Salsa Chicken over Lemon-Pepper Rice

Busy days don't need to keep us from putting a made-from- scratch meal on the table when it's an easy skillet meal like this one. The combination of a favorite salsa and chicken pieces are wonderful over the lemon-pepper rice. The rice can be made quickly in the microwave, if you like. The rice is also very good as a side dish with meat or fish. A simple fruit or vegetable salad go alongside this easy skillet meal very well. This recipe is another reader-contributed recipe to a Taste of Home cookbook. Blessings...

Recipe:

1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
oil for frying
1 medium green pepper, cut into thin strips (I used 1/4 cup chopped celery and 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots instead)
2 cups salsa

1. In a large skillet, saute chicken in oil for 3 minutes. Remove to bowl.
2. Add green pepper; cook for 3 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender.
3. Stir in salsa and chicken strips; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes or until heated through.

Lemon-Pepper Rice:

2 cups water
1 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning
2 cups uncooked instant white rice (I use instant brown rice cooked in the microwave. If you do this, be sure to add a bit of butter or oil to the water to keep it from boiling over and making a horrible mess.)

1. In a saucepan, bring the water and lemon-pepper seasoning to a boil. Stir in the white rice.
2. Remove from the heat; cover and let the rice stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Yield: 4 servings