diff --git a/properties/test_parallelcompat.py b/properties/test_parallelcompat.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..91325578619
--- /dev/null
+++ b/properties/test_parallelcompat.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import numpy as np
+import pytest
+
+pytest.importorskip("hypothesis")
+# isort: split
+
+from hypothesis import given
+
+import xarray.testing.strategies as xrst
+from xarray.namedarray.parallelcompat import ChunkManagerEntrypoint
+
+
+class TestPreserveChunks:
+    @given(xrst.shape_and_chunks())
+    def test_preserve_all_chunks(
+        self, shape_and_chunks: tuple[tuple[int, ...], tuple[int, ...]]
+    ) -> None:
+        shape, previous_chunks = shape_and_chunks
+        typesize = 8
+        target = 1024 * 1024
+
+        actual = ChunkManagerEntrypoint.preserve_chunks(
+            chunks=("preserve",) * len(shape),
+            shape=shape,
+            target=target,
+            typesize=typesize,
+            previous_chunks=previous_chunks,
+        )
+        for i, chunk in enumerate(actual):
+            if chunk != shape[i]:
+                assert chunk >= previous_chunks[i]
+                assert chunk % previous_chunks[i] == 0
+                assert chunk <= shape[i]
+
+        if actual != shape:
+            assert np.prod(actual) * typesize >= 0.5 * target
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("first_chunk", [-1, (), 1])
+    @given(xrst.shape_and_chunks(min_dims=2))
+    def test_preserve_some_chunks(
+        self,
+        first_chunk: int | tuple[int, ...],
+        shape_and_chunks: tuple[tuple[int, ...], tuple[int, ...]],
+    ) -> None:
+        shape, previous_chunks = shape_and_chunks
+        typesize = 4
+        target = 2 * 1024 * 1024
+
+        actual = ChunkManagerEntrypoint.preserve_chunks(
+            chunks=(first_chunk, *["preserve" for _ in range(len(shape) - 1)]),
+            shape=shape,
+            target=target,
+            typesize=typesize,
+            previous_chunks=previous_chunks,
+        )
+        for i, chunk in enumerate(actual):
+            if i == 0:
+                if first_chunk == 1:
+                    assert chunk == 1
+                elif first_chunk == -1:
+                    assert chunk == shape[i]
+                elif first_chunk == ():
+                    assert chunk == previous_chunks[i]
+            elif chunk != shape[i]:
+                assert chunk >= previous_chunks[i]
+                assert chunk % previous_chunks[i] == 0
+                assert chunk <= shape[i]
+
+        # if we have more than one chunk, make sure the chunks are big enough
+        if actual[1:] != shape[1:]:
+            assert np.prod(actual) * typesize >= 0.5 * target
diff --git a/xarray/backends/api.py b/xarray/backends/api.py
index 5cb879620cb..504c3f31e5a 100644
--- a/xarray/backends/api.py
+++ b/xarray/backends/api.py
@@ -291,9 +291,9 @@ def _dataset_from_backend_dataset(
     create_default_indexes,
     **extra_tokens,
 ):
-    if not isinstance(chunks, int | dict) and chunks not in {None, "auto"}:
+    if not isinstance(chunks, int | dict) and chunks not in {None, "auto", "preserve"}:
         raise ValueError(
-            f"chunks must be an int, dict, 'auto', or None. Instead found {chunks}."
+            f"chunks must be an int, dict, 'auto', 'preserve', or None. Instead found {chunks}."
         )
 
     _protect_dataset_variables_inplace(backend_ds, cache)
diff --git a/xarray/namedarray/_typing.py b/xarray/namedarray/_typing.py
index 9610b96d4f9..f9227f7796a 100644
--- a/xarray/namedarray/_typing.py
+++ b/xarray/namedarray/_typing.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def dtype(self) -> _DType_co: ...
 _NormalizedChunks = tuple[tuple[int, ...], ...]
 # FYI in some cases we don't allow `None`, which this doesn't take account of.
 # # FYI the `str` is for a size string, e.g. "16MB", supported by dask.
-T_ChunkDim: TypeAlias = str | int | Literal["auto"] | tuple[int, ...] | None  # noqa: PYI051
+T_ChunkDim: TypeAlias = str | int | Literal["auto", "preserve"] | tuple[int, ...] | None  # noqa: PYI051
 # We allow the tuple form of this (though arguably we could transition to named dims only)
 T_Chunks: TypeAlias = T_ChunkDim | Mapping[Any, T_ChunkDim]
 
diff --git a/xarray/namedarray/daskmanager.py b/xarray/namedarray/daskmanager.py
index eb01a150c18..323beb6a37e 100644
--- a/xarray/namedarray/daskmanager.py
+++ b/xarray/namedarray/daskmanager.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from xarray.namedarray._typing import (
+        T_ChunkDim,
         T_Chunks,
         _DType_co,
         _NormalizedChunks,
@@ -45,11 +46,11 @@ def chunks(self, data: Any) -> _NormalizedChunks:
 
