Zest the lemon directly into a medium bowl, then cut the lemon in half and juice it, straining out any seeds—you should have about 2-3 tablespoons of fresh juice. Add the maple syrup, milk, and a pinch of salt to the bowl with the lemon zest. Whisk everything together until the maple syrup is fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth. I like to taste it at this point and adjust the sweetness or tartness to my preference by adding a touch more maple syrup or lemon juice if needed.

Stir the chia seeds into the lemon liquid base from Step 1, making sure they're fully incorporated and there are no clumps. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally (about halfway through), so the chia seeds can absorb the liquid and create that signature pudding texture. The seeds will swell and thicken the pudding as they hydrate.

Transfer the pudding to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best flavor development. I find that the lemon flavor becomes more pronounced after a few hours of chilling, and the pudding reaches the perfect creamy consistency. Stir gently before serving, and add a splash of milk if you prefer a thinner consistency.