Peel the papaya, cut it in half, scoop out and discard the seeds, then chop the flesh into roughly 1-inch pieces until you have about 2 cups packed. Peel and break the banana into chunks.

Combine ingredients

Add the chopped papaya, banana chunks, Greek yogurt, and cold milk to the pitcher of a blender.

Sweeten and brighten

Add the honey (or maple syrup) and the lime juice. If using grated ginger, add it now.

Blend

Secure the blender lid and blend on medium-high until smooth and fully combined, about 30–60 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides with a spatula if needed, then blend again until silky.

Adjust consistency & taste

If the smoothie is too thick, add up to 1/2 cup additional milk and blend again until desired consistency is reached. Taste and add more sweetener or lime juice if necessary.

Finish & Serve

If using chia seeds, stir them into the finished smoothie and let sit 2–3 minutes to hydrate (or blend briefly if you prefer them fully incorporated).

If you want a chilled, slushy texture, add the ice cubes to the blender and pulse 3–6 times until crushed and incorporated.

Pour the smoothie into two glasses. Garnish each with two mint leaves if desired and serve immediately.