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.
This is my husband’s favorite chili! I need to whip up a batch this weekend!
this is a great recipe!
Perfect for our game day party food!
This has always been a favorite of mine!
I have to try this recipe! It looks amazing.
This chili has the perfect balance of flavors!
I would love to try this! Looks so comforting!
Great, I love wendy’s chili.
I have not had Wendy’s chili in forever! All I need is a milkshake and this and I would be so happy.
Perfect combination of seasonings! YUM!
Oh I love Wendy’s chili!! Can’t wait to make this at myself, it looks delish!
I LOVE LOVE LOOOVE this recipe!
i found this recipe several years ago on Pinterest and have made it countless times after making this discovery. Sometimes I add different types of beans or yellow/orange bell pepper for more color variety but no matter what I do, it’s always a hit.
Thank you for creating a wonderful copycat!
My husband just loves Wendy’s chili. So we were excited to find this recipe. The spices are just right, thank you!
Bookmarked.
I am glad you liked it!
I veganized this using veggie crumbles in place of beef and it warmed my heart with memories of Wendy’s chili. It’s perfect, thank you!
This recipe says 6 servings, but does not say how much a serving is. A cup? Two? Ten? lol. I’m trying to figure out how much this recipe actually makes.
Can ANYone answer this question??
I think this makes about 120 ounces of chili with all of the ingredients. So you could have 12 10 ounce portions.
Thank you so much, Stephanie!
Hi ….Thank you for posting. I am finally getting the nerve to tackle Chili. I wonder do you simmer at Med low? Can I simmer longer? I appreciate any input since so many have made me question simmering time? Thanks again for this my family loves Chili w Tomato juice and Macaroni noodles.
I don’t know how your stove is set up. Medium Low is meant to describe a temperature between medium and low. So if medium was 5 out of 10, I should suggest a range of 2 and 3. Hope this helps.
Start at low and gradually turn up until the bubbles break the surface. Works for me.
Can’t wait to try this. Other copycat recipes are too thick…Wendy’s sauce is more liquid. Was SO glad to see yours calls for tomato juice. I think that might be the answer.
I have always thought their chili was pretty runny. I honestly like chili with a lot of liquid, that means I can add fritos to it!
This recipe uses sugar, and sugar is a no-no. I have diabetics in the home and the only thing that gets sugar is my coffee in the mornings and that is the sugar cubes. Can this be made without the sugar? I love Wendy’s Chili, but it is kinda of too sweet.
1/2 tsp for six servings? That is only a pinch per serving. Not an issue at all….just relax and enjoy it!
Diabetics can eat sugar. Just count your carbs. I eat regular sugar and incorporate it into my diet plan. 45 to 55 grams of carbs per meal.1 tsp of sugar has 15 grams. That small amount spread out through 6 servings is minute. Keep in mind, the beans are high in fiber which helps bring that count down.
Hey kids!
Had to pipe up here…
I am a Nutrition therapist and chef. Shana, you are doing well by eliminating *all* sugars from your household in favor of your family’s health. Diabetics should absolutely avoid/eliminate foods that engage the fatigued pancreas. As I’m sure you are aware, type 2 diabetes *is* reversible with relatively little effort.
As far as Lauri’s observation, experience, opinion, and post: 45-55g PER MEAL!? ???????? is excessive! I see that you generalized “carbohydrates,” which would include fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes, but the *quality* and the glycemic load of the foods is equally important to the promotion or reversal of chronic disease. 45-55g of carbs from cane sugar, for instance, will have very different health implications as compared to 45-55g of carbs from dark leafy greens (and a lot more food/fuel/energy/fiber)…
And that should be the maximum *daily* carb load.
Even the RDA for sugar for *healthy* people is only 23g PER DAY.
Not all type 11 diabetics can reverse their diabetes. A large majority, like myself, are hereditary and have nothing to do with weight. Eliminating all sugars is a set up for failure for most people. Diabetes isnt about “sugar”, its counting carbohydrates. Healthy choices are always best foods high in fiber help digestion, lowering carb counts by slowing digestion and turning to sugar, causing spikes. Diabetes is about balance, good fats, carbohydrates, starches, and fiber. I dont know where you got your degree in diabetes management, but you might want to get your money back. Diabetes isnt about what you CANT eat, it’s all about HOW to eat.
Daily carbs, not sugar????? You aren’t a diabetes nutrition expert. You should leave it to them. Diabetes is a complicated disease. It’s not just carbs, it’s also fats. And type 11 diabetes is a defect of the liver, not the pancreas.
This is hands down the best chili ever! I usually double it and freeze some down. The only thing I’ve ever changed is I use fresh garlic when I’m out of powder but it is still just as good!
I am so glad you enjoy the recipe.
This recipe looks great. Do you really use 1/4 cup chili powder?
Given that there is 29 oz can of tomato puree and a quart of tomato juice 1/2 cup of chile powder is very much much. I use more when making enchilada sauce. I use mild chile powder and Kashmiri MIrch (you can use cayenne) pepper to add a little heat.