Season and Sear the Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl, mix together the salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Rub this mixture all over the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and sear for 3-4 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown. You don't need to cook them through. Transfer the seared chicken to your crock pot.

Sauté the Aromatics: Lower the heat under the frying pan to medium. Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook for about 1 minute until it's fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.

Deglaze the Pan: Pour the chicken stock into the hot pan. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan – this is where so much flavour is hiding! Let the stock bubble for a minute.

Combine in the Crock Pot: Pour the chicken stock and garlic mixture from the pan into the crock pot over the chicken. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir everything gently.

Slow Cook: Place the lid on the crock pot and cook on LOW for 4 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours. I strongly recommend the LOW setting for the most tender chicken.

Finish the Sauce: About 15 minutes before serving, carefully remove the chicken breasts from the crock pot and set them aside on a plate. Pour the double cream and grated Parmesan cheese into the sauce in the crock pot and whisk until smooth and combined.

Thicken if Necessary: If the sauce seems a little thin for your liking, this is the time to thicken it. In a separate small bowl, mix the cornflour with the cold water to create a smooth slurry. I find that doing this separately prevents any lumps from forming. Whisk this slurry into the sauce. Turn the crock pot to HIGH, cover, and let it cook for another 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Combine and Serve: Return the chicken breasts to the crock pot. You can leave them whole or shred them with two forks before adding them back in. Stir in the fresh, chopped basil. Let the chicken warm through for a few minutes, then serve immediately.