacon into small pieces. Garnish with the chopped bacon, fresh chopped chives and/or freshly ground black pepper (optional). Serve and enjoy.

Slow Cooker Instructions:

1. Sauté bacon: Place a large skillet with high sides or a dutch oven on the stove top on medium heat. Add the chopped bacon pieces and sauté until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a plate covered in paper towel, leaving as much fat in the skillet as possible.
2. Sauté leeks: Add garlic infused olive oil to the skillet and swirl to coat. Add leeks and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour 1 cup of the chicken bone broth into the skillet and scrape up anything on the bottom of the pan. Remove skillet from heat.
3. Pour into slow cooker: Carefully pour skillet contents into a slow cooker (I use a 6-quart Crock-Pot), using a heat-resistant spatula to scrape every bit of soup into the slow cooker. Add the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth to the slow cooker.
4. Add herbs and spices: Add dried chives, salt, pepper, thyme, and smoked paprika to the slow cooker and stir. Add chopped potatoes and stir again to distribute evenly in the broth.
5. Slow cook: Set slow cooker timer for 8 hours on low or 5 hours on high.
6. Blend: Once the cooking time is finished, turn off slow cooker and remove lid, allowing the soup to cool for a few minutes. Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the soup to your desired consistency, leaving some of the soup chunky or blending the soup until just smooth (do not over-blend).
7. Add remaining ingredients: Add coconut cream and 2/3 of the reserved bacon to the soup and stir. Taste the soup and adjust seasonings as desired. Chop the remaining 1/3 of the bacon into small pieces. Garnish with the chopped bacon, fresh chopped chives and/or freshly ground black pepper (optional). Serve and enjoy.