Prepare the slow cooker: Lightly grease the inside of your 5-6 litre slow cooker with a little butter or oil. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup even easier.

Layer the chicken: Place the chicken thighs in a single layer at the bottom of the crockpot. They should look pale pink and feel slightly firm to the touch. If they are overlapping a lot, try to arrange them as evenly as possible for consistent cooking.

Mix the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the pesto, double cream, softened cream cheese, minced garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and lemon juice until the mixture is a uniform, pale green colour and smells incredibly aromatic and herby.

Pour and cover: Pour the creamy pesto mixture directly over the chicken, using a spatula to scrape every last bit from the bowl. The chicken should be mostly submerged in the sauce, which will look thick and glossy.

Cook low and slow: Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4 hours. After 3 hours, the kitchen will be filled with a rich, savoury aroma. Do not lift the lid during the first 3 hours, as this releases essential heat and steam.

Check the chicken: After 4 hours, use tongs to gently pull a piece of chicken apart. It should shred very easily and look opaque all the way through, with no pinkness. The sauce will have darkened slightly and will smell deeply of garlic and basil.

Shred and finish: Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with two forks. The meat will be so tender it practically falls apart. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot. If you want a thicker sauce, stir in the cornflour slurry (cornflour mixed with water) and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes, until the sauce visibly thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

Add the Parmesan: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until it melts completely into the sauce. The sauce will become even more velvety and luxurious.