Start by washing and chopping your veggies. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, slice the carrots, and chop the celery. This step sets the stage for your stew. You want everything ready to go.

In your slow cooker, combine the diced chicken, potatoes, carrots, celery, garlic, and onion. Don’t skip the potato or the chicken—they are essential for that heartiness.

Now it’s time to add in the seasonings. Sprinkle in the smoked paprika, thyme, salt, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves. Give everything a good stir to coat the chicken and veggies in spices.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, tomato paste, and cornstarch. This will thicken the stew and add a robust flavor. Pour this mixture over the chicken and veggies in the slow cooker.

Cover the slow cooker and set it on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. During this time, the chicken will become tender, and flavors will meld beautifully. Go about your day; the slow cooker has got this!

About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the frozen peas. This avoids overcooking them while still adding that nice pop of color and sweetness.

Once the cooking time is up, remove the bay leaves. Stir in the heavy cream for that lovely velvety texture. Give it a taste and adjust salt if necessary. At this point, your kitchen should smell divine!

Scoop out generous portions into bowls. Serve hot, perhaps with a side of crusty bread or that fresh salad we talked about earlier.