Reina Pepiada Arepas
Warm corn arepas filled with a cool, creamy chicken-and-avocado salad.
Venezuela · Street Food · 55 min
DeSabor Kitchen · Published · Updated · 20 / 35 / 55 min · 4 · Venezuela
Jump to RecipeKeep the chicken-avocado salad cool while cooking the arepas. Precooked cornmeal needs a short hydration rest. Cook the thick discs fully before opening pockets so the interior is not gummy.
The Story Behind the Dish
Reina pepiada is a well-known Venezuelan arepa filling combining chicken and avocado. Household recipes differ in their seasonings and creaminess.
Ingredients
- 250 g precooked white cornmeal for arepas
- 330 ml warm water; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tbsp oil
- 400 g boneless chicken breast
- 1 large avocado; 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp lime juice; 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp finely chopped onion; 1/4 tsp salt for filling
Instructions
- Poach chicken in water 18–25 minutes until it reaches 74°C. Shred and cool promptly while making the arepas.
- Mix cornmeal, warm water and salt; rest 5 minutes. Shape 4 thick discs. Cook in a lightly oiled skillet 7–8 minutes per side, then finish in a 180°C oven for 10 minutes.
- Mash avocado with lime and mayonnaise. Fold in cooled chicken, cilantro, onion and the filling's 1/4 teaspoon salt. Keep the salad refrigerated at 4°C or below until the arepas are ready.
- Split warm arepas without cutting all the way through and fill. Serve immediately; refrigerate any extra filling.
Cook's Tips
- Use precooked arepa cornmeal rather than tortilla flour. Keep the chicken salad chilled until filling the arepas.
Home-style recipe; not independently kitchen-tested. Check all ingredients and substitutions for allergens. Times are estimates; use the texture and temperature checks in the method. Serving accompaniments are separate unless listed. In temperatures above 32°C, refrigerate perishables within 1 hour rather than 2.
How to Serve It
Fill four warm arepas just before serving, using the chicken salad evenly. Keep extra salad refrigerated rather than standing beside the hot stove.
Variations & Substitutions
Avocado and chicken define this named filling. Adding cheese produces another variation; do not replace the filling with beans and retain the reina pepiada title.
Use precooked arepa flour rather than tortilla flour. Safely stored cooked chicken saves poaching time, but its original storage deadline still applies. Yogurt instead of mayonnaise makes a tangier adaptation.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate salad within 2 hours at 4°C or below and use within 2 days, or sooner if the chicken was already stored. Keep cooked arepas separate. Avocado may darken; lime slows but does not prevent it.
Reheat plain arepas on a griddle or in the oven until hot throughout. Add safely refrigerated cold salad afterward; do not warm the avocado-mayonnaise filling and then return it to storage.
The DeSabor Table
- Reina Pepiada Arepas — Snack