oats chilla

Oats Chilla Recipe

By Swasthi on September 1, 2023, Comments, Jump to Recipe

Oats Chilla are quick savory pancakes made with oats, gram flour, spices, vegetables and herbs. Chilla works as a nutritious and delicious savoury breakfast much like dosa or omelet. If Americans have their blueberry and banana pancakes, Indians have their savory chilla/cheela. Equal parts fluffy and crispy, the Indian version of pancakes is relished by kids and adults alike.

oats chilla

But eating the same old plain or besan chilla (or with filling) can get boring after a while. If you’re looking for a variation that is equally healthy and tasty, bookmark this recipe. Oat flour provides the earthy tang to the base batter and grated vegetables add some nutrition.

Quick and easy to make as there is no waiting time involved in the preparation of batter. No fermenting or deepening of flavors required. With fiber, protein and other nutrients, your oats chilla serves as a delightful breakfast or evening snack. Turn it into a light dinner option by adding a side.

About Oats Chilla

A basic chilla is a savory pancake made with lentil and cereal flours. Crispy and fluffy oats chilla has grated or chopped vegetables covered with an oat flour and besan batter and infused with herbs and spices.

Chilla is a popular breakfast food made in many parts of India. The traditional chilla has fewer ingredients – besan (gram flour), onions and spices.

Grated vegetables are often added to enhance the flavor, nutrition and for a satiating snack meal. While most chilla variations are savory in nature, you’ll find the odd, sweet version enhanced with jaggery or date paste.

My Recipe

My recipe will help you make oats chilla under 20-25 minutes from the time you make the batter to cooking the pancake on the stovetop. This oats chilla is both vegan and gluten free.

These Indian pancakes are a great and effortless way to sneak in some greens like dill or spinach as well. You can also amp up the nutrient and protein quotient by adding grated paneer or tofu as a filling.

I love adding veggies to my chilla. Tomatoes provide that tangy element to complement the nutty taste of oats, while onions provide a nice crunch. Vegetable fillings make this hearty, delicious and healthy for kids.

Oats Chilla is also a terrific solid food for a toddler who has turned one or older. You can add finely chopped greens like sautéed spinach and your kid won’t even notice the taste.

When it comes to spices skip the green chili if you’re making this for small kids. Use other spices in the recipe according to your flavor preference and tolerance for heat.

Oats Chilla tastes best when you serve them straight from the frying pan. Warm ones taste good as well. To serve it later in the day, store them in a roti box or insulated box. This keeps them moist and warm.

But I can’t say the same thing about refrigerated chilla. They lose crispness and turn dense and chewy. Make smaller batches of chilla for immediate consumption. Better still, store the batter in the fridge and use as needed.

You may also like these recipes,
Oat egg omelette
Oats dosa
Oatmeal pancakes
Oat idli
Oats upma

How to Make Oats Chilla (Stepwise pics)

Preparation

1. Add 1 cup of oats to a grinder jar.

rolled oat in jar to powder

2. Grind to a slightly coarse powder. If the flour is too coarse the oats chilla can break.

powdered oatmeal

3. Add it to a mixing bowl along with

  • ¼ cup besan
  • ½ to ¾ cumin seeds (jeera) or carom seeds (ajwain)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric. You can skip turmeric, I used it for the color.
addition of besan cumin to make chilla recipe

4. Add

  • ½ cup grated carrots (optional)
  • 2 to 3 tbsps fine chopped onions (optional)
  • 1 to 2 green chilies fine chopped
  • ½ teaspoon ginger (grated, optional)
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves finely chopped

If you chop the onions too big they won’t cook well.

addition of carrots onions to make chilla recipe

5. Pour 1 cup water.

addition of 1 cup water to make chilla

6. Mix to make a batter adding water as needed. I added another ¼ cup this may depend on the kind of oatmeal used. If using rolled oats, you will need about 1 ¼ cup water. The batter should be of spreading consistency similar to that of dosa batter. Adjust salt as needed.

making batter

Make Oats Chilla

7. Heat your pan well. When it is hot enough, drizzle few drops of oil and smear with a tissue or cloth. If using a non-stick pan you don’t need to grease it.

greased pan to make cheela

8. Regulate the heat to medium flame. Mix the batter well. Pour 1 ladle full of batter. It will be about ¼ cup.

pouring batter

9. Spread it with a light hand. Do not spread it too much. If the batter is too thick, you won’t be able to spread it as it will stick to the ladle as you spread. In this case add little more water. If the batter is too runny, the oats chilla will be too soft and limpy. In this case you may need to add a tbsp of besan.

spreading batter

10. Add half to 1 teaspoon oil or ghee around the edges. Cook until the base is firm and set well. Flip it.

oil to make cheela recipe

11. Cook on the other side as well, pressing down gently with a spatula.

cooking on both sides

12. Cook well on both the sides. To make it lightly crisp, cook on a medium heat for few minutes. Repeat making the rest. With this batter you will be able to make 6 chilla. Stir the batter well before making the next oats chilla. If required sprinkle little water. You may need 1 to 2 tbsp more water as the batter thickens upon resting.

making crispy cheela on tawa

Serve oats chilla hot or warm. We love these with coconut chutney or onion chutney.

oats chilla

Pro Tips

The key to the perfect chilla is not spread the batter too thin on the griddle or frying pan. Also use homemade oats flour. Grind regular or rolled oats to a coarse fine (not too fine) powder and toast the chilla in ghee instead of oil. Kids love the aroma and taste of ghee.

A note about rolled oats flour here. You’ll need extra water (¼ cup) to make the batter.

You can sub besan (gram flour) in the recipe with semolina for extra crunch. Swap cumin seeds (jeera) with carom seeds (ajwain) when you make chilla for kids or elderly people in the family. Ajwain acts as a digestive aid.

