Chaulafan de pollo {Ecuadorian chicken fried rice}
This recipe for chaulafan de pollo or Ecuadorian style chicken fried rice is made with chicken, rice, bacon, onions, garlic, peppers, bell peppers, peas, carrots, scrambled eggs, raisins, spices and herbs. Chaulafan is the Ecuadorian version of fried rice. There are many different types of chaulafan: shrimp, chicken, pork, mixed. In most major cities in Ecuador you will find chifas or Chinese restaurants, these are usually the best places to eat chaulafan. You can either eat at the restaurant or take it to go. When I was in high school in Loja, there was a chifa right across from the home of one of my best friends; it always made me so hungry every time I walked by that place.
Chaulafan de pollo: Ecuadorian chicken fried rice
Ingredients
Chicken broth
- 5 lbs whole chicken or assorted pieces
- 10 cups water
- 1 white onion diced
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks finely chopped
- 5 cilantro sprigs
- Salt to taste
Rice
- 2 tbs butter or oil
- 2 tbs white onion diced
- 3 ¼ cups chicken broth
- 3 cups uncooked rice
- Salt to taste
Chaulafan
- 2-3 tbs butter
- 1 cup diced white onions
- 6 garlic cloves crushed
- 4 oz pancetta or diced bacon
- 3 tbs finely chopped cilantro
- 2 tbs hot pepper powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp achiote powder
- 2 bell peppers 1 red and 1 green, diced
- 1 cup cooked peas
- 2 cooked carrots diced (1 cup)
- ½ cup raisins
- 6 eggs scrambled
- 7 tbs soy sauce
- 2 tbs Worcester sauce
- 3 tbs finely chopped cilantro/parsley
- 2 bunches scallions or green onions finely chopped
Sides:
- Avocado slices
- Tree tomato aji or tamarillo hot sauce , or any hot sauce
- Curtido or pickled onions
- Ketchup
Instructions
- Bring the water, carrots, onions, celery and herbs to boil in a large pot, add the chicken and cook over medium heat for about 1 hour or until the chicken is very tender and fully cooked.
- Remove the chicken from the broth and save the broth.
- To cook the rice, heat the butter or oil, add the onions and the rice, stir well. Then add the broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile debone the chicken and reserve the chicken meat for later.
- Heat 2-3 tbs butter or oil over medium heat in a large pan to prepare a refrito or base for the chaulafan.
- Add the chopped onions, diced pancetta, crushed garlic, 1 tbs Worcester sauce, 1 tbs soy sauce, cumin, cilantro, hot pepper powder, and achiote powder; cook for about 5-8 minutes or until the onions are soft.
- Add the cooked rice, chicken meat, and diced bell peppers. Stir well and cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the remaining soy sauce, remaining Worcester sauce, scrambled eggs, peas, carrots, raisins, mix well.
- Add the chopped herbs and green onions.
- Serve with avocado slices, aji or hot sauce, pickled red onions or curtido, and ketchup (or spicy ketchup).
Some time ago I posted a recipe for arroz on pollo or chicken rice. While it was popular and I received good feedback on that recipe, the most common feedback was along the lines of “this is great, but where’s the other arroz con pollo or chaulafan de pollo?”. I’ve been meaning to post this for a while, sorry it’s so late for those requested it (but better late than never, right?).
As I mentioned before, this particular chaulafan de pollo is very popular and is also known as arroz con pollo or rice with chicken. Another very popular chaulafan is one that has a combination of chicken, ham and pork. I did add a small amount of pancetta or bacon to this chaulafan, but feel free to leave it out if you don’t eat pork. One of my favorite parts about making this chaulafan is making the broth, it smells so good and reminds me of consome de pollo – a very tasty and simple chicken broth served with or without a piece of chicken plus chopped green onions and cilantro.
It also reminds how great homemade chicken broth is, I always say that if I had enough free time I would never buy store bought broth again. However, that is never the case and taking busy schedules into consideration, for those who want to make a quick variation of this chaulafan you can use the meat from a store bought rotisserie chicken plus store bought chicken broth. I recommend serving this with avocado slices, hot sauce and some ketchup (yes, ketchup, if you have the spicy type it is the best).
Step by step preparation photos for Ecuadorian chaulafan de pollo fried rice:
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I made this last summer and it was delicious. Thanks for the recipe! I will be making it again very soon. :-) You have a wonderful website and beautiful photographs.
I can’t believe I only just found your blog! This recipe is one I will definitely have to try. I came across your website looking for an empanada dough recipe (via Epicurious.com) and immediately decided I was following your recipe, mostly because you are a Seattleite like me!
I can’t wait to browse the rest of your blog, and am a little sad to see you don’t post as regularly anymore. I hope you don’t mind me linking to your blog via my own, when I update about dinner tonight, I will point people to your empanada recipe. I like to give credit, where credit is due.
Best!
Ivie
My husband is Ecuadorian and I appreciate your recipes as he gets homesick for the tastes of South America.
Thank you for taking the time and effort to make this site. I am going to bookmark it right now.
I made this with rotisserie chicken, and it turned out great! I made half a recipe and it was enough for at least 6 servings. I was a little skeptical about the raisins but they added just the right touch of sweetness to balance the spice, similar with the ketchup. I love all the spices and herbs in your recipes – all the ones I have made have great flavor!
I feel like I came to the table late. I was researching how to cook with achiote molido. Until now, I have just used it to dye fiber. (I am cooking chicken, and it is wonderful with this spice.). This recipe, however, thrills me to death. It is my next project. Thank you for the great, detailed information and the wonderful, informative photos!
I am cooking this dish as we speak for my Ecuadorean meal in my Around the World in an RV project that I’ve been doing for my blog. Just making the broth made my little fifth wheel smell incredible and I can’t wait to dig in. I also made Aji and your pickled onion recipe to go with it. This along with your shrimp ceviche and potato salad recipes and I think this RV park is going to be fat & sassy!! Thanks for posting great recipes!
I am from Dominican Republic and we make a very very similar dish called Chofán. This dish is always a hit in my home! Thanks for posting the recipe.
Hi,
Chaulafan is a Chinese translation of Fried-Spicy-Rice. Correct me if I’m wrong. I enjoyed making empanada using your recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Hi, I just wanted to start off by saying I don’t normally post to websites or blogs but your recipes deserve a comment!
I made this last night and wow it was a hit! I don’t normally eat bell peppers and I ate every bite. I love love love your blog! I stumbled upon on when looking for a pandebono recipe. I like how you show step by step how everything is suppose to look, as I am a visual person, especially when I haven’t made something before. Your presentation also knocks other websites out of the water! Congratulations! So far I’ve made pandebono, mousse de maracuya, potatoes au gratin and the chaulafan. I look forward to preparing more of your recipes. My next one will be the menestra de porotos (it reminds me of a bandeja paisa in your picture) yummmy! PLEASE continue to post new recipes for us to try :-)
I have made this twice, and it has came out awesome… Great receipe..