- 1 (8 ounce) red bell pepper
- 1/4 pound edible pea pods
- 2 cups precooked dried white rice
- 1 pound boned, skinned chicken breasts
- 3 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh serrano or jalapeno chilies
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions (including tops)
- Rinse, stem, and seed bell pepper, then cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips.
- Remove and discard stem ends and strings from pea pods. Rinse pods and cut in half crosswise.
- Put rice in a wide 3- to 4-quart bowl.
- Rinse chicken breasts and cut into 1-inch chunks.
- In a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over high heat, bring 2 cups broth to a boil. Pour over rice, cover, and let stand until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender to bite, about 7 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- Meanwhile, return pan to heat. Add chicken and stir until surface is no longer pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Add bell pepper, pea pods, chilies, and lemon peel. Stir just until chicken is no longer pink in center of thickest part (cut to test), about 5 minutes.
- Blend cornstarch and remaining broth until smooth. Stir into pan and continue stirring until mixture boils, about 1 minute. Add lemon juice.
- Pour chicken over rice. Sprinkle with green onions.