When you think of the word “chicken” in French, the first word that probably comes to mind is poulet. And you'd be right! But the French language, especially when it comes to food, is rich with specific vocabulary. Just as in English we have different words for a live chicken, its meat, or a young bird, French has its own set of nuanced terms. Whether you're navigating a French menu, shopping at a boucherie, or simply want to expand your vocabulary, knowing the right way to say "chicken" is essential. Let's explore nine cluck-tastic ways to talk about chicken in French!

1. The standard 'chicken' (as meat) – le poulet

The standard word for 'chicken' when referring to it as meat is le poulet.

Le poulet is the most common and direct translation for chicken meat in French. If you see 'chicken' on a menu or in a recipe, this is almost always the word that will be used.

It's important to remember that poulet is a masculine noun. This means you'll always use masculine articles with it, such as le poulet (the chicken) or un poulet (a chicken). For example: J'achète un poulet. (I am buying a chicken).

You will find le poulet used in virtually all culinary contexts: at the butcher shop (à la boucherie), in the supermarket (au supermarché), and on restaurant menus (sur la carte). It's the universal term for the food.

While le poulet primarily means chicken meat, it can sometimes refer to the live bird (specifically a young chicken or rooster). However, the more common term for a live, egg-laying hen is la poule. This distinction is key: you eat le poulet, but la poule lays eggs (pond des œufs).

A very common dish you'll see is poulet rôti, which means 'roast chicken'. This is a staple in French cuisine and a great example of le poulet in action.

💡 * Je voudrais commander le poulet avec des frites.

• Nous allons préparer un poulet rôti pour le dîner de dimanche.
• Est-ce que tu aimes la salade au poulet ?
• Il faut acheter du poulet pour la recette de ce soir.
• Le poulet de Bresse est considéré comme le meilleur du monde.

The 'hen' (a female chicken) – la poule

The most direct and common meaning of la poule in French is 'hen', the female chicken. It's a word you'll encounter in contexts related to farming, food, and nature.

Beyond the barnyard, poule is a key component in popular idioms. The expression une poule mouillée (literally, a 'wet hen') is a very common way to call someone a coward or a 'scaredy-cat'. It's often used playfully, especially with children.

Another famous expression is la poule aux œufs d'or ('the hen with the golden eggs'). Just like the English fable, this phrase refers to a valuable and continuous source of wealth or profit that one should not hastily destroy.

In informal and sometimes dated slang, poule can be used to refer to a woman, similar to the English 'chick'. This usage can be affectionate but is often considered pejorative or objectifying, so it's best to be cautious. A poule de luxe ('luxury hen') specifically refers to a kept woman or 'gold digger'.

On a more positive note, the term mère poule ('mother hen') describes a doting, sometimes overprotective mother who fusses over her children. It captures the image of a hen carefully guarding her chicks.

💡 * Les enfants adorent nourrir les poules à la ferme.

• Arrête de te plaindre, tu n'es qu'une poule mouillée !
• Il a vendu l'entreprise qui était sa poule aux œufs d'or.
• Ma mère est une vraie mère poule ; elle m'appelle tous les jours.

The 'rooster' (a male chicken) – le coq

The French word for 'rooster' or 'cockerel' is le coq. This word refers to the male chicken, famous for its distinctive crowing, especially at sunrise.

Beyond its literal meaning, le coq is a powerful national symbol. Le coq gaulois (the Gallic rooster) is an unofficial emblem of France, representing qualities like pride, courage, and vigilance. You will often see it associated with French sports teams.

To talk about the whole chicken family, you should know that the female counterpart to le coq is la poule (the hen), and their offspring is le poussin (the chick).

The word coq is also found in several French idioms. For example, être fier comme un coq translates to 'to be as proud as a rooster' (similar to 'proud as a peacock' in English). Another common expression is être comme un coq en pâte, which means to be pampered or live in great comfort.

💡 * Le coq chante très tôt le matin.