Want your chilla to be as fluffy as a pancake or omelet?

The trick is in the leavening. Add ¼ teaspoon of baking powder or ⅛ teaspoon of baking soda to the batter.

Time to make some nutritious and tasty oats chilla!

For more quick ideas using oats, you can check this collection of 30 oats recipes.

Related Recipes

Recipe Card

oats chilla

Oats Chilla Recipe

These 20 mins super quick savory oatmeal pancakes are a great gluten-free and vegan breakfast option.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Servings6
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • 1 cup oats (rolled or instant)
  • ¼ cup besan (gram flour) (substitute with semolina)
  • water (2 tbsps more or adjust as needed)
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera or carom seeds / ajwain)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
  • teaspoon turmeric (optional)
  • ½ cup carrot (grated, more if needed)
  • 2 tablespoons onion (fine chopped, optional)
  • 1 to 2 green chilies chopped
  • ½ teaspoon ginger (grated, optional)
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves chopped
  • 1 tablespoon oil or ghee (adjust to taste)


Instructions

Preparation

  • Add oats to a grinder jar and made a slightly coarse powder. If the powder is too coarse the chillas may break.
  • To a mixing bowl, transfer the ground oats, gram flour, salt, turmeric, green chilies, cumin, ginger, carrot, onions & coriander leaves.
  • Pour 1 cup water and mix to a lump free batter. Pour another ¼ cup water and mix to make a thick batter. It must be of pourable and spreading consistency.

How to Make Oats Chilla

  • Heat a pan on a medium heat. If using a cast iron pan, Once the pan is hot enough drizzle few drops of oil and spread with a tissue or cloth. Let it heat up well.
  • When the pan is hot enough, stir the batter well and pour ¼ cup of batter in the center of the pan.
  • Spread it gently to a slightly thin pancake of about 6 inches. Drizzle half tsp to tbsp oil or ghee around the edges.
  • Let it cook on a medium heat until the base is set and cooked well.
  • Turn it to the other side and cook pressing down with the spatula. You will see brown to golden spots when the oats chilla is cooked.
  • If you prefer crisp chilla, cook them on a low heat for a minute or 2. Remove to serving plate.
  • To make the next chilla, stir the batter well and make sure the pan is hot enough but not very hot. Also the batter thickens as it rests, you can splash 1 to 2 tbsps of water if required as you make them.
  • Serve oats chilla warm or hot with chutney.


Notes

  • You can also use half cup oats and half cup besan. But adjust the amount of water. It takes about 1 cup for me. 
  • I personally love adding a small amount of tomatoes in this oats chilla. However I have not used in the pictures. You may add about 2 to 3 tbps of fine chopped, firm, deseeded tomatoes.

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Oats Chilla Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 107 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Sodium 241mg10%
Potassium 190mg5%
Carbohydrates 15g5%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 3859IU77%
Vitamin C 7mg8%
Calcium 25mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

Oats Chilla Recipe first published in June 2016. Updated and republished in August 2021.

Oats Chilla Recipe

About Swasthi

I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

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Comments

Recipe Rating




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5 stars
Love this recipe. It turns out so good and my husband who is fussy with oats also loved it. Healthy and delicious too

5 stars
Your blog is my go-to for almost all Indian recipes. Can you pls tell me the brand of pan you have used here?

5 stars
Tried this recipe with semolina and omitted chilli and salt for a toddler. Turned out great!

5 stars
Your blog is my absolute favorite. My husband does not like oats but eats these oats chilla without any problem. Thank you for the recipes.

5 stars
I have made these oats chilla a lot of times and once took them to work. My friends loved them. IMO besan works the better than semolina. Can I refrigerate these and for how long?

Brilliant. Carom seed with oats and besan! Looks like the mix is a good one!

5 stars
very interesting recipe.

5 stars
Thanks for the recipe. I made these and they tasted wonderful.

5 stars
I always loved chilla but this healthy version tasted same like besan chilla. Thanks for sharing the recipe!!!

4 stars
Additional comment- I did try substituting the besan with suji today, as had run out of besanbut wd not recommend..it turned out stodgy and squidgy, as besan has a flavour of its own and also crisps up the cheela..thanks.

5 stars
Really nice and easy to put together for a novice. Turns out delicious too. The main prep is powdering the oats but that takes a few seconds. Have made it twice – once using jeera and once, ajwain. Recommend the ajwain. Daringly, I added a few chopped methi and palak leaves too :). And the mix makes exactly six. Now on our regular breakfast menu. Thank you!

4 stars
Very nice

5 stars
Thank you

Thnku soo much…n for weight loss can b take oats chilla in mor n at ngt.. ??

Hiii…alll ur recipies are ausam n mouth watering…. just guide m tht can I use Quicker oats for chilla …regards

5 stars
Thank you for the amazing and healthy recipe. Much needed during these times

Hello,

I’m going to I try this tomorrow. Can’t wait! Can these be made ahead and frozen for toddlers? Thanks so much 🙂

Hi.. I tried it out today.. 2to 3 were spoiled.. They take a long time to cook like rava dosa.. And break easily.. Will rice flour make it less sticky?

No they dont break if u let them cook long enough..also your batter maybe too thick

Hi Swathi
I tried this oats chilla with yours spinach chutney recipe…it was super yummy….thanks for delicious recipes…

Hi swasthi
I tried out yr recipe oats chilla with some sesame seeds put first on tawa.
It turned out perfect and has a buttery flavour to it..
My family loved them..

Been following yr recipes since 2015..

Thanks for all the wonderful recipes you share. I tried your dry fruits ladoo and it turned out to be awesome. Just a small question regarding this recipe. What brand of pan is this? I have a le creseut cast iron skillet and wondering if I can make it in that. Thanks for letting me know .