Sauté the Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Create the Sauce: Pour in the tomato ketchup, apple cider vinegar, dark brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, onion powder, mustard powder, salt, pepper, and chicken stock. Stir everything together until the sugar has dissolved.

Simmer the Sauce: Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and let it bubble away for 2-3 minutes to allow the flavours to start melding together.

Add the Chicken: Nestle the whole chicken breasts into the sauce, ensuring they are mostly submerged. Spoon a little of the sauce over the tops of them.

Cook the Chicken: Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid, and let it simmer gently for 15-20 minutes. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken breasts. They are cooked when they are firm to the touch and the internal temperature reaches 74°C. For peace of mind, it's always best to check with a meat thermometer as advised by the Food Standards Agency.

Shred the Chicken: Carefully remove the cooked chicken breasts from the pan and place them on a chopping board. Using two forks, pull the meat apart into shreds. What works best for me is holding the chicken steady with one fork and pulling away with the other.

Combine and Finish: Return the shredded chicken to the pan with the sauce. Stir everything together and let it simmer uncovered for a final 5 minutes. This allows the chicken to absorb all the flavour and the sauce to thicken slightly until it clings gloriously to every strand. Serve immediately.