Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a small pot, add the green beans, and cook until tender-crisp, 5-6 minutes. Drain into a bowl, and save the chicken broth for another use.

Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk together the mushroom soup, half-and-half, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in the cooked green beans, ham, onions, 2 cups of the cheddar, and and ¾ cup of the fried onions.

Step 3

Spray a 10-x-12-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and add the mixture to the casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup cheddar, and bake until bubbly and crusty, 40 minutes, adding the remaining ¼ cup French fried onions during the last 10 minutes of baking. Remove from the oven, let sit for 5 minutes, and serve.