A Calm First Week

Sunday prep

An hour on Sunday makes the week easy.

• Make the green herb sauce for Thursday's chicken; it keeps four days
• Bread the chicken cutlets and freeze them flat on a sheet pan
• Roast the corn and chop the tomatoes for Friday's pasta salad
• Wash and dry the greens, then roll them in a towel
• Brown the sausage for Tuesday's spaghetti

The shopping list

Everything for the week, by dinner. Tap as it goes in the cart.

Monday · Chicken cutlets

• 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, sliced horizontally into thin cutlets
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• 2 1/2 cups panko or dried breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Neutral oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges and flaky salt, to serve

Tuesday · Spaghetti with sausage, fennel and lemon

• 1 pound spaghetti
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fronds saved
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more to serve
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Freshly ground black pepper

Wednesday · Roasted fish with tomato and pepper salsa

• 2 pounds skinless fish fillets, about 1 inch thick
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons basil, torn
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Kosher salt and pepper

Thursday · Roast chicken with green herb sauce

• 1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
• A few sprigs of thyme or rosemary
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup basil leaves, packed
• 1/4 cup chives or scallion greens
• 1 small garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Friday · Summer pasta salad with corn and tomatoes

• 1 pound short pasta, such as orecchiette or fusilli
• Kosher salt
• 3 ears of corn, kernels cut from the cob
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup crumbled feta
• 1 cup basil leaves, torn
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper