Prepare the Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season lightly with salt and pepper. This helps them get a lovely golden-brown crust. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

Brown the Chicken: Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, sear the chicken thighs for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. They don't need to be cooked through. What works best for me is transferring the browned chicken directly to the slow cooker insert as I go.

Create the Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, bourbon, water, brown sugar, tomato puree, apple cider vinegar, and black pepper until the sugar has mostly dissolved.

Combine and Cook: Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken in the Crockpot. Stir gently to ensure all the chicken is coated. Secure the lid and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. The chicken should be incredibly tender and cooked through. You can check the internal temperature to ensure it's at least 74°C, according to FSA guidelines.

Shred the Chicken (Optional): Once cooked, you can either leave the chicken thighs whole or remove them from the slow cooker and shred them with two forks. I find shredding helps the chicken soak up even more of the delicious sauce. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.

Thicken the Sauce: This is the key to that glossy, takeaway-style finish. In a small bowl, whisk the cornflour and cold water together to create a smooth slurry. Pour this into the slow cooker with the sauce and stir well.

Final Simmer: Turn the slow cooker to the HIGH setting. Place the lid back on, slightly ajar, and let the sauce simmer and thicken for another 15-20 minutes, until it has a syrupy consistency and coats the chicken beautifully.

Serve: Garnish with sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds before serving hot.