The best Easy Wendy’s Chili copycat recipe to recreate the famous hearty and delicious chili with beef, beans, veggies and lots of amazing flavor.
A bowl of homemade Beef Chili is always a comforting meal, but sometimes I crave a big bowl of Wendy’s famous chili. With this copycat recipe, you get the best of the two, homemade chili plus the iconic drive-thru flavor! Serve with a side of Sweet Cornbread and don’t forget a Wendy’s Frosty for dessert!
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Easy Wendy’s Chili Copycat Recipe
Grabbing some Wendy’s Chili is a no brainer when the weather starts turning cold. Their chili is hearty, flavorful, and filled with just the right amount of heat to warm you up. With a perfect blend of beef, beans, and veggies, it is a beloved comfort food for many.
With this copycat recipe, you don’t have to head to the drive-thru when you are craving a delicious bowl of the famous chili. It has all the same flavors and textures as the original, down to their signature brothy consistency. Also, homemade chili a lot more budget friendly and you can enjoy delicious leftover chili all week long!
Ingredients
- Ground Beef: The ground beef forms the base of the chili, providing richness and depth of flavor. At one point Wendy’s original recipe was made with leftover hamburger patties, so let the beef get a nice sear before stirring to recreate that tasty char.
- Tomatoes: Tomato sauce contributes a luscious and tangy element to the chili, binding all the flavors together. The canned tomatoes, with their natural sweetness and acidity, provide a bright and fresh taste to balance the richness of the beef and beans.
- Canned Beans: A combination of both canned kidney beans and pinto beans, add heartiness and creaminess to the chili. Don’t rinse the beans, instead use the liquid from the cans to add flavor and a silky consistency to the broth.
- Veggies: The combination of yellow onion, celery, and green bell peppers adds depth and complexity to the chili while also packing it with vegetables for a healthy hearty chili.
- Jalapeno: The jalapeno adds a subtle heat without making the chili too spicy. You can leave them out for a mild chili, or add more if you love spicy food!
- Chili Seasoning: The chili seasoning ingredients are the secret behind this dish irresistible taste. Cumin and chili powder infuse smoky and earthy flavors, while black pepper and salt enhance the overall seasoning.
- Water: Wendy’s Chili is a brothy chili so water is added to get that thinner consistency. If you prefer a thicker chili, you can skip the water and still get that delicious taste.
- Butter: A little butter added at the end of cooking adds a touch of richness and silky texture to this chili, without adding a whole lot of calories. The butter also helps mellow some of the bold spices, for a distinctive creamy flavor.
How to Make
Time needed: 2 hours and 10 minutes
- Beef:
In a large pot, brown the ground beef. Let it sear and form a crust to get a delicious char, then break it up into bigger chunks as you cook it. Drain the fat.
- Combine:
Add the canned beans and tomatoes with the liquid from the cans to the beef, then stir in the veggies, spices, tomato sauce, and water. Stir well and bring to a boil.
- Simmer:
Lower the heat to simmer, meaning small bubbles as it cooks. Stir occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook for about 2 hours.
- Serve:
Stir the butter into the chili mixture until its melted and fully incorporated into the broth. Serve with crackers and your favorite toppings.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef , 85/15
- 29 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 29 ounces canned kidney beans , not drained
- 29 ounces canned pinto beans , not drained
- 28 ounces canned tomatoes , chopped (not drained)
- 1 yellow onion , diced
- 1 jalapeno , diced, de-seeded and de-veined
- 2 stalks celery , chopped
- 1 green bell pepper , chopped
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed stockpot, brown the ground beef.
- Drain the fat.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients (except the butter) and bring to a boil.
- Lower to a simmer and cook uncovered (please keep at a simmer) for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the butter and stir until fully melted and incorporated.
- Serve with toppings of choice.
Nutrition
Want to save this recipe? Create a free account to easily save your favorite recipes
Chef’s Note
While grabbing a bowl of chili from the restaurant is convenient, there’s something special about recreating this classic dish in the comfort of your own kitchen. Plus making a homemade Wendy’s Chili recipe means you have full control the ingredients, adjust it to your taste and make it even better than the original version!
What to serve with chili
A standard side to chili is the saltine crackers, but with homemade chili, you can step up the sides! Instead of plain crackers, top a delicious bowl of chili with equally delicious Ranch Saltines. Of course there’s the classic chili side, cornbread! Serve a big bowl of chili with some Jalapeno Popper Cornbread Muffins!
Frequent Questions
Yes, it is made with onion and so is this copycat recipe. The great thing about making homemade chili, you can adjust it to your taste and skip the onions if you don’t like them, or use a little onion powder to taste instead.
Wendy’s Chili is a robust and hearty soup-like dish featuring a combination of beef burgers, beans, and vegetables cooked to perfection. This mouthwatering recipe has garnered a reputation for being hearty with bold spices in a thinner broth and lots of beefy flavor.
