You actually have several excellent kitchen staples that can replace eggs and keep your chicken meatballs from falling apart. Ground chicken is naturally lean and soft, so using the right binder will not only hold the mixture together but also ensure the meatballs stay tender and juicy.
1. Panade (soaked bread or breadcrumbs): This is the traditional chef method for making meatballs cohesive and tender without needing eggs. Tear a slice of sandwich bread into small pieces, or use about one-third of a cup of breadcrumbs, and moisten it with two to three tablespoons of milk, broth, or water until it forms a soft paste. Work this paste evenly into your ground chicken.
2. Plain yogurt, ricotta cheese, or sour cream: Dairy is fantastic with poultry. Adding two tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt, whole milk ricotta, or sour cream per pound of chicken adds moisture, fat, and protein that help bind the ground meat while preventing it from drying out.
3. Mayonnaise: If you happen to have a jar of mayonnaise in the refrigerator, use one to two tablespoons per pound of meat. Even though commercial mayonnaise is made with eggs, many home cooks have a jar on hand when they are out of fresh eggs. It creates an emulsion that holds everything intact beautifully.
4. Mashed potatoes or potato flakes: A few tablespoons of leftover mashed potatoes or instant potato flakes mixed with a splash of warm water will supply plenty of starch to bind the mixture without altering the savory flavor profile.
5. Flax egg: If you have ground flaxseed, stir one tablespoon of ground flax with three tablespoons of warm water and let it rest for five minutes until it thickens into a gel-like consistency. Mix it into the meat just as you would a beaten egg.
Tip for success: Ground chicken develops natural binding proteins (myosin) when worked with salt. Mix your seasonings into the meat and knead it gently until it turns slightly tacky. Then, shape your meatballs and let them chill in the refrigerator for twenty to thirty minutes before cooking so they firm up and hold their shape in the pan or oven.
