Chicken & Tarragon-Pesto Pasta

I think it will be fun to document some of the dishes I make with the fresh produce we get from Turtle Farm this summer. Matthew's mom was nice enough to pick up our first box for us last Friday, since we were on our way to Michigan for Memorial Day weekend (I'm hoping to post about that soon). We received asparagus (our third pound), arugula, spinach, watercress, radishes (a couple of varieties), and a couple of varieties of lettuce.

I was excited about the arugula, since I have a favorite recipe that takes it, and it can be hard to find in the store. The recipe also calls for tarragon, which can also be hard to find. Last summer, we had a thriving tarragon plant of our own, so every time it would produce enough leaves to make this recipe, I'd make it. Unfortunately, that plant didn't survive the winter, so I had to call four grocery stores before I found one that had any. They had two packages left, and neither was very fresh, so I had to buy both to make it work. And I really wanted to make it work, since I already had fresh arugula and was now craving it! I got spoiled last summer having our own tarragon plant; it was easy to rinse the leaves and run my fingers down the stems to remove the leaves. But with the poor quality bunches I bought from the store, I literally had to pick each individual leaf off the stems because every other one was wilty and turning brown.

So I started making this at around 5pm last night, and Ethan has been teething and runny-nosed, so he was especially needy. By 5:45, I knew I wasn't going to finish at a reasonable hour, so I paused to make the kids some grilled cheese and tomato soup. Besides, Maegan didn't like this recipe last year, and that makes all the more for me, right?

Once the kids finished eating and Matthew came home, he grilled the chicken while I tried to finish the pesto. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of olive oil, and I discovered that I only had about 1/8 cup, so Matthew ran to Hy-Vee to pick up more while I washed the arugula. At 7:30, Ethan was asleep in bed, Maegan was "reading" books in her bed, and Matthew and I were having a nice quiet meal together...finally! Don't let the prep time scare you from trying to make this recipe; it really should only take about a half hour, if you don't have a toddler hanging from your leg.

Here's a picture of my plate. And YES, I ate the whole thing, because by 7:30, I was starved!

Arugula is rich in vitamin C and potassium, and its rich, peppery taste is especially strong for a leafy green. Tarragon smells like anise (think black licorice).

Chicken Tarragon Pesto Pasta

• 10 oz. (3 cups) whole wheat penne pasta
  
• 1/2 cup olive oil
  
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
  
• 1 cup tarragon leaves stripped from stems and loosely packed
  
• grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
  
• 1 clove of garlic
  
• 3 cooked chicken breasts, sliced
  
• 4 oz. arugula
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Cook pasta al dente according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Toss in bowl with 1/4 c. of the oil. Add cooked chicken and toss again.

To make the pesto, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer nuts to a food processor, add Parmesan, tarragon, lemon zest and juice, garlic, and remaining 1/4 c. olive oil and process until smooth.

Add pesto to pasta and chicken, season with salt and pepper, and toss well. Can refrigerate for up to 5 days. Serve warm or chilled on top of arugula.