Prepare the slow cooker base: Place the chicken thighs in a single layer at the bottom of your slow cooker. They should fit snugly but not be piled too high. You’ll notice the raw chicken is pale and slightly tacky to the touch.

Whisk the sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and sesame oil. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture looks dark, glossy, and smells pungently sweet and savoury.

Pour and coat: Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken, using a spoon to gently turn each piece so it’s fully coated. The sauce should pool around the thighs, covering them about halfway up.

Cook low and slow: Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 4 hours. After about 3 hours on low, you’ll smell the ginger and garlic filling your kitchen, and the chicken will begin to look opaque at the edges.

Thicken the sauce: Once the chicken is cooked through and tender enough to pull apart with a fork (it should feel very soft and shred easily), carefully remove the thighs to a plate using tongs. Turn the slow cooker to HIGH. Stir the cornflour slurry into the remaining liquid. You’ll see the sauce start to change from a thin, watery consistency to a thick, glossy glaze that clings to the spoon.

Return the chicken: Place the chicken thighs back into the thickened sauce. Gently stir to coat each piece. Let them sit in the sauce for 5 minutes so they absorb all that sticky goodness. The final sauce should be syrupy and coat the back of a spoon.

Garnish and serve: Serve the chicken over a bed of steamed rice. Sprinkle generously with toasted sesame seeds and sliced spring onions for a fresh, crunchy finish.