Looking to prepare Peru's famous "Arroz Chaufa de Pollo"? This popular Chinese-Peruvian stir-fry perfectly showcases the country's rich culinary diversity and is a classic example of Peru's renowned fusion cuisine known as "Chifa."
Learn how to make this unique chicken stir-fry, often served with fried wontons, by following the recipe below.
What is Arroz Chaufa de Pollo?
"Arroz Chaufa de Pollo" is a Peruvian-Chinese-inspired stir-fry that features rice, chicken, egg, vegetables, soy sauce, and a variety of spices. With its smoky flavor and blend of different textures, Arroz Chaufa has become an immensely popular dish among Peruvians, who commonly enjoy it at home and in Chinese-Peruvian restaurants called "Chifas."
While it may sound similar to the classic Chinese chicken stir-fry, Arroz Chaufa includes additional ingredients such as ginger, bell pepper, and cumin, which you wouldn't typically find in traditional Chinese takeout.
What is the history of Arroz Chaufa?
As with much of Peru's rich culinary history, this dish derives its influences from the numerous Chinese immigrants who arrived in Peru in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Bringing their culinary traditions with them, they recreated many of their home flavors using local Peruvian ingredients. Eventually, the term "chaufa" was coined, deriving from the Cantonese word "chao fan," which translates to "fried rice."
Over time, Arroz Chaufa has become one of the most popular Chinese-Peruvian dishes due to its fusion of flavors and versatility. It can be found in Chifas (Chinese-Peruvian restaurants) throughout the country.
What is "Chifa"?
While Chinese food is highly popular worldwide, Peru has its own version called "Chifa." Blending Chinese techniques with Peruvian ingredients, "Chifa" refers both to the cuisine itself and to the restaurants where these dishes are prepared and served.
In Peru, there are thousands of Chifa restaurants. In addition to Arroz Chaufa, they usually feature the most popular dishes:
Tallarin Saltado: A noodle and vegetable stir-fry, similar to chow mein.
Pollo Tipakay: Fried chicken covered in a sweet and sour sauce.
Chijaukay: Crispy fried chicken in a salty soy, garlic, and oyster sauce.
Wantan Frito: Fried wontons, usually served with a bright red tamarind sauce.
How to make Arroz Chaufa de Pollo
To make Arroz Chaufa de Pollo, follow the instructions below:
Prepare the Rice: Boil the rice and once cooked, wait for it to cool completely.
Marinate the Chicken: Start by chopping into small pieces and marinate with garlic paste, soy sauce, salt, pepper and cumin.
Fry the Eggs: Add oil to a pan and fry the eggs.
Cook the Chicken: Fry the chicken on a medium-high heat, with the aim of getting a smoky-flavour on the chicken.
Fry the rice: Add onions and garlic to a pan and fry for 1-2 minutes, and then add in the cooked rice. Add in soy sauce, marinaded chicken, and finally the chopped egg.
Season: Add in the ginger extract and spring onion, stir-frying until mixed together.
Serve: Serve the Arroz Chaufa with a Wantan Frito and Tamarindo sauce.
Arroz Chaufa Recipe
Ready to make a delicious Arroz Chaufa? Follow along with the video below and prepare this amazing Peruvian chicken fried rice dish.
Arroz Chaufa Ingredients:
Rice:
1 1/2 cups of rice
1 1/2 cups of water
Chicken:
1/2 chicken breast
1 teaspoon of garlic paste
1 teaspoon of soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon of chinese cinnamon powder
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Chaufa:
4 cups of cooked rice
1 tablespoon of garlic paste
1 tablespoon of ginger extract
6 spring onion branches (we will chop the green part for decoration and the white part will be for our dressing).
1/2 tablespoon of sugar (or MSG)
3 to 4 tablespoons of dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon of chinese cinnamon powder
2 drops of sesame oil
Egg Omelette:
2 eggs
Salt to taste