Grilled Chicken Salad {Ensalada de Pollo Asado}

I never thought I'd say this, but I need a break from all of the rich holiday foods and desserts.  At least for a couple of days.  Those of us in Mexico still have one more holiday to celebrate later this week with more delicious treats I can't wait to enjoy.

But for now, what I really need is a salad.  Nothing fancy.  Just a simple salad with lots of fresh veggies, grilled chicken and maybe a little leftover rice.

What I love about salads is that you don't need to measure anything and you don't even have to follow a recipe.  Just add whatever it is you like.  I used basic veggies like carrots, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, because that's what my kiddies love.  But you can add more veggies like sliced red onion and mushrooms.  Same goes for the lettuce. I used iceberg, but only because that's all I could find at the market.  I also like to use Romaine or baby spinach, when available.

What do you like to eat after the holidays?

Grilled Chicken Salad

Marinade:

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin  

Salad:

• 1-1/2 pounds chicken cutlets or thinly sliced chicken breast
• Mexican Rice (optional) 
• Lettuce (Iceberg or Romaine) or Baby Spinach 
• Shredded carrots
• Thinly sliced cucumbers
• Cherry tomatoes
• Croutons
• Shredded cheese (I used Asadero) 

Directions:

Prepare the marinade by combining the orange juice, onion, garlic, chili powder and ground cumin.

Add the chicken cutlets, making sure each piece of chicken is coated with the marinade.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) before grilling.

While the chicken is marinating, prepare the vegetables.

Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.  Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper.  Cook until golden brown on both sides.

To serve the salad, spoon 1/4 to 1/3 cup of warm Mexican rice in the center of each plate.

Cover the rice with lettuce (or spinach).  Top with the shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, croutons, slices of grilled chicken breast and cheese.  Serve with your favorite dressing or just a squeeze of lime juice.  Enjoy!!!