Puerto Rican-style Stewed Rice (Arroz Guisado) with Chicken, Pork, or Beans

This is a basic recipe that one of my mom’s friends gave her.

3 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 sweet chili peppers, seeded and chopped (optional)
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
2-3 Tbsp tomato sauce or ketchup
6-12 green olives with pimentos or sliced black olives
2 tsp capers
1 packet Goya Sazon
Leftover cooked meat or beans (chicken, pork, sausage, turkey, ham, beef, shrimp, etc).
2 1/4 cups rice
2 1/4 cups hot liquid (water or broth) – use 3 1/4 for long-‘grain rice

Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven or pot. Saute peppers, onion, and garlic for about 10 minutes. Stir in olives, capers, Sazon, and tomato sauce. Add rice and meat or beans, and saute for about 2-3 minutes. Add liquid, stir well, cover, and cook over moderate heat until liquid absorbed (about 10-15 minutes). Turn rice over thoroughly. Reduce heat to lowest setting and cook for 15 minutes. Turn rice again, and continue to cook for 15 more minutes.

This is a great way to use up leftovers and have a very cheap, satisfying meal. I haven’t tried it with brown rice yet, but I imagine it would work fine. You may just want to add slightly more liquid and cook a little longer.