These chia oats are a staple in our house. I whip up a big batch in the beginning of the week and enjoy it for breakfasts or snacks all week long (I also like to add a scoop to smoothies to thicken them up!). One serving packs in a whopping 10g fiber and 12g protein, which you can easily increase by topping with or adding more Greek yogurt and some nuts.
This recipe is very customizable – if you like things more oat-y, use less chia and more oats. If you like it more yogurt-forward, add extra yogurt. Then just add more water to get the consistency you like. The chia oats are a base that you can sweeten and doctor up to your liking, so get creative!
Ingredient highlight
Chia seeds! These small but mighty seeds pack in the omega-3 fats, fiber, calcium, and zinc. They are also a complete protein, containing all of our essential amino acids. They’re great for hydration because they absorb a lot of water, which helps regulate body fluids and retain electrolytes.
Servings 6 , makes about 6 cups
Prep Time 10 minutes Ingredients
Base:
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ½-¾ cup chia seeds*
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4-5 cups water**
Mix-ins:
- ½-1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup nut butter
- 1-2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
Sweeten if up (optional, pick one):
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup mashed ripe banana
- 1 cup chopped dates
- 2 cups grated apple or pear (love this in cold months with cinnamon and walnuts)
Topping ideas:
- Raspberries, blueberries, seasonal fruit, granola, nuts, Greek yogurt, etc…
- *This will give you a more chia-forward result. Reduce to 1/2 or 1/4 if you want it less chia seed-y and replace with the same amount of oats.
- **Start with four cups, then once it’s sat overnight, add more water as needed to mix in your mix-ins.
- Make it warm! ~ I prefer to eat these oats warm. I add them to a small pot with some extra water and warm it over low heat with some frozen berries mixed in. You can also just microwave it. Then I like to serve it with a splash of cold milk for contrast and any other toppings.
Instructions
- Add oats, chia seeds, salt, and 3 cups water to a medium bowl or container with a lid (whatever you want to store it in!). Mix until combined and let sit in the fridge overnight.
- The next morning, the oats and chia should have soaked up most of that water with some water still remaining. If it’s too dry, just add more water. Stir in the yogurt, nut butter, and cinnamon (if using) until combined. If too thick or not mixing easily, add more water and mix again (or see below).
- To get it ultra-creamy, you can add a few scoops of the chia/oats to a blender with the yogurt and nut butter (and some water if needed), blend until smooth, and stir it back into the oats.
- Your chia oat base is complete! Stir in any sweetener, if you’d like. Thin it out with more water if it’s too thick for your liking. Serve cold or gently warm it up on the stove or in the microwave (if warming up, you may need to add some extra water). Top with your favorite toppings.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Soak the oats and chia seeds overnight
- Stir or blend in the yogurt and nut butter
Substitutions:
- To make vegan, skip the yogurt and add an extra 2 tablespoons of nut butter (you’ll likely want to add extra water when you stir in the nut butter since it is much thicker than yogurt). Or sub with a vegan yogurt.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- You can make your chia oat bowls different each time with mix-ins and toppings.
- Sweeten it up with extra maple syrup for dessert paired with fresh fruit and granola.
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