Germencik Sour Chicken Description and Distinctive Features of the Product: During his visit to the region in 1937, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was served the traditional dish known as Germencik Sour Chicken in the Hıdırbeyli neighborhood. Deeply impressed by both the flavor of the meal and the warm hospitality of the soldiers stationed there, Atatürk honored the Hıdırbeyli neighborhood with the distinguished Ege 2nd Army Medal. The original medal and its accompanying certificate are currently safeguarded at the Germencik Municipality, symbolizing the historical significance of the dish and its lasting connection to a moment of national recognition. Germencik Sour Chicken is a traditional regional dish made by first boiling and frying chicken, then enhancing its taste with the addition of unripe grape juice for a distinct sour flavor. Production Method: Locally known as “yediveren”, the round-seeded grapes cultivated in the Germencik district are picked while still unripe and packed tightly into breathable sacks. The sour grape juice is then obtained by pressing the grapes and separating it from the seeds and pulp. This juice is boiled, and once it has cooled, it is preserved in bottles for later use. Ingredients (for 4-6 people): - 1 village chicken - 4 medium-sized onions - 3 cloves of garlic - 1 tea cup of olive oil - 1 cup of unripe grape juice (sour grape juice) - 1 teaspoon black pepper - 1.5 teaspoons of salt - 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes - 1 tablespoon tomato paste - 2 medium-sized tomatoes Germencik Sour Chicken is a specialty dish prepared through a detailed three-step cooking process. In the first stage, a free-range village chicken is boiled over a wood fire for approximately 15 minutes. During the second stage, the pre-boiled chicken is pan-fried in olive oil for around 5 minutes, until all sides are evenly browned, then removed and set aside. In the final stage, tomato paste is added to the same pan and gently sautéed. Finely chopped onions and garlic are mixed in and cooked until they soften and take on a pink hue. Fresh tomatoes or tomato preserves—depending on seasonal availability—are then added and simmered. Spices such as salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes are blended in for flavor. A portion of the chicken broth from the initial boil is added to this sauce and cooked briefly. Once the sauce is ready, it is combined with the browned chicken and additional boiling water in a pot. Then, 1 cup of unripe grape juice (sour grape juice) is poured in. The mixture is simmered together for another 25 minutes. After cooking, the dish is left to rest for at least 2 hours, allowing the flavors to blend and the tanginess of the grape juice to fully absorb into the chicken. Finally, it is reheated and served hot.