Preheat your oven to 375°F. While it heats, shred your potatoes and squeeze them thoroughly in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth—removing excess moisture is crucial for achieving a crispy, golden crust rather than a soggy base. This step takes just a few minutes and ensures the best texture for your hash browns.

Once the oven has preheated for 10 minutes, add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2.5 tablespoons of olive oil to an oven-safe skillet and place it in the oven for 1-2 minutes until the butter is fully melted and the fat is hot. Carefully remove the skillet and spread the squeezed potatoes evenly across the bottom. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then dot the top with the remaining 1.5 tablespoons of butter. I like using Kerrygold butter here because its higher fat content creates an incredibly rich, crispy crust. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the potatoes are golden and crispy on the bottom.

Remove the skillet from the oven and carefully create three shallow pockets in the hash browns using the back of a spoon. Crack one room-temperature egg into each pocket—room temperature eggs will cook more evenly without the whites setting before the yolk cooks through. Place 1 teaspoon of butter into each pocket alongside the eggs. Return the skillet to the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes until the egg whites are just set but the yolks remain runny.

Remove the skillet from the oven and sprinkle the cheddar cheese evenly over the top, making sure to cover the eggs and hash browns. I prefer Tillamook cheese because it has a creamy melt and adds a subtle depth of flavor. Return to the oven for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. The residual heat will continue cooking the egg yolks to your desired doneness.

Remove the skillet from the oven and season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Garnish generously with fresh chives and serve immediately while everything is hot and the cheese is still creamy.