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Meat, Americas

Chicken arroz chaufa

Chicken arroz chaufa is a Peruvian fried rice with Chinese roots, serves 4, ready in 30 minutes, very easy and costs €2.80 per person. The key is using cold, day old rice so every grain stays separate in the wok.

Tonight, we're making a Peruvian style fried rice, an arroz chaufa with chicken, egg and ginger.

Chicken arroz chaufa
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.80
Calories per person
580 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Arroz chaufa is Peru's answer to fried rice, a dish shaped by Chinese cooks who settled in Lima generations ago. In the wok, diced chicken browns with garlic and ginger, egg scrambles into soft ribbons, and the rice ties everything together with soy sauce. The result is smoky and fragrant, with every grain staying dry and separate instead of clumping together.

It's the kind of dish that saves a weeknight, quick, cheap, and an easy win with kids. Mon Chou also suggests it for a relaxed Sunday, when you want a full meal from a single pan, with nothing extra to prepare on the side.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Sesame oiloften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Butcher

  • Chicken breasts 2

Dairy

  • Eggs 3

Fruits and vegetables

  • Green onions 5
  • Fresh ginger 1 tbsp
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Carrot 1

Allergens Eggs, Soy

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the rice in water, spread it on a plate to cool and dry out. 12 min

    If you don't have day old rice, pop it in the freezer for ten minutes, that works too.

  2. Cut the chicken into small cubes, season with a little soy sauce, and stir fry over high heat with the garlic and ginger. 6 min

    Small cubes cook in just a few minutes and brown quickly.

  3. Push the chicken to the side, pour the beaten eggs into the wok and scramble them quickly. 2 min

    Let them just barely set, they'll finish cooking with the rice.

  4. Add the diced carrot, then the rice and the rest of the soy sauce, and stir fry over high heat. 5 min

    Press the rice with the back of the spatula to break up any clumps.

  5. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and drizzle with sesame oil off the heat before serving.

    Off the heat, the sesame oil keeps all its aroma.

Our tips to get it right

  • Keep the heat high and have every ingredient prepped and within reach, arroz chaufa cooks in just a few minutes once everything is cut.
  • Go easy on extra salt since the soy sauce already brings plenty of seasoning to the dish.
  • Use a wok or a wide skillet, the rice needs room to spread into a thin layer so it fries instead of steaming.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken for shrimp for a version closer to the coastal chaufas found in Peru.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the chicken and add peas and corn, the eggs give the dish enough body on their own.
  • For picky kids, cut back on the garlic and ginger or use half the amount, the flavor stays mild and familiar.

What to serve it with

  • A cool cucumber salad
  • A light clear broth to start
  • Iced green tea

Storage

Arroz chaufa keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well once cooled. Reheat it in a skillet with a little oil to bring back the crisp texture, rather than the microwave, which tends to soften the rice.

Questions about this dish

Can you use basmati rice for arroz chaufa?

Yes, as long as it's cooked the day before and fully chilled. What matters most is dry grains, not the specific type of rice.

Can you make arroz chaufa ahead of time?

You can cook the rice and chop the ingredients the day before to save time. The final stir fry works best done right before serving, so the rice stays crisp.

What does the ginger add to this recipe?

Fresh ginger gives arroz chaufa its signature warm, sharp note that sets it apart from plain fried rice. You can cut back on it if you're cooking for young kids.

Can you swap the soy sauce for something else?

A gluten free soy sauce works just as well if needed. Avoid replacing it with plain salt, since it also gives the dish its characteristic caramel color.

How long does it take to make a chicken arroz chaufa?

Count 30 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a chicken arroz chaufa?

About 580 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chicken arroz chaufa cost?

About €2.80 per serving, or €11.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, soy. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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