Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Use your hands to ensure they are coated evenly.

Set up your 'crumbing station': spread the flour out on a large piece of baking paper, spread the panko breadcrumbs out on a separate large piece of baking paper and have the whisked egg ready in a large shallow bowl.

Coat the chicken, piece by piece, in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in the egg mixture, then press into the breadcrumbs, ensuring all sides are evenly coated. Repeat with remaining chicken, flour, egg mixture and breadcrumb mixture. Transfer the crumbed chicken to a plate.

Choose your cooking method: deep-fry, shallow-fry, oven-bake, or air fry.

For deep-frying: Heat approximately 600 ml of a high smoke-point oil over medium–high heat in a large, heavy-based, deep frying pan. Cook the chicken in batches for 8–12 minutes or until golden brown, turning regularly. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain excess oil.

For shallow-frying: Heat ¼ cup of olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat. Cook the chicken in batches for 4–5 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain excess oil.

For oven-baking: Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Place the schnitzels on a wire rack set over a baking tray. Spray with olive oil and cook for 12–15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

For air frying: Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F). Lightly spray both sides of the schnitzels with olive oil. Arrange the schnitzels in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through.

Season with additional salt, if desired, then serve.