     def normalize_chunks(
         self,
-        chunks: T_Chunks | _NormalizedChunks,
+        chunks: tuple[T_ChunkDim, ...] | _NormalizedChunks,
         shape: tuple[int, ...] | None = None,
         limit: int | None = None,
         dtype: _DType_co | None = None,
-        previous_chunks: _NormalizedChunks | None = None,
+        previous_chunks: tuple[int, ...] | _NormalizedChunks | None = None,
     ) -> Any:
         """Called by open_dataset"""
         from dask.array.core import normalize_chunks
diff --git a/xarray/namedarray/parallelcompat.py b/xarray/namedarray/parallelcompat.py
index cd57a8d4487..b2069f60a80 100644
--- a/xarray/namedarray/parallelcompat.py
+++ b/xarray/namedarray/parallelcompat.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from xarray.namedarray._typing import (
+        T_ChunkDim,
         T_Chunks,
         _Chunks,
         _DType,
@@ -777,3 +778,79 @@ def get_auto_chunk_size(
         raise NotImplementedError(
             "For 'auto' rechunking of cftime arrays, get_auto_chunk_size must be implemented by the chunk manager"
         )
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def preserve_chunks(
+        chunks: tuple[T_ChunkDim, ...],
+        shape: tuple[int, ...],
+        target: int,
+        typesize: int,
+        previous_chunks: tuple[int, ...] | _NormalizedChunks,
+    ) -> tuple[T_ChunkDim, ...]:
+        """Determine meta chunks
+
+        This takes in a chunks value that contains ``"preserve"`` values in certain
+        dimensions and replaces those values with concrete dimension sizes that try
+        to get chunks to be of a certain size in bytes, provided by the ``limit=``
+        keyword. Any dimensions marked as ``"preserve"`` will potentially be multiplied
+        to get close to the byte target, while never splitting ``previous_chunks``.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        chunks: tuple[int | str | tuple, ...]
+            A tuple of either dimensions or tuples of explicit chunk dimensions
+            Some entries should be "preserve". Any explicit dimensions must match or
+            be multiple of ``previous_chunks``
+        shape: tuple[int]
+            The shape of the array
+        target: int
+            The target size of the chunk in bytes.
+        typesize: int
+            The size, in bytes, of each element of the chunk.
+        previous_chunks: tuple[int]
+            Size of chunks being preserved. Expressed as a tuple of ints which matches
+            the way chunks are encoded in Zarr.
+        """
+        # pop the first item off in case it's a tuple of tuples
+        preferred_chunks = np.array(
+            [c if isinstance(c, int) else c[0] for c in previous_chunks]
+        )
+
+        # "preserve" stays as "preserve"
+        # None or empty tuple means match previous chunks
+        # -1 means whole dim is in one chunk
+        desired_chunks = np.array(
+            [
+                c or preferred_chunks[i] if c != -1 else shape[i]
+                for i, c in enumerate(chunks)
+            ]
+        )
+        preserve_chunks = desired_chunks == "preserve"
+
+        if not preserve_chunks.any():
+            return chunks
+
+        new_chunks = np.where(preserve_chunks, preferred_chunks, desired_chunks).astype(
+            int
+        )
+
+        while True:
+            # Repeatedly loop over the ``previous_chunks``, multiplying them by 2.
+            # Stop when:
+            # 1a. we are larger than the target chunk size OR
+            # 1b. we are within 50% of the target chunk size OR
+            # 2. the chunk covers the entire array
+
+            num_chunks = np.array(shape) / new_chunks * preserve_chunks
+            idx = np.argmax(num_chunks)
+            chunk_bytes = np.prod(new_chunks) * typesize
+
+            if chunk_bytes > target or abs(chunk_bytes - target) / target < 0.5:
+                break
+
+            if (num_chunks <= 1).all():
+                break
+
+            new_chunks[idx] = min(new_chunks[idx] * 2, shape[idx])
+
+        return tuple(int(x) for x in new_chunks)
diff --git a/xarray/namedarray/utils.py b/xarray/namedarray/utils.py
index 3490a76aa8d..2a997b4a831 100644
--- a/xarray/namedarray/utils.py
+++ b/xarray/namedarray/utils.py
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ def _get_chunk(  # type: ignore[no-untyped-def]
     preferred_chunk_shape = tuple(
         itertools.starmap(preferred_chunks.get, zip(dims, shape, strict=True))
     )
-    if isinstance(chunks, Number) or (chunks == "auto"):
+    if isinstance(chunks, (Number, str)):
         chunks = dict.fromkeys(dims, chunks)
     chunk_shape = tuple(
         chunks.get(dim, None) or preferred_chunk_sizes
@@ -236,6 +236,20 @@ def _get_chunk(  # type: ignore[no-untyped-def]
         limit = None
         dtype = data.dtype
 
