A recipe for a flavorful arroz chaufa

Arroz chaufa, from the traditional Peruvian cuisine made with rice and chicken, is a wonderful fusion dish showing its fundamental Chinese influences. It is a quick and easy to prepare dish.  

As we all know, chicken with rice is probably part of the standard repertoire of every kitchen in the world. No matter where, every country or region has its own interpretation of this classic dish.

On this occasion we would like to refer to the chaufa rice, also referred to as Peruvian fried rice, since it has been gaining popularity worldwide and is already part of many international menus. 

You will find in this post the traditional recipe of this appetizing dish and also some particularities and tips about it you probably may not know.

Original recipe

There is no specific season for this recipe, since you can prepare it all year round. Below the ingredients.

Ingredients

The ingredients you need for its preparation are:

• 1/2 lb (230 g) of rice.
• 10 oz (300 g) of chicken breast.
• 4 eggs.
• 1 tablespoon of clarified butter.
• 8 spring onions.
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) of chicken broth.
• 2 cloves of garlic.
• 2 tablespoons of milk.
• 1 red bell bell pepper.
• 1 small chili.
• Salt and pepper.
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.
• ginger (the size of a thumb).

Preparation

This classic Peruvian dish is worth preparing at home. Let´s check out the directions to cook the arroz chaufa which are easy-to-follow: 

1. Wash the rice and cook according to instructions in the package.
2. Beat the eggs with the milk.
3. Heat some clarified butter in a frying pan and let the eggs fry like an omelet with the lid closed and over medium heat.
4. Put them on a plate and cut them into pieces.
5. Cut the chicken into cubes.
6. Cut the bell pepper coarsely and the leek into rings.
7. In a skillet, brown the chicken on all sides for 3-4 minutes and set aside.
8. Sauté the vegetables.
9. Chop the garlic and add to the vegetables.
10. Grate the ginger into it.
11. Cut the chili into rings and add it to the pan along with the soy sauce.
12. Now add the rice and fill up with the chicken stock.
13. Bring to a boil briefly while stirring constantly.
14. Incorporate the chicken and remove the pan from the heat.
15. Season to taste with pepper and salt.

Then serve very hot with your favorite beverage.

Tips

Below you will find some recommendations for a better preparation of the recipe:

• For a more intense flavor, you can sprinkle 4 or 5 drops of sesame or olive oil.
• To add a little more color to the rice, soy sauce can be used. We suggest reserving the juice from the oil that the meat drips, since with this we can make a dressing for the rice.
• To give color to the chaufa rice, soy sauce is used.
• It is important to have everything on hand, chopped beforehand and, in the case of the omelet, cooked beforehand.
• To season the chaufa rice we use a pinch of ajinomoto, which harmonizes and makes the fried rice tastier.
• If you sauté the ingredients separately and then add them to the rice, the result is rice with more flavor.
• The chicken thigh and breast are the optimal parts to use to obtain the desired results.
• Before preparing the meat, we brown the ginger cut into large strips, this to flavor the dressing.
• A silky wine with fruity tones will enhance the flavor of this exquisite chaufa rice.
• If the final preparation is a little dry then add just a little boiling water.

Particularities

You can find diverse combinations of chaufa reis with other ingredients depending on the region. There you have then rice with chicken or chicken with rice, rice with egg and chicken meat and many other versions. 

In some places chaufa rice is used in a few dips. For example, if you like it fresh and light, pico de gallo is your choice. But for something fruity combine the arroz chaufa with mango avocado salsa. You are going to love it.

As mentioned, the dish comes from the kitchens of the Chinese immigrants when they came to Peru around the 19th century and combined the country’s cuisines.

Chaufa rice can be cooked with other meats, according to your choice. In Peru it is popular for it to be chicken or beef, or both. But if you wish, you can make arroz chaufa with sausage, shrimp, pork or even just vegetables.

Chaufa is a Chinese name. It is read chǎofàn and means fried rice.

Nutrition fact

Regarding the nutritional value of chaufa rice, it is important to keep in mind that rice is a food that provides a good amount of carbohydrates. So, for its consumption to be healthy, we must take into account the calories it provides. For example, 100 g of fried rice provides the body with 160 calories,