Who doesn’t love the iconic Wendy’s Chili? You can recreate this copycat Wendy’s chili at home, like the restaurant. You can prepare this in under 45 minutes; this tastes even better the next day!
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Table of Contents
Why This is the Best Copycat Wendy’s Copycat Chili Recipe
If you are looking for a tried and true copycat recipe, look no further. I developed this copycat version over 20 years ago. This recipe has stood the test of time. People love this recipe.
This chili is perfectly seasoned—not too spicy and just enough spice. This easy chili recipe is going to become one of your go-tos. You can enjoy the leftover chili the next day.
Wendy’s Chili Meat
It is said that Wendy’s chili is made from grilled hamburger patties that weren’t made into their burgers. You don’t have you start with hamburger patties, you can use fresh ground beef.
It is easier to start this way when you make your chili. We suggest that you brown the beef very thoroughly before making your chili.
If you are a die-hard Wendy’s Chili fan, you can start with about 2 pounds of ground meat and fry it up as hamburgers, but you must cook them until they are very well done.
Did you know?
- Wendy’s Chili is gluten-free.
This Wendy’s chili copycat recipe has lots of fresh ingredients, and it can be put together in no time. It has onions, celery, green bell pepper, two types of beans, beef, and chili seasoning.
You won’t be disappointed when you make a delicious bowl of this amazing chili from scratch. You’ll enjoy the wonderful aroma of chili cooking on the stovetop.
Wendy’s Chili Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Ground beef – Ground chuck is recommended due to its fat and lean meat ratio
- Tomato juice – This is added instead of water, so the chili has a rich tomato flavor.
- Tomato puree – I use this instead of tomato sauce or stewed tomatoes because it has more flavor. I prefer this over chopped tomatoes in a can because the tomatoes are already broken down, and you can get a lot of flavor this way.
- Canned red kidney beans – drain and rinse before using
- Canned pinto beans – drain and rinse before using
- Onion – white onions are recommended; they have a good flavor, and tend not to be spicy like yellow onions
- Celery – adds a nice crunch and texture to this chili
- Green bell pepper – layers in additional flavor
- Chili powder – McCormick brand is recommended, we find it has a good balance of flavors.
- Ground cumin – adds richness and a bit of smoke
- Garlic powder – you can use fresh garlic, but garlic powder
- Salt – is used to balance out the flavor
- Ground black pepper – layers in some heat, but not too much.
- Oregano – this chili adds a bright earthy flavor
- Cayenne pepper – if you need your chili to have more spice, I recommend adding a bit more
- Sugar – this rounds out the chili flavor
Tomato juice enhances the flavor of this chili, as does the chili powder, though you may want to start with a little less chili powder. I find 1/4 cup isn’t too hot and is still very flavorful.
How does Wendy’s make their chili?
Wendy’s makes chili in a big pot with leftover hamburger patties and chili ingredients. You only need a skillet to brown some ground beef and a big pot to cook the chili. Here are the easy steps:
- In a skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat.
- Drain the browned ground beef.
- Put the drained beef and the remaining ingredients in a 6-quart pot.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
- Bring the chili to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer for 1 to 1½ hours, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Serve this delicious chili and enjoy it as-is or with your favorite chili toppings and side dishes.
Recipe notes
It is important to cook this chili the entire time, as listed in the recipe. The flavors mellow and change over the cooking time.
I understand that some people also feel that three tablespoons of chili powder is too much. I think it’s best to stick with standard brands of chili powder.
Chili powder is a combination of several spices. There isn’t a chili powder plant. Stick with a well-known brand, and if you naturally like less spicy foods, consider using less. Again, I fully stand behind the three tablespoons as listed in the recipe below.
Recipe variations
If you cook the recipe as written, you will get the best-tasting copycat of Wendy’s chili. But you can make substitutions. Some people like to use ranch-style beans instead of pinto beans for a unique flavor, while others love to use just dark red kidney beans. You can add chipotle powder to this recipe, about 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon, if you want to add a wonderful rich smokiness to your chili.
You can swap the ground beef and use ground turkey if you want. You could also swap the meat entirely for some vegetarian meat crumbles.
Can you make Wendy’s Chili in a slow cooker? Yes, you can!
Can you make this delicious chili in a Crockpot slow cooker? Of course! Brown the ground beef, drain the beef, pour everything into a slow cooker, and cook on low for about 4 to 6 hours.
I hope you enjoy this recipe!
