Grilled Adobo Chicken & Sweet Potato Bowls with Jicama Guacamole

I have a bone to pick with boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

I mean, there aren't any actual bones in there to pick, but I'm trying to say I have a problem with them. Ninety percent of the time I eat boneless, skinless chicken breasts, they're no good! Dry, flavorless, and boring. One hundred percent of the time, I would much prefer chicken thighs.  

(Side note: Back when I was a kid and McDonald's still used dark meat in some of their chicken nuggets, I would refuse to eat the white meat ones. I would actually take a bite out of each nugget to check and only eat the ones that passed muster, which was usually 2-3 per order. I was a super fun kid. Thanks, Mom, for putting up with me!)

Anyway, chicken thighs are one of my go-tos (and luckily, McDonald's chicken nuggets no longer are). I love bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for pan-searing and roasting or braising. I am even willing to go to the trouble of deboning thighs myself to make Nom Nom Paleo's amazing cracklin' chicken. And I love boneless, skinless chicken thighs for grilling and making curries. They're moister and more flavorful than breasts, and won't dry out even if you overcook them slightly. I'm super paranoid about making sure my poultry is fully cooked, so I like that extra flexibility.

Cheese-Bellied Arepas with Guacamole

This is it!  My favorite arepas recipe so far : ).  When Ben and I went to Orinoco for his birthday, we ordered an arepa stuffed with queso de mano.  I realized two things: first, Orinoco makes their arepas with white cornmeal, which makes them look really elegant, and second, the CHEESE is the most amazing part.  They serve the arepas hot with a big slice of fresh cheese, still cool in the middle.  Amazing!

The arepa we had at Orinoco featured homemade Venezuelan cheese, which I couldn't find.  But, I thought fresh mozzarella would be the closest thing.  And at the store, I saw burrata, which I'd never tried before.  I got it and it was delicious!  It's basically fresh mozzarella with creamy curds in the middle.  I tried a piece plain and had to exercise resistance in order to save the rest for the arepas.

See all that cheese?  How can anyone resist?  With a little guacamole on the side (or stuffed inside), these arepas make a great dinner.

Ingredients (makes 6 arepas; serves 2 for dinner or 6 as an appetizer):

1 cup white corn masarepa

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 cups warm water

Butter for cooking

8 ounces burrata or fresh mozzarella

For the guacamole:

1 ripe avocado, peeled and cubed

Juice of half a lemon, or to taste

1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

2 scallions, sliced

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

To make the guacamole, combine all the ingredients and mash with a fork.  Add more lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

To make the arepas, mix the masarepa, salt, and water in a bowl and let it sit for five minutes.  Heat the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.

Form the dough into patties about four inches across and half an inch thick.  When the skillet is very hot, add the arepas and cook until golden brown and blistered on both sides, about 8 minutes per side.

Let the arepas cool for a minute, then slice in half with a sharp knife.  Put a thick slice of burrata in between the two halves, and serve hot with guacamole.

Breakfast Arepas with Guacamole

Here's the perfect Cinco de Mayo breakfast!  Arepas (my favorite thing ever since I made these), eggs, and guacamole.  These are pretty quick to throw together, and very filling and satisfying.  Plus, who doesn't love a chance to make guacamole first thing in the morning?  I know I do!

I was excited to try arepas with some shredded cheese mixed into the batter, but once they were cooked I didn't really notice the cheese.  Oh well.  Next up in my all-arepas-all-the-time series, I'll be trying arepas with a big chunk of cheese stuffed in the middle.  Cheese-bellied arepas, if you will.  Stay tuned!  I won't make you wait long, I promise.

Ingredients (serves four):

For the arepas:
1 cup masarepa (precooked fine yellow or white cornmeal)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup shredded cheese (optional)
Butter for cooking

For the guacamole:
1 ripe avocado
1 clove garlic, minced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of one lime
Salt and pepper to taste

4 eggs, poached or fried
Salt and pepper

To make the guacamole, place all ingredients in a bowl and mash with a fork until combined but still chunky.

For the arepas, mix the masarepa, salt, and water and let sit for 5 minutes.  Heat some butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Mix the cheese into the batter, then form patties about four inches across and half an inch thick.  Fry until golden and crisped on both sides, about 10 minutes.

Spoon a generous layer of guacamole on top of a hot arepa, then top with an egg.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve hot.