Yes. I'm a chia seed lover, and add them to many, many foods. That said, I've never thought of subbing them for tapioca or rice in a pudding, and the idea is fascinating. They won't have the same mouthfeel as either tapioca or rice, and even when hydrated in the pudding, they'll retain some of their intrinsic crunchiness. I have a hunch that chia seeds consume equal amounts of water compared to tapioca or rice, so a 1 to 1 substitution is likely fine. Know, however, that they do not require cooking at all. So combine the other ingredients of your pudding, cook it as you would, then stir in the chia seeds at the end before you refrigerate the pudding. And PLEASE let us know how this turns out. You'll have significantly boosted the protein and fiber content of your pudding. I think you may really be on to something here. I think that https://twitter.com/TheChiaCompany and https://twitter.com/chiaseedsite and https://twitter.com/USChiaSeeds would love to link to your recipe.
As long as your flavoring a taste good the pudding should be good. The advantage of chia in these hot days is that you don't have to cook it, just stir it occasionally. My sister mixes chia seed, shredded coconut and toasted almonds with fruit and almond milk for breakfast. When she makes pudding she leaves out the fruit and adds vanilla and sweetener.
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