With a sharp knife, cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create two thinner pieces of chicken, season both sides with salt and black pepper and set aside.
3 boneless skinless chicken breast
In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, water and mustard until combined. In another bowl, mix panko, salt and paprika.
¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoon water, 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Now, dip each slice of chicken in the mayonnaise mixture (make sure it is evenly coated with the mixture), then into the panko mixture (press lightly on each slice).
Place the breaded chicken slices onto a baking sheet. Spray with the cooking spray and bake for 20 - 22 minutes, or until you enter a meat thermometer in the center of a chicken slice and reach 165 degrees F.
cooking spray
Notes
Cut the chicken breasts into uniformly thin pieces to reduce cooking time and ensure that the chicken cooks at the same rate throughout. Thick and large chicken pieces release a lot of moisture and cause the panko breadcrumbs to be soggy.
Use moderately high heat to ensure that the chicken breasts cook well on the inside and also get a crisp texture.
Allow the excess coating mixture on the chicken to drain before placing it on the baking tray to ensure that the coating is not too thick to not cook properly.
Ensure that the panko crumbs are adequately seasoned to enable you to achieve a flavorful crust. The choice of seasoning depends on the taste you want to achieve.
Ensure that you use a large oven tray to allow space between the chicken pieces as they bake and prevent them from getting soggy. A large tray gives the moisture from the chicken space to cook off, and it does not, therefore, create a soggy mess.
Check the time and temperatures that you use to cook the chicken. Cooking for a long duration makes the chicken dry, while high temperatures could prevent the chicken from cooking properly and evenly. The right cooking time and temperature make the chicken perfectly tender and delicious.
You can use a metal oven-safe wire rack above the baking sheet to bake the chicken so that moisture drips from it and a crispy texture is achieved. It prevents the chicken from sitting in the sogginess of the moisture it releases. A cooling rack is also helpful when you need to coat the underside of your chicken without having to flip it.
To Store: Leave the chicken to cool off completely and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. The chicken can be served cold straight from the fridge, but you could also reheat it before serving.To Freeze: Panko chicken can also be frozen for up to 3 months.