All the flavors and textures you love from a refreshing cup of Che Thai, but with more fiber and a little protein! This tropical fruit cocktail chia pudding aka Che Thai chia pudding is my new go-to breakfast treat and it's perfect for someone (like myself) who loves something sweet for breakfast but needs to get a little more fiber in!
This was inspired by my classic Che Thai recipe! I love meal prepping this for breakfast and following it with my easy air fryer lemongrass chicken that I also meal prep at the beginning of the week.
What is Che Thai Chia Pudding?
Che Thai is a refreshing Vietnamese tropical fruit cocktail! In Vietnamese, 'che' refers to any sweet treat that comes in liquid form, like puddings, sweet dessert soups, or edible drinks. Meanwhile, the 'Thai' in the name Che Thai comes from its adaptation of tub tim krob, a Thai dessert featuring red water chestnuts in coconut milk. Vietnam adapted the dessert and added jellies and fruits to be what we know today as Che Thai!
I've adapted the Vietnamese adaptation and given it a western take, turning one of my favorite Vietnamese desserts into one of my favorite morning breakfasts (chia seed pudding)! This Che Thai chia pudding is basically Che Thai with more fiber and a little protein!
Why you'll love this Che Thai Chia Pudding
- Classic Vietnamese flavors with more nutrition - All the flavors of Che Thai but with more fiber and protein!
- Great meal prep - Make a batch at the beginning of the week and enjoy it every morning for breakfast.
- Comes together quickly - Using canned fruit speeds up the process! No peeling or deseeding required.
- No cooking required - Cut up some fruit and mix all the ingredients in one bowl!
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Canned Lychee: Longan, which I did not include in this recipe, is also commonly used, so if you're having trouble finding canned lychee, longan can be used as a substitute!
- Canned Green Aiyu Jelly: Also called suong sam or xuong sam. Pandan jelly can also be used.
- Canned Toddy Palm Seeds: Avoid the toddy palm seeds in heavy syrup since these aren't as easy to drain. I buy the whole ones so I can slice it to my desired thickness.
- Canned Jackfruit: This is not the same as young green jackfruit. Young green jackfruit texture is completely different. Look for the bright, whole, yellow jackfruit.
- Coconut milk: Use canned coconut milk as opposed to the ones in cartons you'd use for your latte. Give it a good shake before opening to avoid any separation.
- Condensed milk: Adds sweetness to the chia pudding.
- Fat free milk: I like using Fairlife lactose free milk to add a little protein for less calories than regular milk.
- Nata de coco: Coconut jelly that usually comes in a glass jar.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Che Thai Chia Pudding
- Step 1: Drain all the canned fruits and jellies.
- Step 2: Cut the jackfruit into thin strips and then into small cubes.
- Step 3: Cut the aiyu jelly into small cubes.
- Step 4: Cut the toddy palm seeds into thin strips and then into small cubes.
- Step 5: Quarter the lychee.
- Step 6: Give the coconut milk a good shake before opening. In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, fat free milk, and condensed milk until combined. Taste and adjust sweetness as desired.
Step 7: Add in the chia seeds and give it a stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes for the seeds to absorb the milk and give it another whisk to break up any clumps. Add in all the fruit and jellies and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until chia seeds have absorbed the milk completely, before enjoying. Add more milk as needed for a thinner consistency.
Top tip
Be sure to give the chia seeds a good whisk when you first add it into the milk, otherwise it will clump up. Give it another good whisk after 5 minutes to break up any clumps!
Substitutions and Variations
- Make it vegan - Substitute the fat free milk and coconut milk for light coconut milk or a neutral plant-based milk and substitute the sweetened condensed milk with sugar or sweetened condensed coconut milk. Note that there will be less protein. Soy milk can be used in place of fat free milk but the taste will vary.
- Switch up the fruit - Add or swap in longan, rambutan, or mango for some variety!
- Add different toppings - Pandan jelly or herbal grass jelly can also be added for a slightly different flavor. This is not traditional, but tapioca pearls can be added for a chewy boba component.
How to store your Che Thai Chia Pudding
Store Che Thai chia pudding in an air tight container for up to 5 days. I like to pre-portion these out into small jars for an easy grab and go breakfast that's meal preppable!
FAQ
Although it will be a little more time consuming to peel and deseed fresh fruit, fresh fruit works great too!
Clumps occur when chia seeds aren't stirred well enough in the first few minutes. Give it a good whisk when first adding it to the milk and then again after letting it sit for 5 minutes.
It is common for canned coconut milk to separate if there are no preservatives, starches or gums to keep it from separating. To avoid this, I always give canned coconut milk a good shake before opening. If it's still grainy, you can blend it until it's smooth before adding it to your Che Thai chia pudding.
Let the chia seeds soak for at least 2 hours in order to absorb all the milk and reach a thick, pudding like consistency.
These tropical canned fruits can be found at Asian grocery stores in the canned fruit aisle. Stores like HMart, 99 Ranch, or your local Chinese or Vietnamese supermarket are the best places to look but they can also be found on Amazon!
Other chia puddings to try:
Che Thai Chia Pudding
Equipment
- Can opener
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 can lychee
- 1 can aiyu jelly
- 1 can toddy palm
- 1 can jackfruit
- 1 jar coco de nato
- 1 13.5 oz can coconut milk
- 2 cups fat free milk plus more as needed
- 8 tablespoon chia seeds
- 4 tablespoon condensed milk
Instructions
- Drain all the canned fruits and jellies.
- Cut the jackfruit into thin strips and then into small cubes.
- Cut the aiyu jelly into small cubes.
- Cut the toddy palm seeds into thin strips and then into small cubes.
- Quarter the lychee.
- Give the coconut milk a good shake before opening. In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, fat free milk, and condensed milk until combined. Taste and adjust sweetness as desired.
- Add in the chia seeds and give it a stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes for the seeds to absorb the milk and give it another whisk to break up any clumps. Add in all the fruit and jellies and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until chia seeds have absorbed the milk completely, before enjoying. Add more milk as needed for a thinner consistency.
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