Overview

Arepa Reina Pepiada

Name: Arepa Reina Pepiada
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Venezuela
Ingredients: 300g (2 1/4 cups) Masarepa (pre-cooked white cornmeal); 360ml (1 1/2 cups) Water, warm; 20g (1 1/2 tbsp) Butter, salted; 5g (3/4 tsp) Fine salt; 300g (10 1/2 oz) Chicken breast, boneless; 2 medium (about 300g flesh) Hass avocado; 60g (4 tbsp) Mayonnaise, store-bought; 15ml (1 tbsp) Lime juice; 1g (1/4 tsp) Black pepper

Reina pepiada, Arepa de reina pepiada

Arepa reina pepiada is Venezuela's most famous stuffed arepa: a crisp golden corn arepa split open and filled with shredded chicken, mashed avocado and mayonnaise. This arepa reina pepiada recipe makes 4 stuffed arepas, and one serving is about 325 g. It is a named dish in its own right, not a plain or mozzarella-stuffed arepa: the filling was created in Caracas in 1955 and named for Miss World Susana Duijm, and it is the chicken-avocado-mayonnaise combination that makes it a reina pepiada.

Reina pepiada was created in Caracas in 1955, when the family behind the Arepera Los Hermanos Alvarez named a new chicken, avocado and mayonnaise filling for Susana Duijm, the Venezuelan who had just been crowned Miss World and was known as the queen (reina) with the curves (pepiada) to match. The name stuck, and the filling became the most famous arepa in Venezuela, served in areperas across the country. It is a named dish in its own right: a plain or mozzarella-stuffed arepa has no chicken at all, while a reina pepiada is defined by its shredded-chicken, avocado and mayonnaise filling.

Pairs well with: A cold papelon con limon (sugar-cane lemonade) or a light beer, with a simple tomato and onion salad.

Provenance

Venezuela

Caracas Heritage

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

25m prep • 35m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

655 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 325 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Moderate (Shaped by Hand)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Lunch, Street food, Weekend lunch, Family meal Cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home

Tags: Chicken Savory Gluten-free

A golden corn arepa stuffed with green chicken and avocado filling, with half an avocado beside it on a white plate

Caracas Heritage

Photo: Mitdralla, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Masarepa (pre-cooked white cornmeal) 300g (2 1/4 cups)

White cornmeal made for arepas, not tortilla masa. Substitute: Pre-cooked yellow cornmeal, which gives a slightly sweeter cake.

How to choose: Fine, pale flour labelled for arepas, such as PAN brand

How to prepare: Measure into a large bowl

Required
Water, warm 360ml (1 1/2 cups)

Hydrates the masarepa into a soft dough. Substitute: None.

How to choose: Clean drinking water, warmed

How to prepare: Warm to about 40°C (105°F)

Required
Butter, salted 20g (1 1/2 tbsp)

Richness in the arepa dough. Substitute: A spoonful of vegetable oil.

How to choose: Good butter

How to prepare: Melt

Required
Fine salt 5g (3/4 tsp)

3 g for the arepa dough, 2 g for the filling. Substitute: None.

How to choose: Fine table salt

How to prepare: Divide: 3 g for the dough, 2 g for the filling

Required
Chicken breast, boneless 300g (10 1/2 oz)

Poached, then shredded for the filling. Substitute: Leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken.

How to choose: Fresh, pink, firm breasts with no smell

How to prepare: Poach whole, then shred with two forks

Required
Hass avocado 2 medium (about 300g flesh)

Mashed into the filling; the green heart of the reina pepiada. Substitute: None; the avocado defines the filling.

How to choose: Ripe: yields to gentle pressure, green flesh inside

How to prepare: Halve, pit and scoop out the flesh

Required
Mayonnaise, store-bought 60g (4 tbsp)

Store-bought mayonnaise that binds the shredded chicken and mashed avocado into a creamy, scoopable filling and adds richness. Substitute: Plain Greek yoghurt for a lighter filling (less rich).

How to choose: A plain full-fat mayonnaise

How to prepare: Measure out

Required
Lime juice 15ml (1 tbsp)

Keeps the avocado green and brightens the filling. Substitute: Lemon juice.