+    if any(c == "preserve" for c in chunk_shape) and any(
+        c == "auto" for c in chunk_shape
+    ):
+        raise ValueError('chunks cannot use a combination of "auto" and "preserve"')
+
+    if shape and preferred_chunk_shape and any(c == "preserve" for c in chunk_shape):
+        chunk_shape = chunkmanager.preserve_chunks(
+            chunk_shape,
+            shape=shape,
+            target=chunkmanager.get_auto_chunk_size(),
+            typesize=getattr(dtype, "itemsize", 8),
+            previous_chunks=preferred_chunk_shape,
+        )
+
     chunk_shape = chunkmanager.normalize_chunks(
         chunk_shape,
         shape=shape,
diff --git a/xarray/testing/strategies.py b/xarray/testing/strategies.py
index 9f6bb8110e8..9f0a7080936 100644
--- a/xarray/testing/strategies.py
+++ b/xarray/testing/strategies.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
     "names",
     "outer_array_indexers",
     "pandas_index_dtypes",
+    "shape_and_chunks",
     "supported_dtypes",
     "unique_subset_of",
     "variables",
@@ -210,6 +211,68 @@ def dimension_sizes(
     )
 
 
+@st.composite
+def shape_and_chunks(
+    draw: st.DrawFn,
+    *,
+    min_dims: int = 1,
+    max_dims: int = 4,
+    min_size: int = 1,
+    max_size: int = 900,
+) -> tuple[tuple[int, ...], tuple[int, ...]]:
+    """
+    Generate a shape tuple and corresponding chunks tuple.
+
+    Each element in the chunks tuple is smaller than or equal to the
+    corresponding element in the shape tuple.
+
+    Requires the hypothesis package to be installed.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    min_dims : int, optional
+        Minimum number of dimensions. Default is 1.
+    max_dims : int, optional
+        Maximum number of dimensions. Default is 4.
+    min_size : int, optional
+        Minimum size for each dimension. Default is 1.
+    max_size : int, optional
+        Maximum size for each dimension. Default is 100.
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    tuple[tuple[int, ...], tuple[int, ...]]
+        A tuple containing (shape, chunks) where:
+        - shape is a tuple of positive integers
+        - chunks is a tuple where each element is an integer <= corresponding shape element
+
+    Examples
+    --------
+    >>> shape_and_chunks().example()  # doctest: +SKIP
+    ((5, 3, 8), (2, 3, 4))
+    >>> shape_and_chunks().example()  # doctest: +SKIP
+    ((10, 7), (10, 3))
+    >>> shape_and_chunks(min_dims=2, max_dims=3).example()  # doctest: +SKIP
+    ((4, 6, 2), (2, 3, 1))
+
+    See Also
+    --------
+    :ref:`testing.hypothesis`_
+    """
+    # Generate the shape tuple
+    ndim = draw(st.integers(min_value=min_dims, max_value=max_dims))
+    shape = draw(
+        st.tuples(
+            *[st.integers(min_value=min_size, max_value=max_size) for _ in range(ndim)]
+        )
+    )
+    # Generate chunks tuple with each element <= corresponding shape element
+    chunks = draw(
+        st.tuples(*[st.integers(min_value=1, max_value=size) for size in shape])
+    )
+    return shape, chunks
+
+
 _readable_strings = st.text(
     _readable_characters,
     max_size=5,
diff --git a/xarray/tests/test_backends.py b/xarray/tests/test_backends.py
index fdc7fdc8edb..7e3290e60a9 100644
--- a/xarray/tests/test_backends.py
+++ b/xarray/tests/test_backends.py
@@ -7284,6 +7284,44 @@ def test_chunking_consintency(chunks, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
             xr.testing.assert_chunks_equal(actual, expected)
 
 
+@requires_zarr
+@requires_dask
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "chunks,expected",
+    [
+        ("preserve", (320, 320)),
+        (-1, (500, 500)),
+        ({}, (10, 10)),
+        ({"x": "preserve"}, (500, 10)),
+        ({"x": -1}, (500, 10)),
+        ({"x": "preserve", "y": -1}, (160, 500)),
+    ],
+)
+def test_open_dataset_chunking_zarr_with_preserve(
+    chunks, expected, tmp_path: Path
+) -> None:
+    encoded_chunks = 10
+    dask_arr = da.from_array(
+        np.ones((500, 500), dtype="float64"), chunks=encoded_chunks
+    )
+    ds = xr.Dataset(
+        {
+            "test": xr.DataArray(
+                dask_arr,
+                dims=("x", "y"),
+            )
+        }
+    )
+    ds["test"].encoding["chunks"] = encoded_chunks
+    ds.to_zarr(tmp_path / "test.zarr")
+
+    with dask.config.set({"array.chunk-size": "1MiB"}):
+        with open_dataset(
+            tmp_path / "test.zarr", engine="zarr", chunks=chunks
+        ) as actual:
+            assert (actual.chunks["x"][0], actual.chunks["y"][0]) == expected
+
+
 def _check_guess_can_open_and_open(entrypoint, obj, engine, expected):
     assert entrypoint.guess_can_open(obj)
     with open_dataset(obj, engine=engine) as actual: