Ever since Rice-A-Roni hit those San Francisco streets in the 1960s, rice boiled with a packet of seasonings has been a pantry staple.

Flavored rice remains a popular convenience food that is tasty, inexpensive and easy to prepare. Plus rice is a healthy choice.

Unless you're watching your sodium intake.

And who isn't? Nutrition experts say most of us need to do a better job of reading nutrition labels to avoid the high levels of sodium found in processed foods.

For instance, Rice-A-Roni's Spanish rice contains more than half a day's sodium in a single serving. And even the more health-conscious Rice-A-Roni savory whole grains Spanish flavor contains a hefty 760 milligrams of sodium per serving.

The maximum recommended daily intake is 2,300 milligrams of sodium, or about 1 teaspoon of salt.

The Kansas City Star's recipe for chicken with yellow rice and salsa takes advantage of the convenience of pre-seasoned rice that contains 2.5 servings per package, then stretches it to feed six, significantly lowering the total sodium content.

Spanish rice typically contains tomatoes, peppers and bits of meat, making it an ideal dish to help stretch food dollars. With a few nonperishable staples from the pantry and inexpensive chicken breast, it's easy to add volumes of flavor in no time.

CHICKEN WITH YELLOW RICE AND SALSA