In small saucepan add cheese product (Velveeta) and half & half. Cook until melted, stirring as needed. Once melted add chicken broth and bring to temperature.
While cheese is melting, add cornstarch to bowl and stir in water a few tablespoons at a time to prevent clumping.
Once cornstarch has turned into a slurry temper it by ladeling warm cheese sauce into it to bring up its temperature.
Once slurry is warm, add it to the crock pot with the sauce and stir to combine.
Add remaining ingredients, minus the sharp cheddar cheese, and let cook on high for three hours, stirring occasionally.
Before serving, add sharp cheddar cheese to the crock pot and stir to melt the cheese into the sauce.
If soup gets too thick, you can thin it out by adding a tablespoon of water at a time to reach your desired consistency.