What to Serve with Wendy’s Chili
Here are some sides, toppings, and other dishes to go with this hearty chili:
- Baked Potato
- As a topping on a chili dog
- Corn Chips or Tortilla Chips (or make nachos with chili on top of them)
- French Fries
- Garlic Parmesan Buffalo Wings
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Jalapeno Peppers
- Salad
- Saltine Crackers
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Sour Cream
How to Store Wendy’s Chili
This recipe makes quite a bit. Chances are, if you don’t invite the whole team over for chili, you will have plenty to enjoy. Let’s go over how you can best store the chili!
- Refrigerate – in an airtight container for up to five days.
- Freeze: Cool the chili to room temperature. Please place it in an airtight freezer-safe container or a vacuum-sealed bag. Keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Best Way to Reheat Leftover Wendy’s Chili
If you need to reheat a portion of Wendy’s chili, I recommend doing so in the microwave. If you need to reheat several portions, I recommend doing so on the stovetop in a pot over medium-low heat.
Homemade Wendy’s Chili Copycat
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh ground beef
- 1 quart tomato juice
- 29 ounces canned tomato puree
- 15 ounces canned red kidney beans drained
- 15 ounces canned pinto beans drained
- 1 large onion chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
- 1/4 cup chili powder you may want to use less, as some people find this is too much
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain the grease.
- Put the drained beef and the remaining ingredients in a 6-quart pot or slow cooker and stir to combine.
- If using a pot, cover and simmer for at least 45 minutes. If you have time, I recomment to 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes, for the best flavor.
- If using a slow cooker, cook on low for 4 hours.
Video
Nutrition
Check out my other Wendy’s copycat recipes
- Baconator
- Breakfast Baconator
- BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad Recipe
- Instant Pot Wendy’s Chili
- Wendy’s Apple Pecan Salad
- Wendy’s Frosty Recipe
- Wendy’s Strawberry Salad
- Wendy’s Taco Salad
More Chili and Stew Recipes
Be sure to look at more fast food to make and homemade soup recipes.
I’ve been using this recipe for years and is my only go to for chili.
I made this chili with 1 pound ground chicken (dark meat), 1 pound of mild Italian flavored ground chicken, crushed celery seed instead of celery, no cumin ( i was all out), no cayenne pepper and much less chili powder ( I’m a wimp when it comes to hot stuff). Oh and I used splenda instead of sugar. Didn’t taste exactly like Wendy’s, but pretty darn close. Thank you for sharing this recipe, I will definitely make it often this winter.
missing 1 thing…. 1 cup of a top shelf bourbon you can thank me later 😉
I made this today minus the celery, cayenne pepper, pinto beans and garlic powder. I mistook my ginger powder for the garlic but decided to just go with it haha!! Didn’t have the other ingredients so I just increased some of the others instead (more chilli powder and more bell pepper).
Not sure if its because of the ingredients I got (or if I used a spicier chilli powder) or my modification in the recipe, but the whole thing tasted more spicy than tomato-ey to me. It didn’t particularly blend well and didn’t taste like wendy’s (then again I can’t really remember because there’s no longer any wendy’s in Singapore. sad.)
But hey! to each their own right?
I added 2 more ingredients and it tasted pretty good! I used 2 table spoons of light soya sauce and one tablespoon of tomato sauce.
The recipe itself was really easy to make and I also find that its easy to modify. Its a good one for people like me who’s only beginning to cook 🙂
Thank you so much! I’m glad I found your recipe! I will definitely try cooking it again with proper ingredients the next time 😛
I was thinking of leaving out the celery as well. Thanks!
I have never detected celery in any of the Wendy’s chili that I have eaten. I wasn’t going to put it in but it surprises me how many of the copycat recipes add chili.
I mean celery.
Sweetie, if you replace Ginger with garlic, of course it’s not going to taste right! Those two are nothing alike.
I make this chili often. Not sure it tastes just like Wendy’s, but it is delicious and easy to prepare. I used to make Ree Drummond’s (from Food Network) chili, but I like this version even better!!
I made the chili yesterday and it turned out great. Very close to the “real” Wendy’s. I made it vegetarian and used gardein ground instead of beef. It was indistinguishable from meat chili. If you do that, add the gardein when there are only about ten minutes to go and you only need about a pound of it rather than the two pounds of beef in the recipe. No need to “brown” the gardein or anything, just dump it in the pot right from the package.
This had way too much tomato taste! Could not tone it down. Not enough green bell peppers either. Chili seasoning was ok. Tomato juice and tomato puree was just too much. Maybe stewed tomatoes instead of 29 oz. of puree.
I am sorry you didn’t like the recipe. A pinch or two of sugar would have taken care of the acid part of the tomato flavor.
In your video you use a 15 oz can of puree and in the recipe you have a 29oz can listed. Which one do you really use? That would cut down the tomato taste quite a bit if he used the smaller can of puree.
