This slow-cooker ragu hits the Charlotte grocery shelves easily—chicken, tomato sauce, chickpeas, onions, carrots, zucchini, basil, oregano, and chili flakes are standard stock at any Harris Teeter or Walmart, and red wine is available everywhere. Fennel seed is the only pause: it's a spice aisle item that most Charlotte grocers carry, but you may need to check ALDI or Kroger's bulk section to avoid a half-ounce packet. At roughly $3.50 per serving for protein and vegetables, this is a solid midweek value, especially if you already have pantry staples. The stated 255 minutes is honest—that's four hours of hands-off cooking, which means you can load it before work and have dinner ready when you walk in. This reheats beautifully for weeknight leftovers, making it a genuine set-it-and-forget-it family meal.