1. Prepare the chicken schnitzel. Chicken breasts are vaguely shaped like mittens. Butterfly the breasts by making a horizontal incision starting at the edge where the “thumb” is. Slice almost all the way through to the fl t “pinkie” side of the mitten. This long, straight side is the hinge, and when you open up the butterflie breast, it should be roughly round. Season the butterflie breasts inside and out with salt.

2. Moisten the counter by wiping it with a barely damp cloth. Pull out a 12-inch piece of plastic wrap and press it fl t onto the counter. Open a butterflie chicken breast and lay it on the plastic wrap with the outside surface on bottom. Pull out another length of plastic wrap and place it on top of the breast. Pound it gently with a meat mallet to a thickness of ¼-inch.

3. Remove the top layer of plastic wrap and, using a pastry brush, apply a thin coating of Dijon. Pour the panko onto a plate and press the Dijon-coated side of the breast into the panko. Repeat with the other breasts. You can stack them for storage as long as you separate them with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

4. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and a pat of butter. When the butter begins to foam, place one chicken schnitzel into the fat, panko side down. Let it cook until light golden brown and then transfer the skillet to the oven to finish cooking through. Since the chicken is so thin, you’ll know it’s done once the top surface isn’t pink anymore. Once cooked, flip the chicken out onto a plate, taking care not to burn yourself with hot butter and also trying not to damage the delicate breadcrumb coating. Repeat with the other schnitzels.