Chicken Française is a classic French dish that is beloved around the world. But like many French words and dishes, it can be tricky for English speakers to pronounce correctly. In this article, I’ll walk you through exactly how to pronounce chicken Française so you can order and discuss this delicious dish with confidence.
Breaking Down the Pronunciation
Chicken Française is pronounced:
shee-ken frahn-SEZ
It’s important to get each syllable just right
- SHEE-ken
- frahn
- SEZ
Let’s look at each of those sections more closely
SHEE-ken
The first syllable is “SHEE,” which rhymes with words like “see” and “fee.” Be sure to pronounce both the “sh” and “ee” sounds clearly and distinctly.
A common mistake is to slur these two sounds together into more of a “ch” sound, like “chee-ken.” Make sure to avoid this!
The second syllable is simple: “-ken” rhymes with ten, pen, men, etc.
frahn
Next comes “frahn.” The most important thing here is pronouncing the “R.” Many English speakers want to drop the R or barely pronounce it at all. But in French, that R must be rolled and really emphasized.
Practice saying “frahn” until you can roll and hold that “r” sound confidently.
SEZ
Finally, we have the two syllable word “SEZ.” This rhymes with words like says, lays, and days. Be sure to clearly pronounce both the “S” and the “Z” sounds distinctly.
Putting It All Together
When you combine the syllables, it should sound like:
SHEE-ken frahn-SEZ
The emphasis is on the “frahn” and “SEZ” syllables. As you practice, listen to audio of native French speakers pronouncing chicken Française and try to match their rhythm and cadence.
Really hold and roll that “R!”
Helpful Tips and Reminders
Here are a few more pointers to help you master the pronunciation:
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Avoid turning the ending into “AYZ” instead of “SEZ.” The Z sound should be crisp, not drawn out into a long AY diphthong.
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Don’t forget to make the “SH” in “SHEE” nice and sharp. No “ch” substitution!
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Roll and hold that “R” in “frahn.” This is the defining sound of the whole phrase.
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Stress and elongate the second syllables: “frAHN-sez.”
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Imagine you’re speaking with a smooth French accent to help link the syllables fluidly.
With a bit of practice, you’ll be pronouncing chicken Française flawlessly in no time. Impress your friends with your expertise on this French culinary classic!
Recipe Notes For Chicken Francaise
- Chicken: Have you ever taken the time to painstakingly pound your chicken breasts to tender, thin perfection only to realize that the piece(s) are now too huge to fit more than one or two comfortably in a pan? My time and sanity-saving suggestion here is to buy chicken cutlets at the grocery store. Sometimes labeled “chicken scallopine,” this market-ready thin-cut chicken is a great time saver and makes the dish sooooo much easier to prepare.
- Wine: I make this with a dry chardonnay. I like how a dry white wine complements the lemon flavor in the sauce and really don’t care for it when a sweeter variety is used.
- Remember the wine you use will impact the flavor of the sauce a great deal, so it’s best to follow the rule of only using something to cook with that’s good enough to have a glass of yourself.
- Lemon Juice: Any Chicken Francaise description will include references to the bright, tangy, acidity from the lemon which really is a star in this dish.
- To preserve that quality, this recipe must be made with fresh lemon juice from a fresh lemon. PLEASE don’t even think about using that juice from the yellow plastic imposter!
- Pan Sauce: This is one of the only times I will ever suggest you wipe out the pan first or cook the sauce in a separate pan. Generally, I love to incorporate those little brown bits created in the bottom of the pan, called fond, when the chicken pieces are browned. But this sauce, in particular, is a white sauce, and removing the fond will make sure the sauce stays the correct color.
- After all, we’re trying to serve a professional-quality dish, here, and the result will be a sauce that rivals any Italian-American restaurant. By not wiping out the pan you will definitely have a more flavorful, if slightly less authentic, sauce, though, so feel free to make it either way.
- Low Fat: Let me be perfectly honest. Forget about counting calories and fat grams in this dish. The recipe doesn’t work if you cut back since those ingredients, especially quality butter, are integral to the right preparation, flavor, and texture of Chicken Francaise.
The Original Chicken Francaise
While the dish may have originally been prepared with veal, the method would have been the same – a sauteed affair of thin pieces of veal or chicken, pre-dredged in flour and egg wash, then served with a simple lemon sauce. (Note: When you think of lemon sauce, you may hearken to memories of Chicken Piccata, but the difference in this dish is the addition of an egg wash, yielding a slightly heavier crust on the chicken, and the omission of capers in the sauce.)
Whether it’s actually a little more French or a little more Italian, it’s a whole lot of awesome!
- Chicken Breasts
- Oil
- Flour
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Eggs
- Butter
- White Wine
- Chicken Broth
- Lemon Juice
- Parsley
How to Pronounce Chicken Francaise
FAQ
How do you pronounce “francaise”?
How do you pronounce francese chicken?
Is it chicken Francese or francaise?
The French spelling Chicken Francaise pronunciation is “frahn-SAIZE;” the Italian spelling, Chicken Francese, is pronounced, “fran-CHAY-zay.” If this is your kind of meal, try more of my Italian-inspired chicken dishes: Chicken milanese, chicken scarpariello, chicken vesuvio’s, and New Jersey’s famous, chicken murphy.
How do you pronounce Chicken Francaise?
The correct pronunciation of Chicken Francaise is “frahn-SAIZE”. The Italian spelling, Chicken Francese, is pronounced “fran-CHAY-zay”. If you enjoy this dish, try more of my Italian-inspired chicken dishes: Chicken milanese, chicken scarpariello, chicken vesuvio’s, and New Jersey’s famous, chicken murphy.
What is Chicken Francaise?
Chicken Francaise is flour-dredged, egg mixture-dipped pan-fried chicken cutlets. It is then simmered in a lemon-butter and white wine sauce. The name “Francaise” (pronounced “frahn-says”) may suggest that it’s a French dish, but it’s actually Italian American.
Is Chicken Francese difficult to make?
Chicken Francese is hard to beat. The recipe, which features chicken cutlets in a light, Parm-infused batter, simmered in a lemony, chickeny cream sauce, is unabashedly old-school.