Arepa con Chicharrón combines two of Venezuela's greatest pleasures: the golden corn masa of an arepa and the irresistible crunch of chicharrón (fried pork skin/cracklings). Add sliced avocado for creamy contrast, and you have a breakfast that satisfies every craving simultaneously. This arepa is a fixture at Venezuelan breakfast spots and home kitchens throughout California's Venezuelan community.
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⏱ COOK DETAILS
🕐 Prep: 10 min
🍳 Cook: 10 min
🍽 Yield: 4 arepas
🌶 Cuisine: Venezuelan
🔥 Calories: ~490
⭐ COMMUNITY RATING
4.8/5
Based on 71 reviews
📋 Ingredients
- 2 cups Harina PAN
- 2½ cups warm water
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 oz chicharrón (pork cracklings — buy ready-made at Latin markets)
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Hot sauce to taste
- Salt to taste
👨🍳 Instructions
- Make the dough: Mix Harina PAN, warm water, and salt. Knead 2 minutes.
- Shape 4 arepas and cook in preheated arepa maker 9–10 minutes until golden and firm.
- If using whole chicharrón pieces: roughly break them into smaller chunks. If using bagged chicharrón, it's ready to use.
- Open each hot arepa. Layer sliced avocado inside first.
- Add a generous portion of chicharrón on top of the avocado. The contrast of creamy avocado and crunchy pork is the magic.
- Squeeze lime juice over everything, add hot sauce if desired, and serve immediately before the chicharrón loses its crunch.
💡 Pro tip: Buy fresh chicharrón from a Latin butcher (carnícero) rather than bagged store varieties — the texture and flavor are dramatically better. Fresh chicharrón loses its crunch within an hour, so assemble and eat immediately.
🍳 Make This Recipe With the Right Tool
Ready to make this recipe? An electric arepa maker is the fastest, most consistent way to cook authentic arepas at home. Millions of Venezuelan and Colombian families in California swear by the Holstein and IMUSA models.
🛒 Shop Holstein Arepa Maker on Amazon
Compare all 2026 models →
🔗 More recipes: Browse all 40+ arepa recipes →