Meal Plan #38 of 2026
This week’s meal plan includes the easiest Lemon Baked Chicken and Rice, Pasta alla Nerano, Lemon Butter Baked Fish, Easy Chicken Breast and Steak au Poivre. Where appropriate, we’ll include seasonal swaps so you’re not eating hearty soups and stews in summer or refreshing salads in winter. 🙂
We’ve also included a completed shopping list for your convenience. Simply click on the link and download! A note about this week’s ingredients: There’s a lot of fresh herbs used in these recipes. If you don’t have them or don’t want to buy them, choose two or three (I would suggest basil, rosemary and parsley) and work with them across the week. It’s just a herb, not the end of the world.
Monday
Easy Baked Chicken and Rice
Why You’ll love this recipe:
- No fuss. We all love a one-pan dinner and this one does not disappoint. Simple yet delicious, it’s a great weeknight dinner.
- Add a side: We love having green beans or broccoli as a side dish. A big bowl of arugula salad will also be delicious.
Tuesday
Pasta alla Nerano
Why You’ll love this recipe:
- Easy comfort: This is Stanley Tucci’s favorite pasta dish and it’s not hard to see why. The sauce seems kind of boring, at first. Fried zucchini turned into a sauce with pasta water? Ok? But then you taste it and you can’t believe that something so simple can be so delicious. This is one you HAVE to try.
Wednesday
Easy Lemon Butter Baked Fish
Why You’ll love this recipe:
- Ready in minutes:Â Make a quick butter sauce, spoon it over fish and pop into the oven. It doesn’t get much simpler than this for weeknight dinners.
- Add a side: Choose your own adventure! Rice and potatoes are excellent carb options. Asparagus, sautéed green beans, broccolini or my best vegetable salad will all be delicious accompaniments.
Thursday
Easy Oven-Baked Chicken Breast
Why You’ll love this recipe:
- Easy, Juicy Chicken: So many of you have told me that this is your go-to way to cook chicken breast now. It comes out perfectly tender and juicy every time. This is also a great one to add to your meal prep plan if you want an easy, healthy protein to have as leftovers.
- Add a side: Another one that can go in any direction. Want comfort food? Add mashed potatoes or spinach-stuffed butternut squash. Want something lighter? Chopped salad, flatbread and tzatziki make a fabulous mediterranean-inspired dinner.
Friday
Steak au Poivre
Why You’ll love this recipe:
- Steakhouse at home: Perfectly cooked steak in the most delicious pepper sauce with crispy fries? Yes please!
- Add a side: A big green salad or a side of creamed spinach round this off perfectly.