• Le coq gaulois est l'emblème de l'équipe de France de football.
• Depuis qu'il a eu sa promotion, il est fier comme un coq.
• Avec sa grand-mère, il est comme un coq en pâte.

The 'chick' (a baby chicken) – le poussin

The French word for a 'chick' (a baby chicken) is le poussin.

Le poussin is a masculine noun. You will always use masculine articles and adjectives with it, such as le poussin or un poussin.

Beyond its literal meaning, poussin is frequently used as a term of endearment, much like 'sweetheart' or 'honey' in English. It can be affectionately used for a partner or a child.

When used as a term of endearment for a female, the word can sometimes be adapted to ma poussine, although using the masculine form mon poussin for a female loved one is also very common.

💡 * Regarde, la poule marche avec ses poussins. (Look, the hen is walking with her chicks.)

• J'ai vu un poussin tout seul dans le jardin. (I saw a chick all alone in the garden.)
• Comment s'est passée ta journée, mon poussin ? (How was your day, my sweetie?)
• N'aie pas peur, mon petit poussin. (Don't be scared, my little chick.)

The general term for 'poultry' – la volaille

The general term for 'poultry' in French is la volaille.

La volaille is a collective, culinary term for domesticated birds raised for their meat and eggs, such as chicken, turkey, duck, and goose. It's the direct equivalent of 'poultry' in English.

You'll frequently see this word on restaurant menus, in recipes, and at the butcher shop (la boucherie). It serves as an umbrella category for different types of birds.

As a key grammatical point, la volaille is a feminine noun. This means you must use feminine articles and adjectives with it, for example, la bonne volaille (the good poultry).

While la volaille refers to poultry in general, specific birds have their own names. For instance, chicken is le poulet, turkey is la dinde, and duck is le canard.

💡 * Le chef cuisine une volaille pour le plat principal. (The chef is cooking a poultry dish for the main course.)

• Où est le rayon de la volaille, s'il vous plaît ? (Where is the poultry section, please?)
• J'ai acheté de la volaille fraîche au marché. (I bought fresh poultry at the market.)
• Ce restaurant est célèbre pour sa volaille rôtie. (This restaurant is famous for its roasted poultry.)

The 'cockerel' (a young rooster) – le coquelet

The 'cockerel' (a young rooster) – le coquelet

In French, le coquelet is the specific term for a young male chicken, or a 'cockerel.' It is the diminutive form of le coq (the rooster). This distinction is important, as it separates the young bird from a fully grown rooster (coq) or a hen (poule).

The most common context you will encounter le coquelet is in the kitchen or on a restaurant menu. A coquelet is a popular dish in French cuisine, valued for its small size and tender meat, similar to a Cornish game hen in English-speaking countries. It is often roasted whole (coquelet rôti).

Unlike its adult version, le coq, which is a powerful national symbol of France (the Gallic rooster), le coquelet carries no such symbolic weight. Its use is almost entirely practical and culinary, referring simply to the young bird as a food item.

💡 * Je vais commander le coquelet à la crème et aux champignons.

• Un coquelet est assez petit, c'est une portion parfaite pour une personne.
• Au marché, j'ai acheté deux coquelets pour le dîner de dimanche.
• La recette demande un coquelet de 500 grammes.

The 'roast chicken' (a popular dish) – le poulet rôti

Le poulet rôti is the French phrase for 'roast chicken.' It's not just a dish; it's a cornerstone of French home cooking and a classic menu item in bistros across the country.

This dish is famously associated with Sunday family lunches (le repas dominical). The simple but delicious combination of roasted chicken, potatoes, and its own juices makes it a quintessential French comfort food.

The noun poulet is masculine. Therefore, you will always see it preceded by a masculine article, such as le (the) or un (a), as in le poulet rôti.

💡 * Le dimanche, nous mangeons souvent du poulet rôti en famille. (On Sundays, we often eat roast chicken with the family.)

