I can't plan dinners for shiz. I can always get a main dish and maybe a green thing. I want to be able to have a main with sides and maybe even appetizers that are cohesive.
I was thinking a chicken bake, cheesy bread, cauliflower mash and something fresh to go with all that hot starchiness. Salads always something good to throw in there, right?
Do you have any meal "plans"? if so, give them to me now.
I mean, may I please have your meal plan?
Re: Dinner planning. WTF
I'm mostly a lurker, but FWIW, I think it's not so important to have a main and a few sides at every meal. I really try to make dishes that are "all inclusive." Like a quiche with veggies and meat in it. Or meat and veggie lasagna/tacos/etc. I hate making all sorts of sides unless it is a formal dinner. So I try to make things that can encompass everything.
I also like to plan around one or two big ingredients so that my plan for the week is a little less expensive.
For instance, using your meal above, I might bake some extra chicken so that I could put it into enchiladas later in the week, or make a salad into a meal by putting the chicken on top the next day. You could also skip the bread and make a fresh pasta salad, combining your starch with your "something fresh." You could use the left over pasta salad for lunches.
The other thing I do is kind of "stock up" on the meat that is on sale that week and freeze the amount I won't use in smaller packages (e.g., I'll buy a value pack of chicken and freeze it in saran wrap--two breasts to a pack). Then it's really easy to meal plan by checking out what you've got in the freezer.
I'm the main dishwasher in our household, so I cringe every time my DW gets ambitious in her meal planning. Every additional side or appatizer means that many more dishes for me to wash, and she's not the most conservative dish-user to begin with.
I do realize this was no help at all except maybe to say there's nothing wrong with keeping it simple?
My H is often amazed at how many dishes and utensils I can dirty making one meal. It's the nature of the project. I wouldn't go into his shop and tell him to limit how many tools to use, you know?
OP, you may find some inspiration by following a cooking show regularly. I used to like one that offered weekly meal plans online and a shopping list to print off.
Also pay attention to meals you like to eat out at your favorite restaurant and duplicate them at home. You can also ask your ILs to supply you with recipes or meal plans your DH enjoyed at home.