How to choose: A heavy, juicy lime

How to prepare: Squeeze fresh

Required
Black pepper 1g (1/4 tsp)

Seasons the filling. Substitute: White pepper.

How to choose: Freshly ground if possible

How to prepare: Grind fresh

Optional

Estimated cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home (USD)

A crisp masarepa arepa split and filled generously with the creamy chicken and avocado mixture, served warm and eaten by hand.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h

Prep Stage: Chicken & Dough

25 Mins • Poaching & Mixing

Poach the chicken breasts in salted water at a bare simmer until they reach 74°C (165°F), then rest and shred them with two forks. Meanwhile mix the masarepa, 3 g of salt and the melted butter, pour in the warm water, stir and knead for 2 minutes, then rest the dough 5 minutes so the meal hydrates fully.

Maestro Tip: Shred the chicken while it is still warm; cold chicken shreds into dry strings instead of soft shreds.

1
Poach the Chicken

20 Mins Simmering water, about 90°C (195°F); chicken to 74°C (165°F)

Place the chicken breasts in a pan, cover with water, add a pinch of salt and bring to a bare simmer. Poach for 15 to 18 minutes until the thickest part reaches 74°C (165°F), then rest for 5 minutes and shred with two forks.

Keep the water at a bare simmer, never a rolling boil, so the chicken stays juicy instead of turning rubbery.

Done when: Chicken that reaches 74°C (165°F) and shreds easily into soft strands.
2
Mix and Rest the Dough

10 Mins Warm water, about 40°C (105°F)

Mix the masarepa, 3 g of salt and the melted butter in a large bowl. Pour in the warm water and stir until the meal absorbs the liquid, then knead for 2 minutes until smooth. Rest the dough for 5 minutes.

Add the water slowly: masarepa drinks it up fast, and it is easier to add more than to fix a wet dough.

Done when: A soft, smooth ball that holds its shape without sticking to your hands.
3
Shape and Griddle the Arepas

15 Mins Griddle at 190°C (375°F)

Divide the dough into 4 pieces and shape each into a disc about 12 cm wide and 1.5 cm thick. Griddle for 6 to 7 minutes per side until golden and crisp, then finish in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 5 minutes if the centres still feel doughy.

Press the edges a little thinner than the middle so the arepa cooks evenly and splits cleanly.

Done when: Crisp golden crusts that sound hollow when tapped.
4
Make the Reina Pepiada Filling

10 Mins Room temperature

Mash the avocado with the lime juice and 2 g of salt, keeping it a little chunky. Fold in the shredded chicken, the 60 g of mayonnaise and the black pepper, and mix just until combined.

The mayonnaise is the binder: it turns loose shreds of chicken and mashed avocado into a creamy filling that stays inside the arepa instead of falling out.

Done when: A creamy, pale-green filling with visible shreds of chicken.
5
Split, Stuff and Serve

5 Mins Serve warm

Split each warm arepa around the edge with a knife, open it like a pocket and fill generously with the reina pepiada mixture. Serve at once while the arepa is still crisp.

Fill the arepa just before serving so the crisp shell does not soften.

Done when: A crisp arepa generously stuffed with creamy green filling.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve each stuffed arepa warm on its own plate with lime wedges and a simple salad, and eat it by hand while the shell is still crisp.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

655

kcal / serving

Protein

31g

Complete AA

Carbs

65g

Complex

Fats

32g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 325 g)
Energy	655 kcal
Protein	31 g
Carbohydrates	65 g
Fat	32 g
Fibre	10.6 g
Sugar	1.2 g
Sodium	699 mg

Per 100g
Energy	202 kcal
Protein	9.6 g
Carbohydrates	19.9 g
Fat	9.8 g
Fibre	3.3 g
Sugar	0.4 g
Sodium	215 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Provides potassium and folate from the avocado, niacin and vitamin B6 from the chicken, and vitamin E from the avocado and mayonnaise.

Naturally Gluten-Free

Arepas are made from corn, not wheat, so the whole dish is naturally free of gluten.

High in Protein

Each stuffed arepa gives about 31 g of protein from the chicken, which makes one arepa a genuinely filling lunch.

