Satisfying Venezuelan Chicken and Avocado Arepas (Arepas Reina Pepiada)
I don’t tend to repeat recipes often, but I’ve made these arepas at least 4 times in the past 6 months because they are that addictive. I first heard of arepas on the tv show, Jane the Virgin, where the lovable main character would eat arepas prepared by her grandma for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and anytime in between. It always made me envious and hungry!
Finally, when the pandemic of 2020 hit and we were trying to spice up our weekends with new food adventures, I was introduced to Chamo Venezuelan Cuisine in Pasadena, CA. We ordered a bunch of arepas, but I ordered the Reina Pepiada (literal translation: curvy queen). These arepas were indeed the queen of arepas — they had a crispy exterior with a bright and satisfying filling. Since I am not regularly located in the LA area, I wanted to be able to recreate these delicious creations.
What are arepas?
Now… what are arepas?
Arepas are cornmeal pockets eaten in various Latin American countries, but most well known in Venezuela and Colombia. Arepas are eaten daily (just like on the tv show), and they are traditionally filled with cheese, avocados, and various meats.
How to make arepas
To make arepas, you’ll need pre-cooked cornmeal. Make sure you’re getting pre-cooked cornmeal, or it won’t turn out well. I prefer to use PAN or Goya.
Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, add 2 and 1/4 cups of water and 1 tsp of salt and microwave for 1 min until the salt is dissolved and the water is warm.
Add the pre-cooked cornmeal to the warm water and salt mixture slowly to prevent lumps. Stirring the mixture with your hands or a spatula until you have a dough that is easily moldable and doesn’t stick to your hands. Another way to test the arepa dough is to press it into a ball, press down into a flat disk. It should form easily into a disk without too much cracking on the edges. If it cracks a lot, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time. Once you have the correct consistency, cover the dough and let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
Once the time is up, grab a chunk of dough and roll into a round ball. Press the ball between your palms to form a 1/4 inch disk.
Once the dough is formed, heat a cast iron or non-stick pan over medium to medium high heat with some oil. Once hot, add in the arepas and sear on one side for 3 minutes. Flip over when the arepas turn golden brown and sear on the other side for three minutes. A little charring is normal here! Repeat until all arepas are complete.
Transfer the golden brown arepas to the baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper or keep the arepas on the cast iron pan (if it’s your last batch) and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 18 minutes.
How to make chicken and avocado arepas filling
While arepas are baking, it’s time to prepare the filling! Dice your red onion, mince garlic, and mash the 2 avocados. Combine mashed avocado, shredded chicken, diced red onion, and garlic (powder or minced) into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Then add in the mayonnaise, lemon or lime juice, and salt and black pepper to taste.
How to assemble arepas
Once baked, remove the arepas from the oven and let cool for 2 – 3 minutes before slicing into them horizontally in half.
Optionally, add any sauce to the insides of the arepa (my green creamy jalapeño sauce is the perfect addition).
Using a spoon, place a large heap of the chicken avocado salad filling inside the arepa. Enjoy while fresh!
Venezuelan Arepas Reina Pepiada (Chicken and Avocado Arepas)
Equipment
- Cast iron pan or non-stick pan
- Baking sheet and aluminum foil or parchment paper
- 2 large bowls – one for filling, one for arepa dough
- Knife
- Fork
- Spoon
Ingredients
Arepas
- 2 cups precooked white corn meal (P.A.N.)
- 2 ¼ cups warm water (or more as needed)
- 1 tsp salt
- oil for cooking
Chicken and Avocado Filling
- 2 cups shredded chicken breast or thigh
- 2 medium sized avocados
- ½ small red onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced or 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Arepas
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, add 2½ cups of water and 1 tsp of salt and microwave for 1 min until the salt is dissolved and the water is warm.
- Add the pre-cooked cornmeal to the warm water and salt mixture slowly to prevent lumps. Stirring the mixture with your hands or a spatula until you have a dough that is easily moldable and doesn't stick to your hands. Another way to test the arepa dough is to press it into a ball, press down into a flat disk. It should form easily into a disk without too much cracking on the edges. If it cracks a lot, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time. Once you have the correct consistency, cover the dough and let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
- Once the dough is up, grab a chunk of dough and roll into a round ball. Press the ball between your palms to form a ¼ inch disk.
- Once the dough is formed, heat a cast iron or non-stick pan over medium to medium high heat with some oil. Once hot, add in the arepas and sear on one side for 3 minutes. Flip over when the arepas turn golden brown and sear on the other side for three minutes. A little charring is normal here! Repeat until all arepas are complete.
- Transfer the golden brown arepas to the baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper or keep the arepas on the cast iron pan (if it's your last batch) and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 18 minutes.
Chicken and Avocado Salad Arepa Filling
- While arepas are baking, it's time to prepare the filling! Dice your red onion, mince garlic, and mash the 2 avocados.
- Combine mashed avocado, shredded chicken, diced red onion, and garlic (powder or minced) into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Then add in the mayonnaise, lemon or lime juice, and salt and black pepper to taste.
Assembly
- Once baked, remove the arepas from the oven and let cool for 2 – 3 minutes before slicing into them horizontally in half.
- Optionally, add any sauce to the insides of the arepa (my green creamy jalapeno sauce is the perfect addition).
- Using a spoon, place a large heap of the chicken avocado salad filling inside the arepa. Enjoy while fresh!
Notes
- For the dough, make sure you are using pre-cooked cornmeal.
- For a crunchier arepa, shape them into 1/4 in thick discs. For a thicker arepa, shape into 1/2 in discs.
- If you opted for the thicker arepa and want to make the inside less sticky, you can also scrape the inside of the arepa using a spoon after slicing it in half.
- Unfilled arepas will keep covered in the fridge for 3 days, but they are best enjoyed fresh.
Very very yummy arepas! These are very delicious! The avocado and chicken go very well together. The outside is very crispy and golden brown and irresistible! Thanks Lucy!
Do you just boil the chicken? How long?