Peruvian Fried Rice (Arroz Chaufa) with Chicken

Ingredients

• 185 g (1 cup)long-grain rice
• 1 tspolive oil
• 300 ml (1 1/4 cups)water
• to tastevegetable oil
• 3eggs
• to tastesalt and pepper
• to tastevegetable oil
• 500 gchicken breasts or fillets
• to tastesalt and pepper
• 3spring onions, white parts only, thinly sliced
• 3spring onions, green parts only, sliced
• 2 clovesgarlic, finely grated or chopped
• 10 gginger, peeled and finely grated
• 1/2red pepper, cut into small cubes
• all the rice prepared abovecooked rice
• 4 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tbspoyster sauce (optional but recommended)
• 1 tbspsesame oil (optional but recommended)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the rice

   If you have leftover rice, use 2 cups of cooked rice. Otherwise, heat a small saucepan over medium heat, add the olive oil and rice, and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the water; once it boils, lower the heat and cover. Cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed.

2. 2

   Mix the eggs

   Beat the eggs with salt and pepper.

3. 3

   Heat the pan

   Set a small 20 cm (8 in) frying pan over medium-high heat.

4. 4

   Cook the omelette

   Coat the base of the pan with a little vegetable oil and pour in the eggs. Cook until they are about halfway set, then flip and cook for a few more seconds without letting the omelette dry out.

5. 5

   Chop the omelette

   Cut the omelette into squares.

6. 6

   Brown the chicken

   Heat a wok or frying pan over high heat and add a drizzle of vegetable oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then cook only enough at a time to cover the base of the pan. Leave it undisturbed for a couple of minutes so one side can brown, then turn and brown the other sides. Remove the chicken and repeat with the rest.

7. 7

   Cook the vegetables

   Keep the pan over high heat and add about 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil, the white parts of the spring onions and the red pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

8. 8

   Add aromatics

   Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds, keeping them moving so they do not burn.

9. 9

   Combine the rice

   Add the rice, chicken, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil, keeping the heat high, and mix well.

10. 10

    Fry in batches

    Spread the rice out in the pan and leave it undisturbed for 2–3 minutes to form a crust, then stir to combine. Repeat this process about six times.

11. 11

    Finish and serve

    Stir in the green parts of the spring onions and the omelette. Serve immediately.

What is Peruvian chaufa?

Chaufa is a fried-rice dish from Peru’s Chifa cuisine, a culinary tradition shaped by Chinese-Peruvian cooking. It combines the familiar quick-fried rice technique with ingredients and seasonings used in Peruvian home cooking.

This version pairs chicken with egg, spring onions, pepper, ginger, garlic and soy sauce. Cooking the rice in stages helps it brown rather than simply warm through.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 670 calories, 47g protein, 63g carbs, 24g fat.

Most of the carbohydrates come from the rice, while the chicken and eggs provide most of the protein. The cooking oils, egg yolks and optional sesame and oyster sauces contribute to the fat, with soy sauce also adding sodium. Serve with a side of vegetables or salad for a more balanced plate.

Rice makes the difference

Rice: The recipe cooks long-grain rice from scratch, or uses 2 cups of cooked rice left from another meal. If making it fresh, let it finish cooking before you start the stir-fry so the other ingredients are ready to go.

Texture: Keep the rice in the pan long enough to develop browned patches, then stir and repeat. This gives the finished dish more texture than constant stirring.

Brown the chicken in batches

Batch size: Spread the chicken in a single layer, covering the base of the pan without piling it up. Cook any remaining chicken separately; an overcrowded pan makes it harder to brown.

Doneness: Let the pieces sit for a couple of minutes before turning, as directed, so they can colour. Once browned on all sides, set them aside while you cook the vegetables.

Keep the omelette tender

Eggs: Cook the omelette only until it is about halfway set before flipping, then give it just a few more seconds. It will be chopped and stirred into the rice later.

Finish: Add the omelette at the end with the green spring onion tops. This keeps both from spending too long over the high heat.

Build flavour in the pan

Aromatics: Cook the white spring onion and pepper until golden, then add the ginger and garlic for just 30 seconds. Stir continuously at this stage so the finely cut aromatics do not burn.

Sauces: Soy sauce provides the main savoury seasoning, while the optional oyster sauce and sesame oil add further depth. Mix them through with the rice and chicken before forming the browned patches.

Plan the cooking order

Preparation: Cook the rice first, then make and chop the omelette. With both ready, the chicken and vegetables can be cooked in sequence in the hot pan.

Heat: The chicken and fried rice stages use high heat, so have the ingredients ready to add before you begin. The final rice browning takes about 2–3 minutes at a time, repeated about six times.

What to serve with chaufa

On its own: Chicken, rice and egg make this a complete main dish for many meals. Serve it as soon as it is finished so the rice retains its freshly fried texture.

On the side: A simple salad or lightly cooked vegetables can add freshness alongside the savoury rice. Keep any accompaniment straightforward so it does not compete with the ginger, spring onion and sauces.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use leftover cooked rice if you have it; the recipe calls for 2 cups.
• Keep the chicken in a single layer so it has room to brown.
• Prepare the garlic, ginger and vegetables before heating the wok.
• Stir the garlic and ginger continuously during their 30-second cook.
• For browned rice, leave it undisturbed for 2–3 minutes before stirring.
• Add the omelette and green spring onion tops at the end.

Variations

• Use leftover rice: Replace the freshly cooked rice with 2 cups of cooked rice.
• Skip the oyster sauce: Leave it out if preferred; the recipe marks it optional.
• Skip the sesame oil: Omit it if you do not have it, though it is recommended.
• Adjust the pepper: Use more or less red pepper to suit your preference.
• Change the protein: The method can be used with another suitable protein, cooked in batches until browned.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the chicken: It will be harder to brown; cook only enough to cover the pan base and repeat.
• Moving the chicken too soon: It needs a couple of minutes undisturbed to brown on one side.
• Burning the aromatics: Stir the ginger and garlic constantly and limit their cooking to 30 seconds.
• Overcooking the omelette: Flip it when it is about halfway set and cook only a few seconds more.
• Stirring the rice constantly: Leave it still for 2–3 minutes at a time so a crust can form.
• Adding all the chicken at once: Brown it in batches, then return it with the rice and sauces.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly and store them in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout, stirring during reheating so the rice warms evenly.

Frequently asked questions