Chicken and Tarragon Pesto Pasta

 10 oz dried penne pasta

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup pan-toasted pine nuts

1 large bunch of fresh tarragon, leaves stripped from the stem and chopped

1 unwaxed lemon, grated zest and freshly squeezed juice

1 garlic clove, chopped

3 cooked chicken breasts, sliced

4 oz arugula

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1) Cook the pasta for 8-9 minutes, until al dente.  Drain and refresh the pasta in cold water, then drain again and toss in half the olive oil.

2) To make the pesto, put the parmesan, pine nuts, tarragon, lemon zest and juice, garlic, and remaining oil in a bowl and puree until smooth with a stick blender.

3) Put the pasta, pesto, chicken, and arugula in a serving bowl, season, and toss well, coasting the pasta and chicken evenly with the pesto.

4) If you're taking this on a picnic, don't add the arugula until just before eating or the oil will make it wilt.

This pesto didn't really seem to come out how it should have, but it was decent anyway.

Recipe slightly adapted from Lazy Days and Beach Blankets.