Known primarily for her central Kentucky eateries, including the elegant Holly Hill Inn flagship restaurant in Midway, Chef Ouita Michel shared recipes for many of her delicious dishes in her cookbook Just a Few Miles South: Timeless Recipes from Our Favorite Places, published in April 2021. Later that year, Chef Ouita launched the lifestyle brand Holly Hill and Co., celebrating local farmers, agriculture and culinary traditions, with a strong emphasis on community. Visitors to hollyhillandco.com will find stories, videos, merchandise, restaurant information and recipes, including those featured here.
Chef Ouita named her signature Wallace Station Deli chicken salad after Shady Lane, a scenic stretch of Old Frankfort Pike. The staff makes it in house every day with freshly prepared chicken, crisp celery, toasted almonds and sweet/tart dried cranberries.
Yields almost 2 quarts
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper for seasoning
½ cup finely chopped celery
½ cup toasted slivered almonds
½ cup dried cranberries
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup mayonnaise
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spread chicken in a single layer on a baking pan and lightly season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake until done (40 minutes or longer, depending on size).
3. Cool in the pan juice to retain moisture until the chicken is cool to handle. Cut into a small dice, discarding gristle and fat. Reserve pan juices for soup or another use.
4. Place chopped chicken, celery, almonds and cranberries in a large bowl. Set aside.
5. In another bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients and fold into chicken. Mix well. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Remember that the chicken will absorb the dressing when refrigerated, so you might have to add a couple extra tablespoons of mayonnaise.
6. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.