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Arepa reina pepiada
Chicken and avocado arepas
Reina pepiada: arepas stuffed with creamy chicken and avocado salad
Caracas named this filling after a beauty queen: in 1955 a family running an arepera in the city made it for Susana Duijm, Venezuela's first Miss World, and called it 'the curvy queen'. Shredded chicken is mashed with ripe avocado, a little mayonnaise, lime and coriander, then stuffed into a hot, crisp-skinned arepa split down the side. Venezuelans eat it for breakfast, at lunch from areperas and late at night after a party. The usual mistake is cooking arepas over too high a heat: the outside blackens while the middle stays raw and doughy. Chef's tip: an arepa is done when it sounds hollow when you tap it; if it doesn't, give it a few more minutes in the oven.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 ⅛ lb chicken breasts, skinless
- 4 ¼ cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp salt
For the filling
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- ¼ red onionvery finely chopped
- 1 clove garliccrushed
- 3 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the arepas
- 1 ¾ cups warm water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅛ lb chicken breasts, skinless, 4 ¼ cups water, 1 bay leaf and 1 tsp salt in a pan, bring to a simmer and poach gently for 15–18 minutes, until the thickest part reads 165°F. Lift out and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
18 minStep 2: Shred the chicken finely with two forks.
Step 3: In a bowl mash 2 ripe avocados with 3 tbsp mayonnaise, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 clove garlic, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper until mostly smooth. Fold in the chicken, ¼ red onion and 3 tbsp fresh coriander. Cover and keep in the fridge while you make the arepas.
Step 4: For the arepas, mix 1 tsp salt into 1 ¾ cups warm water, then pour in 10 ½ oz masarepa (pre-cooked white cornmeal) gradually, stirring with your hand. Knead for 2 minutes to a soft dough that doesn't crack at the edges; rest it for 5 minutes.
7 minStep 5: Divide into 8 balls and flatten each between your palms into a disc about 1.5 cm thick and 9 cm wide. Smooth any cracks with a damp finger.
Step 6: Heat the oven to 400°F (fan 350°F). Brush a heavy frying pan or griddle with 1 tbsp vegetable oil and heat over a medium heat. Cook the arepas for 5–6 minutes a side until a pale golden crust forms.
12 minStep 7: Move them to a baking tray and bake for 10–12 minutes, until they puff slightly and sound hollow when tapped.
12 minStep 8: Split each arepa open along one side like a pocket, without cutting all the way through, and pack in the reina pepiada filling. Eat straight away. Keep any leftover filling covered in the fridge and eat within 1 day.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
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Good to know
- How long does arepa reina pepiada take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of chicken breasts, skinless?
- Boneless chicken thighs, same weight (a few minutes longer).
- What can I use instead of ripe avocados?
- Mashed peas with lemon juice (for dips).
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