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When the weather starts to get cooler and you seek more comfort food, Wendy’s Chili is about as comforting as it gets. This budget-friendly recipe has so many uses, freezes well, is perfect for meal prep, and can be made to serve your family or a large crowd.
Suitable for gluten free diets
Fall and chili seem to go hand in hand. Perhaps it’s the cooler weather that makes me crave comfort food. Maybe it’s the numerous opportunities for tailgating and hosting game day parties that have me hunting for an easy recipe that feeds a crowd.
And once school starts back and the kids are running in all different directions, we need a meal that does double and triple duty all week long. That’s when I turn to this Wendy’s chili recipe to save the day (or the week)!
Table of Contents
Delicious Chili Recipe
Wendy’s chili is loaded with beef, beans, tomatoes, and lots of flavorful spices and seasonings, and this Wendy’s copycat chili recipe is spot on in flavor and texture.
And like with Instant Pot Taco Pasta, get ready for your family to come in drooling and begging to know when dinner will be ready.
It only takes about an hour for this Copycat Wendy’s chili recipe to reach absolute perfection and it will be well worth the wait.
Why Make This Recipe
- Spot-On Copycat – Don’t be surprised if everyone checks the freezer for the Frosty’s because this copycat Wendy’s chili recipe is spot on!
- No All-Day Cooking – You can get slow-cooked chili flavor in about an hour.
- Filling and Economical – Chili is so filling, and because it’s loaded with beans and tomatoes in addition to the beef, it’s economical too.
- Multi-Use – Of course, you can enjoy chili in a bowl with a bit of cheese and crackers, but this versatile meal has multiple uses all week long so it’s perfect for meal prep.
Ingredient Notes
You only need a few ingredients to make this delicious recipe.
- Ground Beef – Beef is the heart of this recipe and is a flavorful source of protein.
- Holy Trinity – Celery, onions, pepper are referred to as the holy trinity and provide a lovely aromatic, earthy flavor to the dish.
- Jalapeno – Jalapenos add just a little touch of heat.
- Seasonings –Garlic, sugar, oregano, cumin, chili powder, pepper, salt and cayenne are added in perfect proportions to make this chili taste just like the chili you get at Wendy’s.
- Tomatoes – Tomatoes appear in three ways in this dish with tomato juice, tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.
- Beans – A tasty combination of kidney beans and pinto beans add bulk, flavor and protein to this flavorful Wendy’s chili recipe.
How To Make Wendy’s Chili
Get full ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
- In a large soup pot, sauté beef, celery, onion, green pepper and jalapeno until the beef is no longer pink.
- Drain excess fat if necessary, then add in the garlic, sugar, oregano, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, salt and cayenne pepper, stirring until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Then add in the tomato juice, water, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and butter and bring everything to a boil.
- Simmer the chili for 30 minutes.
- Add the beans and simmer for 10 more minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
Tips For Success
- Finely chop the celery, onions, peppers and jalapeno so they cook evenly.
- Drain the excess fat before adding the spices.
- Allow the spices to cook and become fragrant before adding the stock to allow the flavors to develop.
Variations
- Adjust the Heat – Altering the ingredients will slightly change the overall flavor of the chili but adding or subtracting jalapenos and cayenne pepper will allow you to adjust the heat to your liking.
- Change the Meat – Ground beef is traditional, but any ground meat such as chicken, turkey and even venison are wonderful substitutes.
- Skip the Beans – Not everyone is a fan of beans and you can leave them out, although I’m not sure why you would!
- Add More Veggies – If you are looking for a way to feed your kids more veggies, hiding them in chili is the perfect way to do it.
- Add Bacon – Adding bacon to the chili is a great way to enhance the flavor.
- Add Beer – Swap out the water for beer and you will make chili with amazing flavor.
Budget-Friendly Tips
- Buy Beef In Bulk – Purchase beef in bulk or when it is on sale and freeze it in portioned packages for later use.
- Save Veggie Scraps – When you need celery, onions and peppers for other recipes and have leftovers, save the scraps in a freezer-safe bag or container for use in soups and stews.
- Freeze Leftover Chili – Chili freezes beautifully so you can make a big batch to save time and money.
Prep Ahead And Storage
- Prep Ahead – This Wendy’s chili recipe can be made up to 5 days in advance and it gets better with time.
- Store – Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Freeze – Follow these instructions to freeze this chili:
- Allow to cool completely.
- Measure individual portions of chili and scoop into freezer-safe containers.
- Freeze for up to 6 months.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat in a skillet or in the microwave.
Meal Prep
- This Wendy’s chili copycat recipe can be kept for 5 days, so you can eat it the first night and enjoy the leftovers for 5 more days.
- Make a double batch and freeze the leftovers so you can cook once and enjoy the recipe twice.
- Use the leftovers in meals all week long. Here are our favorite ways to use leftover chili:
- Chili Cheese Hot Dogs
- Frito Pie
- Baked Potatoes with Chili
- Chili Cheese Fries
- Nachos
- Chili Spaghetti
FAQs
Can I Make Wendy’s Chili In Crock Pot?
If you want a dump and start meal ready when you come home, the slow cooker is a great option.
Simply add all of the ingredients, cover, and cook 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low. You can brown the meat in advance if you prefer but it’s not required.
Is Wendy’s Chili Recipe Healthy?
This chili recipe is loaded with protein, fiber and veggies. It’s also a great source of vitamins and minerals.
Ground beef does have a fair amount of fat but draining the meat removes a fair amount of the excess fat. To lighten this recipe even more, you can use lean ground chicken or turkey in place of the beef.
Serving Suggestions
- Copycat Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice.
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
- Garlic Parmesan Fries.
More Ground Beef Recipes You Might Like
- Instant Pot Bolognese.
- Instant Pot Taco Pasta.
- Instant Pot Hamburger Helper.
- Meatball Pita Pockets.
Weight Watchers Points
There are Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.
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Get The Wendy’s Copycat Chili Recipe:
Wendy’s Chili Recipe Copycat
Enjoy the delicious flavor of your favorite takeout chili recipe at home.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 492kcal
Author: Bintu Hardy | Budget Delicious
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (907g) ground beef
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 green pepper seeded and diced
- 1 jalapeño seeded and finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried ground oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
- 4 cups tomato juice
- 2 cups water
- 15 ounces (422g) 1 can of diced tomatoes
- 1 cup (236ml) tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 15 ½ ounces (439g) 1 can of kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 15 ½ ounces (439g) 1 can of pinto beans rinsed and drained
Instructions
Add the beef, celery, onion, green pepper and jalapeno to a large soup pot over medium heat.
Stir and cook until the ground beef is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
Drain the excess fat from the pan, then add the garlic, sugar, oregano, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, salt and cayenne pepper to the pan and stir and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the tomato juice, water, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and butter and raise the heat too high until the chili starts to boil.
Reduce the heat to a low medium and let it simmer for 30 minutes before stirring in the kidney and pinto beans.
Let it simmer for another 10 minutes before serving with freshly chopped parsley or green onions for garnish if desired.
Slow Cooker Method
Add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker, cover and cook 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low. You can brown the meat in advance if you prefer, but it’s not required.
Video
Notes
- Finely chop the celery, onions, peppers, and jalapeno so they cook evenly.
- Drain the excess fat before adding the spices.
- Allow the spices to cook and become fragrant before adding the stock to allow the flavors to develop.
- Storage – keep in an airtight container inside the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 492kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 863mg | Potassium: 1141mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1383IU | Vitamin C: 59mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 5mg
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Betty
Ingredients: another version
2 pounds ground moose and the beans
1 quart tomato juice 1 (29-ounce)
can tomato purée 1 (15-ounce)
medium-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 (use less for milder chili)
1 teaspoon ground cumin (use more for real flavor)
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 T brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepperReply
Bet
Use 3 T chili powder next time. 4 T was a little spicy
Reply
Brenda Hedrick
this is hands down the best chili,it does taste like Wendy’s chili my go to recipe forever thanks for sharingReply
