We are officially ready for Halloween! Pumpkins have been carved, our costumes are at the ready, and I’ve watched Hocus Pocus twice…alone…because nobody in my family will watch it with me. Moms-only watch party with Mulled Apple Cider (and bourbon) next year, anyone?
Last stop: trick-or-treating! Before my little goblins tear it up though, they’ll be filling their bellies with Cheesy Chicken and Rice Green Bean Casserole.
This easy, cozy recipe is a Frankenstein mash up of two of my favorite casseroles – Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole, and Green Bean Casserole – and it is PERFECTION in a baking dish. Ben declared it the best thing I’ve ever made!
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Green Bean Casserole
An easy cheese sauce envelopes rice, chicken, mushrooms, and a can of green beans that are folded together then baked until bubbly. The top is sprinkled with gluten free french fried onions then the whole thing is popped back into the oven until golden brown and crispy.
YES, french fried onions – not just for Thanksgiving! The flavor and crunch they add to casseroles is so fabulous that I can’t imagine not adding them to the top of any and all casseroles from here on out. They are such a game changer.
Recipe Notes
- This casserole calls for white rice, though you can use brown rice if you’d like. I tested with wild rice and didn’t love the texture of the final dish.
- Dice the chicken and slice the mushrooms up to a few days ahead of time to save on prep time, and/or use chopped rotisserie chicken for an even quicker option.
- This recipe feeds an army, but leftovers heat up beautifully.
- I use a gluten free flour blend to thicken the cheese sauce, though if you don’t need to eat gluten free you can use all-purpose flour. Check out the recipe card below for my favorite gluten free flour blends for cooking and baking.
- I love using sharp cheddar cheese for casseroles, as you can really taste it through the other ingredients, but you can use whatever cheese you’ve got on hand.
Ok! Who’s ready to fill their bellies and warm their souls with this crazy-cozy-casserole mash up?!
Step 1: Cook the Rice
First cook long grain white rice in chicken broth until tender. Fluff, then set aside. I always use Lundberg Farms White Jasmine Rice.
Step 2: Saute the Mushrooms
Meanwhile, add sliced mushrooms and shallots to a very large skillet over medium-high heat then, once the mushrooms release their liquid, season with homemade seasoned salt and pepper. Continue to saute until the mushrooms are golden brown then scoop them into a bowl and set aside.
Step 3: Saute the Chicken
Next, saute diced chicken breasts, seasoning with more seasoned salt and pepper, until cooked through. Scoop the chicken into the same bowl as the mushrooms then turn the heat down to medium.
Step 4: Make the Sauce
Melt butter in the skillet then whisk in gluten free flour and cook for 2 minutes.
Next, slowly stream in chicken broth and milk while whisking to create a smooth sauce. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder then cook, stirring often, until thickened and bubbly, 3-4 minutes.
Lastly, stir in shredded sharp cheddar cheese until smooth and fully melted.
Step 5: Combine and Bake
Add the cooked rice, chicken, and mushrooms, plus a can of green beans – cut or french-style – into the skillet then stir to combine.
Scoop the mixture into a large casserole dish, or two smaller ones, then bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Last step is to add the piece de resistance – Gluten Free French Fried Onions. I cannot TELL you what a delicious flavor and crunch these add to the casserole. Sprinkle on top then return the dish to the oven until the onions are golden brown and crispy – 7-9 minutes.
This is the brand of gluten free french fried onions I use. I actually started using them instead of making homemade crispy shallots in my Green Bean Casserole because they’re so tasty and convenient!
Let the casserole sit to thicken and cool for 10-15 minutes then scoop onto plates and dig in. I know you will love this EPIC, comfort food casserole mash up. Enjoy, enjoy!
More Craveable Casserole Recipes
- Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole
- Skinny Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Spaghetti Squash Casserole
- Cheesy Vegetable, Turkey Sausage and Rice Casserole
- Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice Casserole
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Cheesy Chicken and Rice Green Bean Casserole
Description
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Green Bean Casserole combines two of your favorite casseroles in one! This cozy recipe is the epitome of comfort food.
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 8oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1 shallot, chopped
- homemade seasoned salt and pepper (see notes)
- 2 chicken breasts (14oz), cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups (8oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 15oz can green beans, cut or french-style, drained
- 6oz can gluten free french fried onions (I use Full Circle brand)
- For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup gluten-free flour blend (see notes)
- 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add rice and chicken broth to a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a bubble then turn heat down to low and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until rice is tender. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and shallots then saute until golden brown and tender, seasoning with homemade seasoned salt and pepper after the mushrooms have released their liquid. Scoop mushrooms into a bowl then set aside.
- Heat remaining Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in skillet then add chicken, season with homemade seasoned salt and pepper, then saute until cooked through. Scoop into bowl with mushrooms.
- For the sauce: Turn heat down to medium then melt butter in skillet. Sprinkle in flour then whisk and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly pour in chicken broth while whisking constantly to create a smooth sauce. Add milk then whisk to combine. Add salt, garlic powder, and pepper then switch to a spatula and cook, stirring often, until sauce is thickened and bubbly, 3-4 minutes.
