Green Bean Casserole with Cream of Chicken Soup

Prepare this classic Green Bean Casserole with Cream of Chicken Soup for a show-stopping holiday side dish, guaranteed to disappear in an instant! Made with fresh green beans and just 7 common ingredients!

This creamy and wholesome Thanksgiving side dish is a must-have on the holiday table. It's a family favorite, made with fresh green beans and salty, crunchy, fried onions.

I save precious time when making this recipe by using canned cream of chicken soup as the casserole base, making this a super simple side dish to whip up on Thanksgiving day.

Serve it alongside Sweet Potato Casserole, Drop Biscuits, Brown Sugar Honey Roasted Carrots, and Butternut and Beetroot Salad.

• Fresh green beans: You'll need fresh French or string beans. Compared to canned green beans, fresh green beans stay crisp without becoming mushy and overcooked.
• Cream of chicken soup is a condensed canned soup made using chicken, broth, chicken fat, cream, and a thickening ingredient like cornstarch. It gives the casserole a lusciously smooth and creamy base. Use Pacific Foods Organic Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup for the best results.
• Fried onions provide a crispy, salty, crunch to every bite. Fried onions are essential to a green bean casserole recipe, so don't skip them!
• Fresh onions: Thinly sliced white onion is mixed into the casserole, adding more texture to the filling and earthy flavor.
• Milk: I prefer whole milk for its smooth and creamy texture. However, 2% works as well.
• Seasonings: All that's needed is a pinch of ground black pepper and garlic powder. Added salt isn't necessary. The cream of chicken soup and fried onions provide more than enough salty flavor!

*See the recipe card below for a detailed list of ingredients and recipe instructions.

Equipment

You'll need a large stock pot for blanching the green beans and a medium-sized casserole dish, around 8x13 inches in size.

How to blanch green beans

Blanching is a cooking technique that involves briefly cooking food (usually fruit or vegetables) in boiling water and then immediately cooling it down with ice water, resulting in partially cooked food.

• Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
• Submerge the green beans in the boiling water for 3-5 minutes.
• Drain the boiling water and immediately rinse the beans with ice-cold water or submerge them in an ice bath.

How to make a green bean casserole with cream of chicken soup

Recipe rundown

1. Blanch the green beans.
2. Mix all of the casserole filling ingredients together.
3. Bake for 30 minutes.
4. Top with crispy fried onions.
5. Bake for 10 more minutes, until the fried onions are hot and crispy.

Step-by-step instructions

Before starting, preheat your oven to 350°F. Bring a large stock pot of water to a boil and prepare your green beans. Trim the ends off the green beans and cut them in half, making each piece 1-2 inches long.

Step 1: Blanch the green beans in boiling water for 5 minutes. Then, drain the beans and immediately cool them with ice-cold water to stop them from cooking. Transfer the beans to a large mixing bowl.

Step 2: Mix the cream of chicken soup, milk, fresh sliced onions, garlic powder, and black pepper in a separate medium-sized mixing bowl until well combined.

Step 3: Pour the cream of chicken mixture over the green beans. Stir until the green beans are fully coated in the soup and onions.

Step 4: Pour the green bean casserole filling into a medium-sized casserole dish and spread it out in an even layer. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes, until it's hot and bubbly.

Step 5: Remove the casserole from the oven, sprinkle the crispy fried onions on top, and return the casserole back into the oven to continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes.

Step 6: Serve while hot and bubbly, and enjoy!

Expert tips

• Don't skip the blanching process. This ensures the green beans are perfectly tender without being overcooked.
• Fresh green beans are best! It's tempting to save time and use canned or frozen green beans; however, fresh beans provide superior taste and texture.
• Adjust the seasonings to taste. I didn't add additional salt to this recipe because the cream of chicken soup and crispy fried onions already contain a lot of sodium.
• Thoughtfully choose your baking dish. A long baking dish with short sides will provide more surface area for the crunchy fried onions. A small baking dish with deep sides will have less room on top for fried onions. If you like more crunch, choose a shallow dish!

Green bean casserole recipe variations

There are several different ways to make this well-loved comfort food recipe. You can't go wrong if you focus on savory ingredients and lots of texture!

• Mix shredded cheddar or Gruyère cheese into the casserole filling.
• Sprinkle cooked bacon bits onto the top of the casserole along with the fried onions.
• Use cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken soup for a vegetarian alternative.

How to make ahead, store, and reheat

• How to prepare in advance: Blanch the green beans and prepare the casserole filling up to 24 hours in advance, without adding the fried onion topping. Complete the remaining recipe steps when you're ready to bake the casserole.
• How to store: Transfer leftover Green Bean Casserole with Cream of Chicken into an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• How to reheat: Microwave small servings of green bean casserole in 1-minute increments until your casserole is heated through. Alternatively, reheat the entire casserole in the oven at 350°F. Cover the casserole with foil and warm it in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until warmed through.

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