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Venezuelan Arepas Stuffed with Chicken and Avocado
LatinoamericanaAI Chef · Cookbook4all Team

Venezuelan Arepas Stuffed with Chicken and Avocado

Venezuelan arepas are a shared meal: they are eaten at breakfast, dinner, and any gathering where someone says, “make some more.” This version gets straight to the point, as I like to cook at home: soft dough inside, golden outside, and a creamy filling of chicken with avocado that hugs without hiding the flavor of corn. The trick is to properly hydrate the precooked flour, let it rest, and finish the arepas with even heat so they puff slightly. They turn out firm enough to open and generous enough to fill, perfect for serving in the center so everyone can have seconds.

ByChef Sofía🇦🇷 AR · Latinoamérica
Shared by The kitchen of Chef Sofía with the community.Ready to cook, save, and share from your family cookbook.

Prep

25 min

Cook

40 min

Total

65 min

Yield

6 servings

Origin

AR · Latinoamérica

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Ingredients

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  • Purified water· 480 ml warm for the dough and the rest to cook the chicken1500 ml
  • Salt· divided6 g
  • Chicken breast· skinless and boneless500 g
  • Masa harina· white or yellow, arepa flour type360 g
  • Vegetable oil· for brushing the skillet or griddle30 ml
  • Hass avocado· ripe2 piece
  • Mayonnaise· to add creaminess to the filling60 g
  • White onion· finely chopped80 g
  • Bottled lime juice· freshly squeezed30 ml
  • Cilantro· chopped10 g
  • white cheese· crumbled or shredded120 g

Method

  1. 01

    Boil 1020 ml of water in a medium pot, add the chicken breast and 2 g of salt, lower to a gentle simmer and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until the center reaches 74°C and the meat looks white and juicy.

  2. 02

    Remove the chicken breast from the water, let it rest for 5 minutes and shred it with two forks into medium shreds.

  3. 03

    In a large bowl, mix the remaining 480 ml of warm water, at 35-40°C, with the remaining 4 g of salt; add the precooked corn flour gradually while kneading with your hand until you obtain a soft, moist dough without lumps.

  4. 04

    Let the dough rest for 5 minutes; if it cracks when pressed, moisten your hands with a few drops of water and knead again until it feels flexible.

  5. 05

    Divide the dough into 6 equal portions, form balls, and flatten them into discs of 10 to 11 cm in diameter and 1.5 cm thick, smoothing the edges so they do not open.

  6. 06

    Heat a griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat, about 190°C, brush it with vegetable oil and cook the arepas for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, until they have golden spots and a firm crust.

  7. 07

    Transfer the arepas to a tray and bake them at 180°C for 10 minutes, until they feel light and sound hollow when tapped with your fingers.

  8. 08

    Mash the avocados in a bowl, mix with the mayonnaise, white onion, lime juice, and cilantro, then fold in the shredded chicken until the filling is creamy but has texture.

  9. 09

    Open each arepa on one side without cutting it completely, fill it with the chicken and avocado mixture, add white cheese and serve immediately, piping hot.

Chef tips

  • If you don’t have white cheese, use fresh cheese or crumbled panela; look for a soft and slightly salty one.
  • Do not add the flour to the water all at once: it creates dry lumps that are hard to fix.
  • The dough should feel like soft playdough; if it's hard, add water little by little, and if it's sticky, let it rest for another 3 minutes.
  • Store unstuffed arepas in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; heat them in a skillet over medium heat for 4 minutes on each side.
  • The filling with avocado tastes best when freshly made, but you can refrigerate it well covered for up to 24 hours.

Classifications

Latinoamericanaeverydaydinnerall year

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