diff --git a/xarray/backends/zarr.py b/xarray/backends/zarr.py
index abf0c7372eb..82f79efaaee 100644
--- a/xarray/backends/zarr.py
+++ b/xarray/backends/zarr.py
@@ -311,6 +311,7 @@ def open_store_variable(self, name, zarr_array):
         attributes = dict(attributes)
         encoding = {
             "chunks": zarr_array.chunks,
+            "preferred_chunks": dict(zip(dimensions, zarr_array.chunks)),
             "compressor": zarr_array.compressor,
             "filters": zarr_array.filters,
         }
diff --git a/xarray/core/dataset.py b/xarray/core/dataset.py
index 0a3c969c617..cc8c14dda68 100644
--- a/xarray/core/dataset.py
+++ b/xarray/core/dataset.py
@@ -390,8 +390,10 @@ def _get_chunk(var, chunks):
     if isinstance(chunks, int) or (chunks == "auto"):
         chunks = dict.fromkeys(var.dims, chunks)
 
-    preferred_chunks_list = var.encoding.get("chunks", {})
-    preferred_chunks = dict(zip(var.dims, var.encoding.get("chunks", {})))
+    preferred_chunks = var.encoding.get("preferred_chunks", {})
+    preferred_chunks_list = [
+        preferred_chunks.get(dim, shape) for dim, shape in zip(var.dims, var.shape)
+    ]
 
     chunks_list = [
         chunks.get(dim, None) or preferred_chunks.get(dim, None) for dim in var.dims