Yes, it can be considered a relatively healthy option compared to some other fast food choices. But this homemade version is even healthier. It contains a good amount of protein, fiber from the beans and vegetables, and is relatively low in saturated fat.
Can chili be made ahead?
Absolutely! This chili recipe actually benefits from being made ahead of time as it allows the flavors to develop and deepen further. Prepare the chili as instructed, let it cool, and refrigerate in an airtight container overnight. The next day, reheat it gently on the stovetop for a more flavorful meal.
How to Store
- Store: Allow the chili to cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- Reheat: the best way to reheat this chili is on the stove top over low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through, to deepen the flavors.
- Freeze: Divide the chili into freezer-safe bags, leaving some headspace for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating on the stove top.
Slow Cooker Method
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain the fat.
- Transfer the cooked ground beef to a slow cooker.
- Add all the remaining ingredients (except the butter) to the slow cooker.
- Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or on high heat for 3-4 hours.
- Stir occasionally during the cooking process to ensure even distribution of flavors.
- About a half hour before serving, add the butter.
- Cook the remaining time, stir well and serve.
Wendy’s Chili Bar
Do you remember Wendy’s Super Bar, aka their amazing salad and chili bar they had in the 1990s? Indulge in the nostalgia of dining-in at a fast food place by setting up your own chili bar, complete with this homemade chili recipe. The secret to a perfect recreation is Baked Potatoes! Don’t forget the butter (or get real authentic with margarine), sour cream, and green onions for the ultimate trip down memory lane. For the salad bar, a simple iceberg salad mix will do along with lots of croutons, cheddar cheese, onions, tomatoes, and any other favorite salad bar toppings.
Variations
- Meat: Instead of ground beef, use ground turkey or chicken. Wendy’s chili was created to use up leftovers, so why not make this with leftover burger patties or even Homemade Beef Meatballs.
- Vegetarian: To make this chili vegatarian use a plant-based meat alternative instead of the ground beef. You could also use more veggies to replace the meat, just cook them in oil first to make up for the beef fat. To make it vegan, also use a plant-based butter alternative.
- Veggies: Add extra vegetables like carrots, zucchini, or corn to enhance the nutritional value and make it even heartier.
- Spicy: Increase the heat by adding crushed red pepper, more jalapenos, hot pepper sauce, or even chipotle peppers if you love your chili with a spicy kick.
Related Recipes
More Beef Chili Recipes
The following pictures were featured in previous versions of this post:
This is my go to chili recipe. I probably made it at least 20 times over the last few years. I have tweaked it out some by adding 3 Jalapeno peppers, 8 stalks of celery, and an extra cup of water. Outside of that, I have kept everything else the same. I do let it simmer for a good 4-5 hours before serving. I like serving it with Mexican shredded cheese on top, some celery sticks on the side, and southern sweet cornbread. One pot will provide supper for 3 people for 3 days so it is well worth the cost. It does get even better the next day and the day after. Highly recommend your recipe.
Thanks Todd for your kind words and excellent ideas!
My bunch is so picky about Chili and since making this , they only settle for this !!! Thanks so much for the recipe it’s definitely a hit in our house !!
Too much chili powder but otherwise good.
This was my first recipe for my personal copycat recipe challenge for 2024. I make a recipe and post it on my Facebook account with comments and pictures. It’s a winner! Great chili flavor and soooo easy to make. It makes a lot and freezes beautifully. A great start for my culinary journey. Thanks!
Just tried this recipe and I am glad to say that it is delicious and probably better than the original. I used a small can of green chiles instead of a jalapeno. Added 15 ounces of diced tomatoes and used RO*TEL diced tomatoes with green chiles instead of chopped tomatoes. Stir in the raw vegetables and cook for 5 minutes to soften before adding the other ingredients.
ENJOY!
The recipe sounds amazing! However, I need to eat a lower sodium diet. If I use no salt added canned tomatoes, I’m sure that that would make a difference?
It most likely would Tracey.
I make it with all low or no sodium ingredients and my family loves it.
The great thing about this recipe (and any recipe, really) is that you can totally control all the ingredients to eliminate all the yucky ultra-processed and non-nutritive stuff we shouldn’t be consuming, like the flavor enhancers, preservatives, gums, texture modifiers, etc., that Wendy’s uses in their chili as clearly shown on the ingredient label on their canned chili that consumers can buy directly. As a big added bonus, you can totally control the quality of the ingredients and even make it 100% organic and nearly farm-to-table, if you want, hugely boosting the nutritional value and quality of this dish over the restaurant’s or canned by about a 1000% !!
Perfect and delicious meal for todays cold weather in West Texas! This recipe is a keeper.? Thank you!
Made this for my 81 year old father. He is very picky and loves Wendy’s Chili. He said it was the best he ever had. Thank you for sharing. I did make a couple of changes. Added beef stock instead of water, and added and 1/8 of a cup of Pinot noir with the meat for an extra richness. (Always add wine, little for me and little for the pot)…
Thanks again.
