4 slices bacon - fine without bacon
1-1/2 cups onion, diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 cups russet potatoes, peeled and diced small (~2 potatoes)
10 oz. Italian sausage
4 cups fresh spinach or kale
1-1/2 cups reduced-fat milk (2%)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cook bacon over medium to medium high heat in a large pot until cooked, drain the fat and add onion along with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flake. Cook until translucent.
Add turkey sausage, breaking apart the meat as it cooks until brown.
Add the garlic and potatoes, a few more sprinkles of salt, pepper, and season salt and cook 5 more minutes.
Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low, simmer for 15 minutes.
In the meantime, in a small bowl, add milk. Stir in cornstarch using a whisk or fork until well combined. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, so potatoes don’t break, stir in sausage pieces, spinach and milk. Add black pepper to taste. Bring up to a boil, turn down to simmer, and cook for 5 minutes uncovered.