The secret to fast and tasty chicken stir-fries is to cut the meat into small, bite-size pieces of uniform size. This allows the chicken to cook evenly and quickly in hot oil, without overbrowning.

For the easiest prep, use boneless chicken breasts as they are relatively thin; you can quickly cut them into strips. If you’re a dark meat fan, use boneless thighs: Trim of any skin or fat, then cut into even-size chunks.

Partially frozen chicken meat is easier to cut than meat from the fridge or at room temperature. So if you have the time, place the chicken in the freezer for about 10 minutes before cutting into stir-fry pieces.

If you’d like to save a  little prep time, look for “chicken for stir-fry” in your grocer’s meat case.