Palta Reina is an institution in Chile. Palta Reina, which translates to “Queen’s Avocado” in Spanish, is a traditional Chilean dish with avocados as the main ingredient. It is a popular appetizer or starter. The dish typically consists of halved avocados filled with various ingredients, creating a flavorful and visually appealing presentation.
They are different names for different fillings, but they are mostly forgotten, and in everyday life, we say Palta Reina with chicken, ham, tuna, ground beef, etc.
For example, Palta Emperatriz is the one stuffed with shrimp. But everyone feels free to play around with the fillings. The most classic is still fish: mackerel and tuna.
Palta Reina is a first-course meal or a main dish in Chile, depending on how elaborate the meal is.
You can use any variety of avocados. The most available in the USA are Hass avocados. I buy them greenish, hard, and firm. I leave them on the counter until they turn black and soften, and I put them in the refrigerator. This way, they last several days, almost a week, without turning black inside. Also, it is easier to get them home without bruising them.
Another traditional Chilean salad with avocado is the Apio Palta (Celery Avocado Salad).
Palta Reina is commonly served on a bed of lettuce, but I like it with rice as the main dish.
For other stuffing options, try:
- Chilean Chicken Salad
- Mackerel Spread (Pasta de Jurel)
- Chilean Tuna Salad
- Heart of Palm Eggs Spread (Pasta de palmitos y huevos duros)
Palta Reina Stuffed Avocado
A delicious and traditional Chilean dish.
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
- 2 large ripe avocados
- 115 grams of chopped smoked salmon, canned tuna, or chopped cooked chicken
- 3 tablespoons Philadelphia cheese (at room temperature) or mayonnaise
- 4 green onions washed and finely chopped (green and white part)
- juice of half a lemon
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Mix the Philadelphia cheese or mayonnaise, green onions, lemon juice, salt, and pepper with a fork. Add the protein you want to use (chicken, tuna, salmon) and mix very well. Taste and correct the seasoning.
- Cut the avocados, and discard the pit. With a spoon, remove the avocado from the peel.
- Put the salmon, chicken, or tuna pasta on the avocados,
- Serve on a bed of dressed lettuce.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Chilean
Thank you for the recipe! I always wanted to try making this. It was very simple and straightforward, and I really liked the result.
I also added a bit of soy sauce as my personal preference. It tastes good with or without the soy sauce.
Excellent, thanks for coming back and leaving a review.
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