blanc de poulet
/blɑ̃ d(ə) pu.lɛ/
The English phrase "chicken breast" is translated into French as blanc de poulet.
The term refers to the lean meat from the breast of a chicken.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "white of chicken", which refers to the white meat found in the breast.
Which one should you use?
While blanc de poulet is the anatomical term, filet de poulet is a very common alternative you will encounter in recipes or when shopping at supermarkets to refer to the same cut of meat.
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer to multiple chicken breasts, change the noun to its plural form: blancs de poulet.
How do you pronounce it?
/blɑ̃ d(ə) pu.lɛ/
Did you know?
- The French language uses the word blanc for 'white' because of an ancient borrowing from the Frankish language, rather than directly from Latin.
- The word poulet is a diminutive form, created by adding a suffix to poule, which means 'hen'.
- In French, the word blanc is used for both the 'white' of an egg and the 'white' of a chicken breast.
Examples in context
- Bonjour, je voudrais un filet de poulet, s'il vous plaît.Hello, I would like a chicken fillet, please.
- Est-ce que vous proposez des plats à base de blanc de poulet ?Do you offer dishes made with chicken breast?
- On peut faire des escalopes de poulet pour le dîner ce soir.We can make some chicken breast cutlets for dinner tonight.
- Je vais manger un blanc de poulet.I am going to eat a chicken breast.
- Le blanc de poulet est très tendre.The chicken breast is very tender.
- Tu veux un peu de blanc de poulet ?Do you want some chicken breast?
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are deciding what to cook for dinner.
- EmmaQu'est-ce qu'on prépare pour ce soir ?What are we preparing for tonight?
- LucasOn peut faire du blanc de poulet grillé.We can make some grilled chicken breast.
- EmmaC'est une bonne idée, Lucas.That's a good idea, Lucas.
- LucasParfait, je vais faire les courses.Perfect, I will go grocery shopping.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry blanc de poulet, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries blanc, de, poulet, CC BY-SA 4.0.