Delicious and the perfect blend of flavors! We add sharp cheddar cheese on top and serve it with cornbread. Lots of compliments and second helpings. Thank you for a great recipe.
I cooked the chili as it called for.
I only let it cook longer in the crockpot and 1/2 the Jalapeño, but I think the whole one would have been fine. I left it on warm until the next morning.
Loved it.
I made this tonight & I am on my 2nd bowl!!! This is a MUST try recipe, it is the best chili ever!!! Thank you
Thanks Dee! So glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the 5 star rating!
This is delicious. I thought I made good Chili but this is better
I didn’t have a jalapeño and also added a few tablespoons of cocoa (unsweetened). Your recipe has a slight more kick than Wendy’s (did a blind taste test), and more hearty flavor. Nice job!
Love your feedback and what you did the recipe! Thank you for reaching out!
Making this today. I, going to omit the kidney beans and green pepper. I, care for neither. Will substitute with black beans and pablano pepper. Gonna be a chilly and kinda layed back weekend.
How did your chili turn out?
I’ll try this, but the kidney beans should be drained and washed. I worked at Wendy’s many years ago and made quite a few pots of chili. Part of that process was to always wash the kidney beans. We also never added butter. The beef we used was from the burger meat that wasn’t served in a timely manner. When cooking burgers at Wendy’s you have only a few minutes from the time the patty hits the grill to serve. Once that time expires the burger goes in the chili meat pan. Then it’s boiled, drained, and chopped. There is a measured amount to everything but I always put a little extra meat. The key ingredient is Wendy’s chili poweder.
Hi Dwayne, Thanks for the feedback. Did you try the recipe and how close did we get?
Love this recipe. Many compliments when we serve it to guests. I also pressure can it by bringing the ingredients up to a boil, placing in jars and can in quarts according to the pressure canners recommended time and pressure for my elevation.
What a great idea Jason! And thank you for the 5 star rating!
Loved the flavor of this but for some reason it was so think and wasn’t soupy
Jody, I’m not sure why the chili was too thick. I am a huge fan of all things chili (https://dinnerthendessert.com/?s=chili) so maybe one of our other chili recipes would be more soupy? Appreciate you trying our Wendy’s Copycat Chili and really appreciate the 5 star rating 🙂
Can this be made in a crockpot?
Sure can Joe! Here’s the recipe for a Slow Cooker version of Wendy’s Chili Copycat Recipe from the post.
Slow Cooker Wendy’s Chili Recipe
Brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain the fat.
Transfer the cooked ground beef to a slow cooker.
Add all the remaining ingredients (except the butter) to the slow cooker.
Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or on high heat for 3-4 hours.
Stir occasionally during the cooking process to ensure even distribution of flavors.
About a half hour before serving, add the butter.
Cook the remaining time, stir well and serve.
Enjoy!
This is one of the BEST chili recipes ever!
My tweaks to the recipe included using 1/8 cup of Ancho Chili powder with 1/8 cup of regular chili powder. Omitted the jalapeno, and added a clove of fresh garlic! Totally delicious!!!
My dad always made chili growing up and never wrote his recipe down.. this is the closest recipe I have found! It is so great!! Thank you for sharing. I’ve made it many times. It is our family/crowd favorite. We like it chunky & add spicy chili beans and no water.
Thanks for bringing back old memories for me <3
Abby, I love it! So glad you’re enjoying the Wendy’s Chili Copycat Recipe and it reminds you of your Dad’s. Thanks so much for the 5 star review.
Constantly trying to cut in half for just 2. So good you won’t mind having leftovers for days!
Delicious was a hit…
Awesome recipe! My husband and I love it and it’s on a regular rotation in our house…even though there’s a Wendy’s about a mile away.
Thank you Pat!
Delish! Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe is right on the money. Greaaaat Taste! Not hard to make but takes longer than 10 mins preparation or at least it did me. I’m a bit slow though.
I’ve been making a similar Wendy’s copycat recipe for many years but today decided to go looking for another. I halved this recipe and made a few changes. The most significant change was using half ground beef and half homemade pork Italian sausage plus adding a bit of sugar. My husband declared this the best chili I ever made. High praise! It was excellent. Served it over spaghetti (Cincinnati style).
Maridele’s half hamburger and half pork sausage (your choice) improves many hamburger recipes.
I would cut the beans in half and tomatoes. Strong flavor of tomatoes and over powers the flavor.
You’re right. Wendy’s Chili has strong flavors of beans, tomatoes and beef!
I can’t sat for me that this recipe tasted like Wendy’s chili. I can say it makes a darn good batch of chili.
I made this and it was great. Found the recipe again and saved it. I knew I was looking for the one that added butter at the end. Soooo good! ??
I thought I was at Wendy’s eating their. Love it
DELICIOUS! Thank you! Will be my go to chili recipe from here on out!
How long should this take in a crockpot?
1/4 cup of Costco chili seasoning was WAY too much. I ended up using 2 tablespoons. Otherwise recipe is perfect. Have been making this for many years. Thank you.