Funeral Potatoes

By calypan

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 onions, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 8 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 cups sour-cream-and-onion potato chips, crushed

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth, half-and-half, salt, thyme, and pepper and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in cheddar until smooth.

2. Stir potatoes into sauce, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, over low heat until thawed, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in sour cream until combined.

3. Scrape mixture into 13 by 9-inch baking dish and top with potato chips. Bake until golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Serve.

MAKE AHEAD: Potato mixture can be refrigerated in baking dish, covered with aluminum foil, for 2 days. To finish, bake potatoes 20 minutes. Remove dish from oven and uncover. Top with potato chips and bake until golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes.