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.
I have been making this chili from your recipe for the past 10 years and my family loves it. I just wanted to note that it does freeze very well.
I’ve often wondered why there are so many “copycat” recipes out there and none of them are all the same. Hmmmm…
Sorry, I don’t understand your comment. My recipe has been online since the late 1990s.
I understand her comment. There are several copy cat recipes & none are the same? It’s very odd. So many variations. I don’t think she meant anything rude.
This one is my fave!
Do you have Wendy’s chili recipe
My recipe is on the page here.
I also used V 8 instead of Tomato juice and a 14.5 ounce can of RO*TEL Diced Tomatoes and green Chilies.
Love it!!
I use a can of tomato soup instead of juice. It gives the chilly a greater taste. Next time I’m going to use baked beans instead of kidney beans and see what that tastes like.
We grabbed V8 by accident the last time we made it and it took the flavor up a whole other level. I highly recommend V8 instead of tomato juice.
V8 works very well!
Glad I saw ur comment because I was wondering about using v8 I am going to use a little 9f both v8 and tomato juice
Just made the chili. Yum Yum. Love the taste. Now we just letting it cook a little.
This is a wonderful recipe! My whole family loves it! Even my picky husband!
Excellent chili!
This chili is a favorite in my house now!
I liked this better than Wendy’s.
I was a bit skeptical of the amount of chili powder, I used McCormick’s brand and it was great!
My new favorite recipe for chili, I added some leftover burgers in there, and it was great.
We made frito pies out this and tried making a taco salad just like wendys.
First recipe I tried from your site, it was good. I will try more.
It was a good chili recipe, I added some hatch peppers to it to make it a little different.
Thanks for sharing this recipe, I haven’t been out to eat for months.
I was surprised the tomato juice made such a big change to the flavor. I will be making this again.
This is my go to chili recipe. Family loves it.
As I do not like hunks and chunks of vegetables, I put the onions, green pepper and celery in a mini blender and then toss the mixture in.
We live in New Mexico, USA. There most certainly is a chili plant! Our state is famous for our “Hatch” green Chile from Hatch NM. The Chile peppers start out green, then as they ripen they turn to a dark red. The red pods are usually dried and ground up to make chili powder. The green pods are usually used fresh, frozen, or canned (green is spelled “chile” & red is spelled “chili).” Hope this helps!
Good to know–I love learning things!
The red chili is dried whole which are turned into ristras or loose which are made into red chili molido rojo or ground red chili is used to make chili and used in recipes
That’s so funny. My mom is from New Mexico and she always said that chile is the plant for any color and chili is a spice blend or a dish. I’d never heard of the color distinction until now. Thanks for sharing!
You misinterpreted what she wrote. What she wrote was “Chili powder is a combination of several spices, there isn’t a chili powder plant.” The emphasis on the word powder. She’s correct, there aren’t chili powder plants but there are chili plants. Folks that aren’t familiar with the world of chilis oftentimes don’t distinguish the difference between a ground up (powdered) chili pod and that same chili pod powder mixed with other spices to make what is commonly referred to as chili powder.
I decided to give this recipe a try because I’ve always enjoyed Wendy’s chili. I made a double batch today (1/25/20) using 92% ground sirloin. I multiplied the quantities for all ingredients by two (i.e., 4 lbs ground beef, etc.). My only changes to the recipe were I used crushed tomatoes (SMT brand) instead of puree, I reduced the quantity of garlic powder by about half and added about 4 cloves of garlic that I squeezed thru a press. I bumped up the quantity of ground cumin a bit as recommended in the video and I added some extra diced celery and green pepper to make sure it didn’t disappear in the mix. I chopped the onion a bit on the coarse side, and added about 25% of it to the ground meat as it finished browning to “sweat it” a little as shown in the video (I drained the ground meat first although the video didn’t show that happening). The rest of the chopped onion was added along with everything else. The result tastes exactly like Wendy’s chili in my humble opinion. Thank you and keep up the good work!
Great recipe! I have made twice, 1at time exactly like recipe. The second time I reduced the tomatoes puree by half(I thought it too thin) and I replaced the cayenne pepper with hot Hungarian(Szeged) Paprika, settling on 1\4 tsp when finished. Very happy with this change!