Sauté the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until it turns translucent and smells sweet, not burnt. Stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika, and cook for another 30 seconds until the spices release their fragrance – you’ll smell them bloom in the oil.

Build the base: Tip the onion and spice mixture into your slow cooker. Pour in the chicken stock, then add the drained beans and sweetcorn. Stir everything together until it’s evenly combined – the liquid should look pale golden with flecks of green from the oregano.

Add the chicken: Nestle the chicken thighs into the liquid, making sure they are mostly submerged. Season with a good pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. The chicken will look pale and raw now, but trust the process – it will become beautifully tender.

Cook low and slow: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on low for 6 hours (or on high for 3 hours). After 4 hours on low, the kitchen will start to smell deeply savoury, like a cosy pub kitchen. The chicken should be so tender that it falls apart when you nudge it with a fork.

Shred the chicken: After the cooking time is up, carefully remove the chicken thighs to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat – it should pull apart with almost no resistance, revealing juicy, tender strands. The texture will be soft, not stringy.

Thicken the chili: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Stir in the double cream (or coconut milk) and the cornflour slurry. Turn the slow cooker to high, cover, and let it cook for a further 15-20 minutes. You’ll see the liquid change from a thin broth to a thicker, velvety consistency that clings to the back of a spoon.

Finish and serve: Taste the chili and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Ladle it into bowls, then finish with a generous handful of fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime. The lime cuts through the richness and makes every spoonful feel fresh.