Oven-Fried Panko Chicken

2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
Salt and pepper
1 chicken (about 3 1/2pounds), rinsed, patted dry, and cut into
10 serving pieces (breasts cut crosswise in half)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees with rack in the middle.

Stir together panko, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon
pepper in a pie plate.

Stir together butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a
small bowl, then brush all over chicken. Add chicken, 2 pieces at a
time, to crumb mixture and coat evenly on both sides, pressing
chicken into crumbs to help them adhere, then transfer, skin side up,
to a shallow baking pan.

Bake chicken until well browned and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes.
Let stand, uncovered, 5 to 10 minutes to crisp.