In a bowl, gently mix crab meat, mayonnaise, lemon zest, chives, salt and pepper. After combining, add 1/2 cup panko.
Add the remaining panko to a dish for dredging.
Form the crab mixture into 8 equal patties and dredge in panko. Do not press too hard or over panko the cakes. Place on a dish and refrigerate for about an hour.
When ready to cook, preheat oven to 450°F. Place two cast iron pans on the stove at medium-low heat to melt 3 tablespoons of butter in each pan (do not let the butter brown). Add 4 crab cakes to each pan and heat for a minute on the stove top before transferring the pans to the oven. Bake in oven and cook on each side for about 6 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve.