I used two 15 ounce cans of the puree, the video editor doesn’t cook and thought it would be boring to have shot in twice. I am sorry this was confusing. Please use the recipe as written.
Your recipe is perfect . If they didn’t like yours , I susp ct Wendy’s chili isn’t for them either !
This was pretty close minus all the preservatives and fake food coloring Wendys adds! I was skeptical of all the tomatoe juice plus sauce but this came out very well!! I am also glad to find this website so many good recipes what a gem!
I never saw added preservatives or food colouring when I worked at Wendy’s. If’s 100% beef and the other ingredients are just like we buy in the grocery store.
I didn’t see any preservatives either when I worked at Wendy’s in Chillicothe Il in the 1970’s. It was made fresh daily as were the square beef patties. Always fresh. Our store was spotless. It was a great first job with excellent fresh food.
I have made this recipe 2 times in the past 2 months for my immediate family (4 people) and one time for my immediate family and 5 other people for a tailgating party. EVERYONE loved the chili. I’ve had to print out the recipe for 4 people who like to cook.
Thank you!
I am so happy everyone enjoyed the chili that you made!! It is a real compliment when you make something everyone loves.
This is a good recipe and similar to Wendy’s but I wouldn’t call it a copykat. I think part of the flavor profile of Wendy’s chili comes from how the beef is prepared. It is burgers that have then been simmered and crumbled. To capture this flavor I don’t brown the ground beef but rather sear it in a hot cast iron skillet and then break it up and simmer it in water for about 30 mins. A potato masher or a couple passes with an immersion blender helps to break down the meat. Drain it well before adding to your sock pot with the remaining ingredients then simmer only long enough to soften the vegetables (onion, celery and green pepper). The flavor doesn’t improve with hours and hours of simmering but you will increase your chances of burning your chili. An hour is usually more than sufficient. As most people will attest, chili always tastes better the next day. I think it’s the cooling and time that really lets the flavors blend and develop. All in all though, this is a good recipe.
I appreciate your thoughts on the chili.
This recipe has become our “go to” chili recipe. I have made it several times as written and my family always enjoys it. It has a great tomato flavor without “chunks” of tomato, which my boys don’t like. Thanks for a great recipe!
I’ve made this recipe 3 times now in a slow cooker and have been told by many who I’ve shared it with that it tastes just like the Wendy’s version. I also agree. Thank you!
Excellent. Do you cook your ground beef before you start the whole process.
Excellent. Do you cook your ground beef before you start the whole process?
I agree! I make mine in the slow cooker as well and it tastes even better the next day.❤️️
I’m not trying to bash this recipe but it wasn’t good at all to me. It didn’t taste anything like Wendy’s and it was embarrassing to even give this to my husband. I had to do so many things for it to be acceptable for either of us.
Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but I think it taste just like it (I did add more sugar though) this is the only recipe I ever use!
What type or brand of chili powder do you use?
I often the Spice House or Penzey’s, both come from mail order places online. I highly recommend either.
I hope you enjoyed the recipe. I love inexpensive meals.
Yum, Yum, Yum. Stephanie hit the mark on this one. I made this about a month ago and it was such a hit that I have been asked to make it several more times. Each time it gets better because you can add as much or as little as you want of the “hot” stuff. Add some cheese and sour cream and your taste buds are in heaven. I do add more cayenne to make it spicier but you can have it mild or very, very spicy. This is a must for anyone who loves Wendy’s chili. It is identical to their recipe.
I used to work at Wendy’s in high school and loved their chili! This looks great!
I made this chili today and it was very good. I did not have the celery because I didn’t want to make a trip to the store to get it. My husband said it will be better than very good the next time because I promised I would have celery in it. It will become my ‘to go’ recipe for chili from now on. Thanks for creating this recipe, Stephanie.
I am glad you enjoyed the chili. It is a good recipe. I think the using tomato juice really makes a difference. I think the celery adds a little something to the soup.
I will be trying this one. Thanks for sharing this.
Just made this recipe and it was good. We loved it. Although I wanted to point out your recipe calls for a 29oz can of tomato puree and we also used the HEB 15oz can and put two without scraping all puree out so it’d be close to 29oz like the recipe is written but after watching your video you only used one can. My was a little saucy and I think that’s why. Too much puree. Also I believe, because I just had some 3 nights ago, that Wendy’s has tomatoes in the chili. Not sure if they’re stewed or fresh. Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe they’re in there. Thank you for the recipe and I’ll be using it again soon..
One comment here, in my early videos, I wasn’t working with someone that cooked a lot. I believe she missed the second shot of the second can. It was put in there. You can at about 3:30 seconds there are two cans of tomato puree in the background. I think my editor was trying to save a couple of seconds on the video by not showing me pour in two cans. I hope this ok with you.