Order Your McChicken French-Style For A More Flavorful, Filling Meal

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As anyone who's seen the cult classic "Pulp Fiction" knows, in Paris, a Quarter Pounder with Cheese is called a "Royale with Cheese" (re: the metric system) and a Big Mac is called "Le Big Mac." Indeed, McDonald's locations in France are an entity unto themselves. The U.S. is currently home to nearly 14,000 McDonald's locations, while France's Mickey D's population sits at a much humbler 1,651 (according to data analytics firm ScrapeHero). Still, en France — where the chain is colloquially nicknamed "McDough" and "MacDo" – the McChicken sandwich looks a little different ... and, in some ways, arguably better.

The Le McDeal Poulet (the Chicken McDeal) from McDonald's France keeps the shredded lettuce of the American McChicken. But, from there, it amps up the meaty action with double chicken patties and replaces the mayo with a combination of ketchup and ranch. By our count, it's transformative enough to join the list of international McDonald's menu items we'd love to see in the U.S. 

In fact, in Tasting Table's ranking of every chicken item at McDonald's, our chief criticism of the McChicken (which placed fourth) was its "bare-bones" flavor profile and assemblage. It's tasty, but it's a basic chicken sandwich — that's it. By ordering this sando French-style, however, the McChicken gets a major upgrade in both the taste and substantiality departments. Mild mayo gets traded for a tangy interplay of sweet-acidic ketchup and creamy, savory ranch. Meanwhile, that second crispy chicken patty delivers a heartier meal, a fuller bite on the mouthfeel, and the fresh lettuce provides the crunch factor.

It's worth noting that the ketchup-and-ranch combo isn't necessarily a "French thing." It's just an undersung pairing that (perhaps surprisingly) works. One Reddit thread sings its praises: "Ketchup and ranch taste good together," writes the poster. "Just try it with chicken nuggets or chicken tenders it's super good." Heinz even sells commercially bottled versions of the condiment called "Kranch." 

In another post in r/AskEurope, several gourmands overseas mention that the ketchup-ranch combo isn't an especially common condiment in Belgium, Italy, Germany, and Denmark. But, if France's McDeal Poulet is any indication, it's a flavor profile that's catching on. Despite its role as the birthplace of fine dining, the French fast food industry as a whole has seen demonstrable growth over the past few years, a trend largely led by McDonald's. Clearly, something about that menu is working. 

To order a French-style McChicken on your next MacDo's visit, ask for a McChicken with double chicken patties, and ketchup and ranch instead of the mayo. Depending on the policy at your local store, the staff may apply the ketchup and ranch for you, or alternatively, sides of ketchup and ranch sauce may be tossed into your takeout bag. If your sauce comes on the side, be sure to ask for a plastic knife (or, in a pinch, the back of a spoon) to spread the sauces over your sammy. Craving more global Mickey D's inspiration? Try ordering your next McChicken sandwich German-style or order the Filet-O-Fish "French style" for a reimagined take on a familiar fan favorite.