Several weeks ago, I had a heated argument with some friends over tuna and chicken. I was eating a tuna sandwich and remarked aloud that the tuna tasted kind of like chicken and perhaps that was why they called it Chicken of the Sea. I was met with a torrent of opposition by my fellow diners and we became engorged in what turned out to be a pretty meaningless debate.
My Argument: While tuna and chicken do not taste exactly alike (I can clearly tell the difference), there is a significant similarity when it comes to texture. If I had to pick a fish that tasted most like chicken, it most definitely would be tuna. This is why the makers call their tuna Chicken of the Sea.
Their Argument: Tuna tastes nothing like chicken. The name “Chicken of The Sea” is not a reference to any physical attribute of the fish, but is an analogy to the popularity of chicken. Chicken is the most abundant, popular, and eaten terrestrial meat product and tuna is its pelagic counterpart. I was committing a Jessica Simpson folly.
To my defense: While I will not contest that tuna is indeed a popular product, I think my position is more plausible from a marketing standpoint. Quite simply, the makers of the product are trying to entice consumers by suggesting that their tuna tastes like chicken. To call it Chicken of The Sea when it tastes nothing like chicken is just disingenuous marketing. No one is going to buy tuna just because it’s abundant, popular and widely eaten. Analogies, anshmalogies.
To Jessica Simpson’s defense: Jessica Simpson may not be the wisest person on the planet, but I think intellect has no bearing whatsoever on sensory perception. If she is wrong, then she may have faulty taste buds, but nothing else.
The nail in the coffin:
In the “old days”, fishermen referred to the white albacore tuna as “chicken of the sea”. It was called this because the white color and very mild flavor reminded them of chicken. The founder of the company thought this would be a unique name for a brand of tuna, and the Chicken of the Sea brand is now known worldwide. (http://www.chickenofthesea.com/faq_3.aspx)