Preheat your oven to 400°F. Scrub those 4 potatoes under cold water and pat them completely dry—moisture is the enemy here. Poke each one with a fork about 8-10 times so they don't explode. Rub them lightly with olive oil and place them directly on the oven rack. Bake for 35-40 minutes until they're fork-tender and the skin's slightly crispy.

While potatoes bake, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add your diced onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's soft and starting to turn golden at the edges. The onions should be translucent and smell almost sweet.

Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for about 1 minute. You'll hear it sizzle immediately—that's your signal it's working. The aroma will shift to something garlicky and warm, which means the raw bite's gone and you're ready for the next step.

Pour in 1 cup chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release all those stuck-on bits. Add 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried thyme, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Stir everything together and let it simmer while you finish the potatoes.

Once potatoes are done, let them cool for 5 minutes so you can handle them. Cut each one in half and scoop out the insides, leaving a thin shell (save those shells if you want to get fancy with them). Cut the insides into rough chunks—you want some texture, not baby food.

Add potato chunks to the pot and stir gently. Pour in 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup whole milk. Simmer for 10 minutes without boiling, stirring occasionally. When your kitchen smells like warm, buttery potatoes with that hint of smoke from the paprika, you're right where you need to be. That's when you know the flavors have melded properly.

Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup sour cream until it's completely smooth—don't skip this step because cold sour cream can seize if you add it to boiling liquid. Fold in 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and stir until it melts completely. Taste and adjust seasoning. Top with crispy turkey bacon pieces and fresh green onions.