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!
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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.
Hi, I made this last night. It was perfect but needed something. At first I thought sugar would cut the tomato taste but then tried a little worsteshire and that brought out the beff flaver I was looking for. Just a little.
In the video you use 15 oz can of puree…receioe shows larger can…which is it?
So in the video, my editor cut the second 15 ounce can of tomato puree. Why? I don’t know. Well, I do know, she does not cook. Please use 29 ounces of tomato puree. I am sorry this was confusing.
Let me know if I can do anything else for you.
Hi Stephanie, I thought your video was well done.I needed clairifacation on something. Your recipe called for Tomatoe Juice not Tomatoe Sauce but Tomatoe Juice?
The recipe requires tomato juice and tomato puree. There is no tomato sauce in the recipe.
It’s great to find this recipe as the closest Wendy’s to me is 89 miles. The only time I can get it is when I have to drive there for something else. That’s when I buy 8 large chili’s or several family size if they carry it.
Wow, I used to think I lived out in the middle of nowhere. I am glad you liked the chili.
I want to make this. Can you share what brand of chili powder you use? I know that some include a lot of salt.
I either use Penzey’s or McCormick.
I made this Recipie last week and it was perfect!!! I used just once can – 28 oz of tomato purée.
Tonight I am making again, going to try with turkey, black beans and corn adding – who knows!
Truly loved this Recipie though!!
Can’t wait to try some of you others!!
I am glad you enjoyed the recipe! It is a great recipe to start experimenting!
Reading labels on spices generally reveals what is included inside. I have rarely seen any salt in chili powder . . .
Spices can be funny, I think from an FDA perspective, folks can label things “spices and flavorings”, and that’s fine. Here is the FDA Regulation with how they can get by with
saying natural flavorings without spelling out what it is.
Made this today. I questioned the 1/4 cup of chili powder, but decided to add as directed.
My husband and granddaughter absolutely loved the chili! They both requested that I not lose this recipe. I have a habit of making something and not marking the recipe or printing. I threw out my other chili recipes and printed this one and put in my recipe book . That’s how delicious this recipe is. This will definitely be my go to chili recipe. Most definitely a keeper.
Oh wow 😉 Thank you! I am so glad to hear your family loved the recipe.
I’m so glad that I’m not the only one with this bad habit!
Does anyone know what the serving size is on the nutritional information. Doing keto diet and need to know if this will work with it.
The serving size is fairly large it is a very full 1 cup serving.
great recipe. I became the soup guru at my local country club years ago and usually make 5 gallon plus sizes at a time. this recipe mimics mine almost perfectly except i roast the meat and veggies in the oven first. Dave Thomas eat your heart out!! thanks
Would the tomato puree be the same as tomato sauce or is the puree thicker?
The puree is thicker than sauce. In a pinch you could try using sauce.
I NEED THE CHRISTOS RECIPE FOR THEIR ROSA MARINARA . NOT SURE OF THE SPELLING.I’M 83 AND CAN’T AFFORD TO BUY IT. PLEASE HELP ME. THANK YOU.
Thank you for your request, I don’t have the recipe for Christos Rosa Marina Soup, but I will keep it in mind.
It’s good Chili but tastes nothing like Wendys
Thanks for letting me know, where do you think the flavor was off, I would love to improve the recipe.
I made this tonight and it doesn’t taste like Wendy’s chili at all. In fact, I just happened to have Wendy’s chili this weekend and saved a little to compare. This recipe is too tangy while Wendy’s is smoother even after adding their hot sauce. Also Wendy’s chili has little chunks of tomatoes. I tried adding a little more sugar but was afraid I would get it too sweet which I didn’t want. I followed your recipe and added almost 1/4 cup of chili powder because I like chili to be spicy. Do you think this may have caused the tangy taste? This chili was also a darker red than the Wendy’s chili which may also account for the amount of chili powder. Although this recipe tasted good (my family liked it a lot) I was hoping more for that Wendy’s taste. If I try this recipe again, I’ll definitely use less chili powder and maybe crushed tomatoes instead of the purée.
Not sure of what could have caused the tang you are referring to. Yes, different chili powders do have a different “recipe”. It may be the brand of chili powder wasn’t quite right. I am sorry your experience wasn’t everything you hoped it would be. I don’t think the difference of tomato puree vs tomato bits and pieces would make a different flavor. I think finding the chili powder you like best will help the most.
It says it makes ten servings at 257 calories. How big is the serving? One cup?
I believe the serving size is larger than a cup, I think it is about 1 1/2 cups.
Question please. I want to make this recipe without any beans. Would the ingredients amounts stay the same? Would I add more beef or just keep everything the same without the beans? Has anyone made it this way?
I would keep everything the same, maybe add less liquid.
How long would I cook this great recipe in a crock pot and on high or low setting?
Low = three hours, high I would do 1 to 2 hours.
Love this recipe and I’ve never added beans before. When I make this recipe I’m able to freeze 2 containers. Makes perfect quick meals after work! And still delicious!
I have been making chili for 50 years. This is better! I cannot explain why – probably just the right combintion of ingredients but it is perfection. Made the recipe exactly as written, simmered for 3-4 hours, 8 generous servings.
I really think it is the tomato juice. I make chili at home as well, and when I don’t make it with the tomato juice, I don’t like it as well. Everything else is pretty standard.
I agree Stephanie, and I take it a step further by using spicy V-8.
I bet that does make it great.
I tried it with the Spicy V8 it takes it there! I added some sirlon tips with my Chilli!
This recipe looks great and I’ll definitely give it a try!
Has someone tried to make it in a crock pot?
Yes it works wonderfully
Yes I’ve made it several times in my crockpot.
This is a great recipe. I have used it for years and everyone loves it. I was a manager for Wendy’s and yes it is patties that make it to the end of the grill and are not considered fresh anymore. They’re places in a sealed bucket in the cooler. The following morning they’re boiled, chopped and drained to make chili. That is the one thing I have always done that the recipe does not call for. I rinse the meat and drain to remove all grease as Wendy’s doe
Thank you for the info on the meat. That’s great to know.
Ultimate comfort food!
The celery in here is unexpectedly delicious!