Caravan Chicken

For over two decades, this family-run Peruvian-Chinese restaurant in Astoria, Queens has been quietly turning out rotisserie birds that could give the roast chickens at far fancier Manhattan restaurants a run for their money. Whether you order by the quarter, half, or whole hen, you’ll be rewarded with burnished, glossy skin over impeccably seasoned meat accompanied by endless plastic cups of aji verde, a zippy, cilantro-forward sauce, for dunking. 

In pursuit of maximum flavor, bypass the standard sides such as French fries, rice and beans, or an iceberg salad in favor of specialties like lo mein and arroz chaufa (fried rice). Known as chifa, Southern Chinese-inflected Peruvian food has been a staple in Lima since around the 1920s. The term stems from chīfàn, Mandarin for eating a meal (literally “to eat rice”).  

Around the mid-19th century, more than 100,000 workers immigrated from southern China to work in Peru’s cotton and sugar plantations, as well as on the railroads and in guano mines. Despite often abysmal working conditions and wages, many chose to stay past their original short-term contracts and build a new life. By the turn of the 20th century, many had become business owners and established community members. Today, around 1 percent of Peru’s population identifies as tusán, or of partial Chinese ancestry, and chifa restaurants are popular throughout the country. 

Caravan Chicken’s poultry is worth lining up for, but many regulars will argue that the spareribs are just as good. The tender, glazed meat slumps off the bone with barely any resistance. Portions are colossal here, so the move is to come with a crew large enough to order both. While you’re at it, an order of custardy, caramelized maduros (fried plantains) belongs on every table.