La Casita Recipe

Prep greens and vegetables

Wash and dry the mixed salad greens thoroughly. Slice the cucumber into half-moons (about 1/4" thick) to yield ~1 cup. Thinly slice or shred 1/2 cup red onion. Place greens, cucumber and shredded onion in a large shallow bowl or on two serving plates in an even layer.

Prepare chicken

Trim any fat from the 12 oz chicken breast and, if thick, butterfly or pound to an even thickness (~1/2"-3/4") so it cooks evenly. In a bowl combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Toss the chicken in the marinade to coat and let rest at room temperature 10-15 minutes (or refrigerate up to 2 hours).

Prepare shrimp

In a separate bowl combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Add the 10 shrimp and toss to coat. Let sit 5-10 minutes while you heat the grill or skillet.

Grill or pan-sear

Preheat a grill or heavy skillet to medium-high heat (around 400°F / medium-high). Oil the grates or skillet lightly. Grill the chicken 4-6 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and juices run clear; time depends on thickness. Grill the shrimp 1.5-2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. If using a single pan, cook chicken first, let rest 5 minutes, then cook shrimp quickly in the same pan. Slice chicken thinly across the grain into strips.

While proteins rest, core, seed and thinly slice or dice the green bell pepper to yield about 3/4 cup. Scatter the green pepper pieces over the prepared greens. Sprinkle 3/4 cup shredded cheese evenly over the salad so it will slightly melt from the warm chicken and shrimp when assembled.

In a small jar or bowl combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Whisk or shake vigorously until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning—add more honey if you prefer sweeter, or more lime for acidity.

Drizzle about half of the vinaigrette over the salad greens and toss gently to coat. Arrange the sliced grilled chicken and grilled shrimp on top of the dressed salad. Scatter any remaining shredded red onion and green pepper evenly. Sprinkle remaining dressing over the proteins if desired. Garnish with chopped cilantro (2 tablespoons) and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Serve immediately while the chicken and shrimp are still warm so the cheese softens slightly. Offer extra dressing at the table.