• Je vais prendre le poulet rôti avec des haricots verts, s'il vous plaît. (I'll have the roast chicken with green beans, please.)
• L'odeur du poulet rôti me rappelle mon enfance. (The smell of roast chicken reminds me of my childhood.)

The 'free-range chicken' – le poulet fermier

The “free-range chicken” – le poulet fermier

Literally translating to 'farm chicken,' le poulet fermier refers to a chicken raised in better conditions than standard industrial chickens. This term implies that the chicken was raised outdoors or with access to the outdoors, leading to a higher quality of meat.

In France, a poulet fermier is often associated with quality labels like the Label Rouge, which guarantees specific standards for animal welfare, diet, and age. This results in a firmer, more flavorful meat compared to a poulet industriel (industrial chicken).

You will find this term at the boucherie (butcher shop), on restaurant menus, and on grocery store packaging. Asking for a poulet fermier indicates you are looking for a premium, better-tasting product.

💡 * Pour le dîner de dimanche, j'ai acheté un poulet fermier.

• Le goût du poulet fermier est bien meilleur.
• Le restaurant est fier de servir uniquement du poulet fermier local.
• Quelle est la différence de prix avec un poulet fermier ?

The 'coward' or 'scaredy-cat' (slang) – une poule mouillée

One of the most colorful French expressions for a coward is une poule mouillée. Literally translating to 'a wet hen,' this slang term is the equivalent of calling someone a 'scaredy-cat' or a 'wimp' in English. It’s an informal and slightly childish insult used to describe someone who is easily frightened or lacks courage.

Why a 'wet hen'? The imagery is of a chicken, already a timid bird, made even more pathetic and helpless by being soaked with water. The expression paints a picture of someone completely lacking in bravery and easily flustered. Because poule is a feminine noun, the expression une poule mouillée is used for both males and females without changing its form.

This term is definitely on the informal side. You'd use it with friends or family, often in a teasing manner, but you would avoid it in formal or professional settings. It's similar in tone to calling someone a 'chicken' in English.

While une poule mouillée is very common, French has other words for 'coward.' A more standard term is un lâche. More informal, slang alternatives include un trouillard (from trouille, meaning 'fear'), un froussard (from frousse, also 'fear'), or un dégonflé (literally 'a deflated one').

💡 * Tu as peur du noir ? Quelle poule mouillée ! (You're afraid of the dark? What a scaredy-cat!)

• N'aie pas peur, ne sois pas une poule mouillée. (Don't be afraid, don't be a wimp.)
• Il refuse de monter dans l'avion, c'est une vraie poule mouillée. (He refuses to get on the plane, he's a real coward.)
• Allez, saute ! Arrête de faire ta poule mouillée ! (Come on, jump! Stop being such a scaredy-cat!)

Are there other ways to say 'chicken' in French?

Are there other ways to say “chicken” in French?

Our guide has covered the most essential words for “chicken” in French, from the farm to the dinner plate. But the French language, especially when it comes to cuisine, is rich with specific and regional terms. You'll find many other words used in butcher shops, on menus, and in classic recipes.

To discover more, you can do an online search for “lexique de la volaille” (poultry glossary) or look up the ingredients for famous dishes like coq au vin.

Remember that context is everything. While poulet is your go-to for chicken meat, knowing words like poussin (young chicken) or chapon (capon) will seriously impress at a French dinner table.

Pay close attention when you watch French cooking shows, read recipes, or walk through a market in France. You'll start to notice the huge variety of terms used for poultry and how they are prepared.

If you're a food lover looking to expand your culinary French, a great resource is the French food blog Marmiton or the detailed WordReference entry for poulet.

I hope this article helps you navigate menus and recipes with confidence. We'll end with a classic French idiom that shows the chicken's place in the language: Quand les poules auront des dents. (Literally: 'When chickens have teeth.') It's the perfect French way to say, 'When pigs fly!'