I love Arepas and here’s a classic filling for these little Venezuelan buns: Chicken Avocado Arepas. The filling is creamy, cool, and delish with just a little more personality than you might expect from your everyday basic Chicken & Avocado Salad.
Chicken Avocado Arepas
You might expect that once you’re working with a dish from any of our Latin American neighbors. Taking a few hints from their cuisine is always a game-changer and a fun way to up the ante in the flavor department.
About Chicken Avocado Arepas:
The filling is classic, based on the Reina Pepiadais, which is what this style of Arepas is called in their native country. They were named in honor of Susana Dujim, Miss World 1995. (Reina means “queen” in Spanish, and pepiadais is politely translated as “curvy.”) It always has chicken & avocado but from there, every family and restaurant has their own little special touches.
Mine has a little red bell pepper, a touch of vinegar, and a hint of jalapeno along with a couple green/crunchy additions. Still very classic but never boring! One taste of the filling (which is fabulous on its own or in a sandwich or wrap) on a fresh, warm, and fragrant Arepa, you’re gonna get why this sandwich is so loved.
Chicken Avocado Arepas
More About Arepas:
The Arepa itself is super easy and actually fun to make and best of all, you can make a very passable one w/o much effort or skill. But of course, like with anything, you’ll get better and better the more you make them. Here’s my recipe for the actual Arepa.
While I love Arepas with this Chicken and Avocado filling, any Arepas can be filled and stuffed with all manner of things/ Hit your translate button to see all the classic Venezualan variations. Arepas can be served plain, or maybe dragged through a salsa, too.
What to Serve with Arepas:
My fave salsa with these Arepas has got to be my Aji Salsa. There’s just something about the combination of the Chicken/Avocado filling and that Aji Salsa that’s downright ridiculous!
To make your Arepas feel like more than a meal than a sandwich you can serve them with rice or beans or a slaw, like this Mexican Red Cabbage Slaw, and I’ve been eating my Arepas lately with this Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salsa. And for garnish, you can never go wrong with a little lime on the plate.
Hints for Success in Making Chicken Avocado Arepas:
There’s nothing “hot” about these arepas, except the bit of jalapeno in the recipe to give it a little zing, and the chicken, itself, is plainly cooked. Just simmer it gently with a little thinly sliced onion & some salt and pepper in water set so low that the bubbles are just breaking the surface several times a minute and you’ll have the best, moist chicken. Even better if you let the chicken cool in the broth, maybe as you get everything else ready and make the actual Arepas. The chicken needs to be at room temperature before you mix up the salad, so that works out just perfectly.
The first thing, after shredding the chicken, is to sprinkle it with vinegar. Its amazing what that acid does to the flavor. Lime juice will work, too, but vinegar is my fave in this. Then add in the rest of the ingredients, mayo last, and use just enough mayo so the filling holds together.
I do think it’s best if the ingredients are finely diced so they kind of blend in rather than leaving them chunky. As far as the avocado, if you want to, you can mush up your avocado or leave it in small chunks, it really doesn’t matter. It’s more personal taste. And if you have guacamole, just sayin’, that about 1/2 cup or so could be used instead of the avocado. Thank goodness I don’t have a Venezuelan grandmother to correct me on that one, lol, but guac would be delish as part of the filling.
Saving Money on Chicken Avocado Arepas:
It doesn’t take much of this Chicken Avocado to fill up the arepas, so pile it on, but If the budget’s tight, make less filling and stretch it.
Don’t pay full price for chicken – it goes on sale too often. It pays to know the difference between a good sales price and a rock-bottom sales price (usually about once a quarter) and stock up at the low. Often these are larger family packs so portion out in sizes suitable for meals for your family and freeze. I prefer breasts which are usually more than budget chicken thighs, although many prefer thighs for being moister.
This is a fabulous way to rework leftovers. If the leftover chicken seems a little dry and/or dense, try steaming it in a bit of broth to soften it, then let it cool to room temperature. If you have any of your filling left and no Arepas left to serve it with, make a sandwich or lettuce wrap!
Avocados can be crazy expensive or more reasonable. Most of the time I’ll make recipes with avocado when I see them on sale. Sales might be on individual avocados or bags. Look closely if they are all in a bag and make sure they’re all sound and not bruised or overripe.
The other ingredients are just a smidge of this and a smidge of that; just make sure you have a use for any parts you aren’t using. Wrap them and keep them and any partially used veggie or fruit in the door of your fridge; it’s easier to keep a close eye on them.
Chicken Avocado Arepas – Reina Pepiadais
PrintChicken Avocado Arepas
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings (2 arepas each) 1x
- Category: Sandwiches
- Cuisine: Venezuelan
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (3/4 pound) skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or use leftover chicken)
- 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon distilled white or apple cider vinegar, plus more to taste
- 1/2 jalapeno seeded and minced (optional)
- 1/2 cup seeded and diced (1/4-inch) red bell pepper (optional)
- 1 green onion, white and green parts, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 2 ripe Hass avocados, pitted, diced
- scant 1/4 cup mayonnaise (start with three of four tablespoons and increase as needed)
- 8 arepas (see my recipe)
- cilantro and lime for garnish, if desired.
- salsa of choice, optional
Instructions
Place the chicken breasts and onion in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool chicken in liquid, if time allows (It helps to keep the chicken moist.) Drain chicken & onion. Roughly shred chicken & reserve onion.
In a bowl, add the shredded chicken and onion. Sprinkle with the vinegar. Add in the jalapeno, bell pepper, green onion, cilantro, parsley, and avocado. Lightly mix. Stir in just enough mayonnaise to moisten and hold together the rest of the ingredients. Either stir carefully, keeping the avocado intact or “mush” in the avocado; either way is delicious.
Taste and season with additional salt and pepper and /or add a little more vinegar if needed. There should be a pleasant slight tanginess without being “sour.” Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve in still warm arepas and serve with additional cilantro and/or lime and salsa.
Nutrition: (1/4) of the recipe) Calories: 216; Calories from Fat 114, 58%; Total Fat 13g; Cholesterol 40.37mg; Sodium 144mg; Total Carbohydrate 10.6g; fiber 3.8g; Sugar 2.38g; Protein 14.89g
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I’ll be sharing my Shredded Chicken (Pollo Mechado) Arepas at Fiesta Friday #325 this week, cohosted by me! That’s right, me! Also, I’ll be posting at The Weekend Potluck, a collaborative sharing site run by several of my favorite bloggers.
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