- Remove skillet from heat then add shredded cheese and stir until smooth. Add cooked rice, cooked mushrooms and chicken, and green beans then fold to combine - again, make sure you are using a LARGE skillet! Scoop mixture into a 9x13” casserole dish, or two smaller casserole dishes, then bake for 15 minutes or until bubbly in the corners. Top with gluten free french friend onions then bake for an additional 7-9 minutes or until onions are golden brown. Let casserole sit and cool for 10 minutes then scoop and serve.
Notes
- Click here for my Homemade Seasoned Salt Recipe >
- I recommend King Arthur Flour GF Measure for Measure Flour or Bob’s Red Mill GF 1-to-1 Baking Flour for this recipe.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Monica 11.13.2021
I made this for dinner last week, and my husband and I absolutely loved it! It’s going into our regular dinner rotation. Thank you so much for sharing.
Nancy 04.21.2021
Making #5 with roasted chicken thighs, subbing roasted garlic quinoa for the rice. I knew that pkg of French fried onions would come in handy!
Kristin 04.22.2021
Oh yeah – sounds heavenly!!
Erin 02.22.2021
Hi! Do you drain the green beans or add the liquid also?
Kristin 02.22.2021
Hi Erin! Drain the green beans before adding.
Molly 12.10.2020
My husband and three boys gave it “7 thumbs up” last night! I agree!
Kristin 12.15.2020
Woo!! Thanks for the feedback, Molly!
Debi H 12.07.2020
Hi Kristin,
Wouldn’t it just be easier to mix everything in the skillet and bake it in the skillet rather than transferring to a baking dish? One less thing to wash. I’m lazy, LOL!
Kristin 04.21.2021
You could do that if you have an oven safe skillet!
Jennifer 11.14.2020
Made this tonight and we both LOVED it!! did 2 smaller pans so I was able to pop one in the deep freeze for future eating. Didn’t change a thing. Delicious!
Stacey 11.09.2020
Made this over the weekend and we loved it! Thank you!
Kristin 11.09.2020
So happy to hear that, Stacey! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Andrew 11.06.2020
Do you have calories per serving?
Sarah 11.06.2020
This looks amazing and is going straight on my meal plan. I’m going to make a dairy free cheese sauce with nutritional yeast since half my house is dairy allergic but I bet it will be just as delicious!
Laura 11.06.2020
Delicious and perfect for a crisp fall night. Hubby’s only complaint was he wanted more color. Next time it gets served with a side salad.
Meg 11.05.2020
Was it just me or did anyone else have a hard time pulling themselves away from the casserole picture to even make it to the recipe? I was mesmerized by it : ) adding to the grocery list now!
Ivy 11.04.2020
Made this for the first time last night. It will not be the last! So good and comforting in a Thanksgiving-y kind of way. My kids gobbled it up and didn’t even notice the mushrooms.
Mary 11.01.2020
Thanks for posting this Kristin. So timely before Thanksgiving and we both loved it, made enough to last us through the week.
Kristin 11.02.2020
I’m so glad to hear that, Mary! Enjoy your tasty leftovers!!
Teresa 10.31.2020
Where do you find these french fried onions? I’ve tried a couple places an am unable to find this brand.
Thank you.
Kristin 11.01.2020
I get these in the HyVee Health Market. If you can’t find any, you can fry shallots as seen in this post! https://iowagirleats.com/gluten-free-green-bean-casserole/
Geri 10.31.2020
Made this casserole last night and didn’t change a thing. So delicious!!
Kristin 11.01.2020
Woo, so glad to hear it, Geri! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Heather 10.30.2020
I recoil from mushrooms(my only enemy!). What ingredient would be best to double up in its place…? Green beans? This sounds siiiiick, by the way, cheese sauce YUM
Kristin 11.01.2020
I totally get that – I HATED mushrooms for the first 30(ish) years of my life! I think cauliflower florets diced small then sauteed in butter vs extra virgin olive oil, like in this recipe: https://iowagirleats.com/creamy-sweet-corn-pasta-with-basil/ would be divine!
Becky 10.30.2020
Could you share a link for where you buy the onion rings?
Kristin 11.01.2020
Hi Becky! I buy these at my grocery store’s (HyVee) health market section!
Nancy 10.29.2020
Can’t wait to try this one, Kristin. Yum yum!
Kristin 11.01.2020
I hope you love it, Nancy!!
Sara 10.29.2020
What an awesome mash up! Putting that on the menu for next week. We are staying in and making Hocus Pocus milkshakes (at the request of my 13 year old) and watching scary movies. I am totally looking forward to a chill night!
Kristin 10.29.2020
Sounds like a blast!! Have fun together!!
Amanda 10.29.2020
Pinned this recipe, looks delicious! And yes, I’ll happily join a mom watch party for Hocus Pocus – my kids won’t watch with me either, willingly anyway ;)!
Kristin 10.29.2020
What is it with these kids? Don’t they know it’s the best halloween movie of our time?! ? Hope you enjoy the recipe!!
Susan 10.29.2020
Can you sub cauliflower rice for the long grain?
Kristin 10.29.2020
Hi Susan! I’m sure you could add cauliflower crumbles to this recipe though I wouldn’t replace all the rice with it.