Healthy Fats from Avocado

The avocado brings monounsaturated fats and about 10.6 g of fibre per serving, which help the meal keep you full.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Drinks

Papelón con Limón

This sweet sugar-cane lemonade with lime is the classic Venezuelan drink with arepas: its sweetness and acidity cut through the rich, creamy filling.

Light Beer

A cold, light beer refreshes the palate between bites of the rich chicken and avocado filling.

Sides

Tomato and Onion Salad

A sharp, lightly salted tomato and onion salad adds crunch and acidity that balance the creamy avocado and mayonnaise.

Full Menus

Arepera Spread

For a Venezuelan arepera-style meal, serve reina pepiada beside a plain cheese arepa and a cup of black bean soup, so everyone can compare fillings.

Complete menu

One stuffed arepa reina pepiada with a tomato and onion salad and a cold papelon con limon, followed by fresh mango.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Tortilla Masa Instead of Masarepa

Tortilla masa (maseca) is nixtamalised corn flour for tortillas and makes a gummy, wrong-textured arepa; only pre-cooked masarepa works. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Storing a Filled Arepa

A filled arepa goes soggy within an hour, so never store it stuffed; keep the arepas and the filling separate and fill just before eating. This is general food information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

General adultsOne stuffed arepa is a complete, filling lunch for most adults, with protein, fibre and healthy fats in one hand.
ChildrenChildren usually love the creamy filling; serve half an arepa for younger children and skip the black pepper.
ElderlySoft filling and a crisp but tender shell; cut the arepa in half to make it easier to hold and chew.
Pregnant womenThe chicken is fully cooked and the mayonnaise is store-bought and pasteurised, but check the mayonnaise label and ask your clinician if unsure.
Breastfeeding womenA filling, protein-rich lunch that travels well; the avocado adds healthy fats and potassium.
AthletesAbout 31 g of protein per arepa makes it a strong post-training lunch, with slow-release energy from the cornmeal.
Weight gainAn energy-dense lunch that is easy to eat: one stuffed arepa with a sweet drink adds a useful amount of calories.
Weight lossRich for one item, so half an arepa with a big tomato salad is a better portion than a whole one with a sweet drink.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

DiabetesCornmeal is starchy, so one arepa is a large portion of carbohydrate; half an arepa with salad is a better choice. Ask your clinician about portions.
High blood pressureThe arepa, butter and mayonnaise add sodium, so keep the portion modest and skip extra salt. Ask your clinician about sodium limits.
Kidney diseaseHigh in potassium from the avocado and in protein from the chicken, so it may not suit a low-potassium or low-protein diet. Ask your clinician.
GoutChicken and avocado are moderate in purines, so an occasional arepa is usually fine, but keep portions modest. Ask your clinician about your diet.
Stomach issuesThe mayonnaise and avocado are rich, so eat slowly; the plain corn arepa itself is gentle on the stomach. Ask your clinician if symptoms persist.
Cardiovascular diseaseAvocado brings healthy fats, but the mayonnaise and butter add saturated fat, so enjoy it occasionally. Ask your clinician about saturated fat.
Fatty liverEnergy-dense and rich, so a half portion with salad fits better than a whole arepa with a sweet drink. Ask your clinician about your diet.
Food allergiesContains egg (in the mayonnaise) and milk (butter); the arepa itself is gluten-free. Check the mayonnaise label and ask your clinician if you have allergies.
Special therapeutic dietsNaturally gluten-free, but not dairy-free or egg-free; a clinician or dietitian can advise on fitting it into a therapeutic diet.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

How to store: Cool completely and store the arepas and the filling in separate sealed containers; never store a filled arepa.
In the fridge: Cooked arepas keep 3 days in the fridge at 4°C (40°F) or below; the filling keeps 1 day, pressed under cling film to stop the avocado browning.
In the freezer: Unfilled cooked arepas freeze up to 2 months, separated by baking paper; the filling does not freeze well.
How to reheat: Reheat the arepa on a dry griddle or in a hot oven until hot through, to 74°C (165°F); fill only after reheating.
Freezing recommended: Yes — unfilled arepas freeze best; the filling is always made fresh.
Signs it has spoiled: Sour smell, slimy surface, mould, or brown, off-smelling avocado.

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