Why You’ll Love This this Yummy French Green Bean Chicken Casserole
This French green bean chicken casserole is basically comfort food wearing a beret – it takes all those snug, familiar flavors and gives them a little European flair with herbs like tarragon and herbes de Provence.
You get tender chicken, crispy green beans, and perfectly seasoned rice all bundled up in one dish that practically begs you to curl up on the couch afterward.
The best part is how the fried onions and sliced almonds on top create this amazing crunch that makes every single bite feel like a little celebration in your mouth.
Ingredients List
You’re going to love how simple this ingredient list is – no fancy shopping trips to specialty stores required, just good old-fashioned pantry staples with a French twist.
- 1 cup rice, cooked
- 1 (10 ounce) chopped chicken
- 2 cups green beans, French-style
- 1 (15 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
- 1/2 teaspoon tarragon
- 1/2 teaspoon herbes de provence
- 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/8 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/8 teaspoon season salt
- 1/4 cup fried onions
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
- The beauty of this recipe is that you can easily swap in brown rice for extra fiber, or use leftover rotisserie chicken to save time
- While the cream of chicken soup isn’t exactly a health food champion, it brings that creamy comfort we’re all craving – plus you’re getting plenty of vegetables and lean protein
- The almonds add healthy fats and a satisfying crunch, so you’re not just indulging, you’re actually treating your body pretty well
- Fresh garlic beats garlic powder every single time for both flavor and those immune-boosting benefits we could all use more of
Step by Step Directions
Making this French-inspired casserole is as straightforward as combining everything in one dish and letting the oven do the work.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked rice, chopped chicken, and French-style green beans.
- Add the cream of chicken soup, tarragon, herbes de provence, dried onion flakes, minced garlic clove, lemon pepper, celery seed, and season salt to the rice mixture.
- Stir everything together until well combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased casserole dish.
- Top evenly with fried onions and sliced almonds.
- Bake for 25 minutes until heated through and the top is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Having the right casserole baking dish ensures even cooking and makes cleanup much easier for recipes like this.
Substitutions and Variations
- Herb modifications – Skip the French herbs and go Italian with basil and oregano, or make it more American with sage and thyme, because herbs are basically the wardrobe of cooking.
- Topping variations – Crushed crackers instead of fried onions, panko breadcrumbs for extra crunch, or shredded cheese if you want to make it even more indulgent.
- Make it spicy – Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a diced jalapeño to the mix, though maybe warn your dinner guests first.
- Leftover makeover – This recipe practically begs you to clean out your fridge, so toss in leftover roasted vegetables or that random half cup of corn that’s been staring at you.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
This casserole is basically a one-dish wonder, but to be frank, sometimes you want to make it feel like a proper dinner party instead of Tuesday night survival mode.
- Simple salad – A basic mixed greens salad with vinaigrette cuts through all that creamy richness, plus it makes you feel like you’re being responsible about vegetables.
- Crusty bread – French bread or dinner rolls are perfect for soaking up any leftover sauce, because waste not, want not, and also carbs.
- Roasted vegetables – Carrots, Brussels sprouts, or asparagus add color to your plate and give you something to point to when people ask about balanced meals.
- Light soup starter – A simple tomato soup or clear broth keeps things from getting too heavy, though honestly, who’s time for multiple courses on a weeknight?
- Wine pairing – A crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio complements the herbs without competing with them, assuming you remember to open it before your hands get all casserole-messy.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
Look, I’m going to share some secrets that will make this casserole actually turn out right instead of becoming a soggy mess that makes everyone sad.
- Don’t skip draining the green beans – Seriously, even if they’re frozen, let them thaw and pat them dry with paper towels, because nobody wants watery casserole swimming around their plate.
- Pre-cook your rice just slightly underdone – It’s going to keep cooking in the oven, so if you make it perfect on the stovetop, you’ll end up with mushy rice that’s lost all its dignity.
- Mix everything gently – You’re combining ingredients, not beating them into submission, so use a light hand or your chicken will turn into sad little shreds.
- Cover with foil for the first 15 minutes – This prevents the top from getting too brown while the inside is still catching up, then remove it for the last 10 minutes to get those onions properly crispy.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes after baking – I know you’re hungry, but this gives everything a chance to set up instead of falling apart the second you serve it.
- Taste your soup before adding it – Some brands are saltier than others, so you might want to go easy on the additional seasonings if your soup is already doing heavy lifting in the flavor department.
Nutritional Facts
This hearty casserole serves 6 and delivers a solid balance of protein, carbs, and vegetables in each portion.
- Calories per serving: Approximately 285 calories
- Protein: 18g from chicken and soup base
- Carbohydrates: 32g primarily from rice and green beans
- Fat: 9g from soup, almonds, and fried onions
- Fiber: 3g from green beans and rice
- Sodium: 650mg (varies by soup brand)
- Vitamin A: 15% daily value from green beans
- Vitamin C: 12% daily value from green beans
- Iron: 8% daily value from chicken and rice
- Calcium: 6% daily value from almonds and soup
- Healthy fats: Monounsaturated fats from almonds
- Low sugar: Only 4g natural sugars from vegetables
Fun “Did You Know?”
Did you know that French-style green beans aren’t actually French at all? They’re simply regular green beans cut lengthwise into thin strips! This cutting technique creates a more elegant appearance and tender texture that cooks faster than whole beans.
I find it fascinating that this casserole combines French culinary influence with classic American comfort food. The herbes de Provence in our recipe actually originated in the 1970s as a marketing creation, though the individual herbs have been used in Provence for centuries.
Here’s another fun fact: green beans were called “string beans” because older varieties had tough strings running along their sides!
