Prepare the leeks by cutting off the root and dark green leaves. Slice them in half lengthwise and then crosswise into ¼ inch slices. Place the leeks in a big bowl of water and move them around a little with your fingers to remove any dirt trapped between the layers. Set aside.
In a large pot, cook the bacon until crispy. After it is done transfer the bacon to a bowl lined with paper towels to drain. Set aside.
Drain away most of the bacon grease, leaving about 1-2 tablespoons in the bottom of the pan. Add in the sliced and washed leeks. Cook for about 5 minutes or until they soften up a bit, stirring occasionally.
Add in the cubed potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Stir in the half-and-half and remove from heat. Taste the soup and then add salt and pepper to taste. If a slightly thicker soup is desired, use a potato masher to lightly mash some of the potatoes.
Serve hot with the reserved bacon sprinkled on the top. Enjoy!
Notes
This soup is also delicious with ham instead of bacon! Use about a pound of ham, cut into bite-sized pieces. Leftover ham is great for this soup, too. You may not need to add additional salt because the ham is so salty already.
This soup may be fully pureed for a smoother consistency. An immersion blender works great for this because it can be blended directly in the pan.
You can use full whipping cream instead of the half-and-half to make this soup creamier.