nugget de poulet
masculine
In French, the English phrase "chicken nugget" can be translated as nugget de poulet. If unsure, use nugget de poulet. Wiktionary also lists croquette de poulet.
Meaning: piece of chicken in batter (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| nugget de poulet | masculine |
| croquette de poulet | feminine |
The term refers to a piece of chicken in batter.
Which one should you use?
nugget de poulet is a direct anglicism commonly used in fast food contexts. In contrast, croquette de poulet is a more traditional French term that refers more generally to a breaded and fried piece of chicken, which may have a different texture or shape than the American-style nugget.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to multiple nuggets, the English loanword nugget is typically pluralized with an 's' to become nuggets, as in des nuggets de poulet.
Did you know?
- While nugget is used for fast food, using the word pépite (the literal translation of 'nugget') for chicken would sound very strange to a French speaker.
- The word croquette is built from the verb croquer, which means 'to crunch' or 'to bite'.
- In some French regions, you might see beignets de poulet used, which refers to chicken fried in a light, airy batter rather than breadcrumbs.
Examples in context
- J'adore les nuggets de poulet croustillants !I love crispy chicken nuggets!
- On se retrouve pour manger quelques pépites de poulet ?Shall we meet up to eat some chicken nuggets?
- Chez nous, on dit plutôt croquettes de poulet pour parler des nuggets.At our place, we usually say croquettes de poulet when referring to chicken nuggets.
- Est-ce qu'il reste un nugget de poulet ?Is there a chicken nugget left?
- Ce nugget de poulet est très croustillant.This chicken nugget is very crunchy.
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are ordering food at a fast food restaurant.
- HugoLéa, tu veux commander un nugget de poulet ?Léa, do you want to order a chicken nugget?
- LéaNon merci, je préfère une salade.No thank you, I prefer a salad.
- HugoD'accord, je vais en prendre six alors.Okay, I'll have six then.
- LéaC'est un bon choix, Hugo.That's a good choice, Hugo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chicken nugget” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
