These chicken and avocado-stuffed arepas, which are known as reina pepiada (or curvy queen), were created in honor of Susana Dujim, a Venezuelan beauty queen who was crowned Miss World in 1955. The 1950s also marked the invention of precooked corn flour, now known as masarepa, by a Venezuelan engineer. But arepas were around for hundreds of years throughout Latin America before that, the corn patties sometimes served whole or split, then filled with countless combinations. Preparing them used to be labor-intensive, but masarepa gives arepas a light and creamy texture without a lot of effort. Unlike cornmeal used for cornbread or muffins, which is ground dried uncooked corn, masarepa is ground from cooked corn and conveniently sold as dried corn flour. Masa harina is ground uncooked corn treated with other ingredients and is used to make tortillas and other dishes. Neither cornmeal nor masa harina can be substituted for masarepa, which is available online and in many supermarkets.
Yield: 8 arepas
2 cups/300 grams masarepa (such as P.A.N.)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for cooking arepas, if needed
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and quartered
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ medium white onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
2 medium chicken breasts from a rotisserie or roast chicken, shredded, skin and bones removed (about 2 cups)
½ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
Stir together cornmeal, 2½ cups water, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until completely combined and no clumps of dry cornmeal remain. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. (Cornmeal will hydrate, making the dough thicker and slightly less sticky.) Cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
Divide dough into 8 portions, then roll into balls and place on a sheet pan. Sprinkle a few drops of water on your hands to prevent the dough from sticking; pat and flatten each ball into a disk that is ½-inch thick and 4 to 4½ inches in diameter.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large (12-inch) skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium heat and cook 3 or 4 of the arepas until they are lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining arepas, adding more oil if necessary. (See Tip.)
Insert a paring knife into the edge of the warm arepa and hollow out a pocket, slicing about halfway down and leaving the bottom edge intact similar to a pita. (The inside will be slightly gummy, not gooey, but will firm up as it cools.) Repeat with the remaining arepas.
Place three-quarters of the avocado into a large bowl and smash with the tines of a fork until it is spreadable yet chunky. Add mayonnaise, onion, garlic, lime juice and 1 teaspoon salt, vigorously stirring until completely combined. Stir in chicken and cilantro until combined, adding more lime juice and salt, if desired. Thinly slice remaining avocado.
Stuff the arepas with a heaping ⅓ cup of the filling and a few slices of avocado and serve.
If you'd like, you can transfer the arepas to bake in a 400-degree oven for 10 to 20 minutes. This will make the centers firmer.