Prepare the chicken: Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker. Pour the chicken stock around them — the liquid should come about a third of the way up the chicken. The stock will smell savoury and clean as it begins to warm.

Add the seasonings: Sprinkle the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper directly over the chicken. Use a spoon to gently stir the stock so the spices disperse. You'll see the paprika tint the liquid a warm, brick-red colour.

Cook the chicken: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on low for 2 hours. After this time, the chicken should be opaque all the way through and shred easily when pressed with a fork. The aroma will be gently spiced and savoury.

Shred the chicken: Carefully remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat into fine, bite-sized pieces. The texture should be tender and fibrous, not dry or stringy. Discard the cooking liquid or reserve it for another use.

Make the sauce base: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Add the softened cream cheese, hot sauce, and sour cream. Stir everything together until the cream cheese has melted completely. The mixture will look speckled and slightly lumpy at first, but after 2-3 minutes of stirring, it will become smooth and glossy.

Add the cheese: Fold in the grated cheddar cheese. Stir until it melts into the sauce, which should take about 1 minute. The dip will now look thick, creamy, and a uniform pale orange colour. Small bubbles may appear around the edges.

Final heat-through: Cover the slow cooker again and cook on low for a further 20-30 minutes. The dip should be piping hot, bubbling gently at the sides, and smell rich and tangy. Taste and adjust the salt or hot sauce if needed.

Serve: Garnish with sliced spring onions and extra grated cheddar if desired. Serve straight from the slow cooker on the 'keep warm' setting, surrounded by celery sticks and tortilla chips.