The BEST Wendy’s Chili copycat recipe to recreate the famous hearty delicious chili with beef, beans, veggies and lots of amazing flavor.
A bowl of homemade Beef Chili is always a comforting Dinner, but sometimes we get a craving for Wendy’s famous chili. With this copycat recipe, you get homemade chili plus the iconic drive-thru flavor. Don’t forget a Wendy’s Frosty for dessert!
Grabbing some Wendy’s Chili for lunch is a no brainer when the weather starts turning cold. Their chili hearty, flavorful, and filled with the perfect amount of heat to warm you up. It’s almost unbelievable that a fast food chili could taste as good as chili from scratch, but it is actually really yummy! The good news is that 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.
With its perfect blend of beef, beans, and veggies, Wendy’s Chili has become a beloved comfort food for many. While there’s no exact list of Wendy’s chili ingredients, this Wendy’s Chili recipe has all the same flavors and textures, down to their signature brothy consistency. Folks will swear you just poured store-bought cups of their chili in the pot!
A standard order of Wendy’s Chili comes with saltine crackers, but since you are making 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 Sweet Cornbread to compliment the warm flavors or if you love spicy heat, try it with some Jalapeno Popper Cornbread Muffins!
Why should you make Wendy’s Chili at home?
While grabbing a bowl from the restaurant is convenient, there’s something special about recreating this classic dish in the comfort of your own kitchen. First off, it is way cheaper because you can make a huge pot for the same cost of a couple orders. And a big pot means delicious leftover chili for lunch all week long! Plus making a homemade Wendy’s Chili recipe means you get to control the ingredients and make it even better than the original version!
How to Make Wendy’s Chili
- 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. Mix it well and bring the liquid 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.
Delicious Cornbread Recipes
FAQs for Wendy’s Chili
Yes Wendy’s Chili is made with onion both at the fast food restaurant and in this homemade version. The great thing about making it home is you can skip the onions if you don’t like them, just use onion powder.
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.
Wendy’s chili can be considered a relatively healthy option compared to some other fast food choices. It contains a good amount of protein, fiber from the beans and vegetables, and is relatively low in saturated fat. However, it’s important to note that the chili does contain sodium and should be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
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Key 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: These canned kidney beans and pinto beans add heartiness and creaminess to the chili. You want to use the liquid from the can 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: There’s just enough jalapeno to add a subtle heat without making this chili spicy. You can leave them out for a totally mild chili or add more if you love spicy food!
- Chili Seasoning: The chili seasoning ingredients are the secret behind Wendy’s Chili’s 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 this step, and you’ll still get that delicious Wendy’s Chili taste.
- Butter: A bit of butter at the end adds a touch of richness and silky texture, without adding a whole lot of calories. The butter helps mellow some of the bold spices, for a distinctive creamy flavor.
Can Wendy’s Chili be made ahead of time?
Absolutely! Wendy’s Chili 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 it overnight. The next day, reheat it gently on the stovetop for a more flavorful meal.
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.
- Veggies: Add extra vegetables like carrots, zucchini, or corn to enhance the nutritional value and make it even heartier. You could also use more veggies to replace the meat, just cook them in oil first to make up for the beef fat.
- Spicy: Increase the heat by adding crushed red pepper, more diced jalapenos, hot pepper sauce, or even chipotle peppers if you love your chili with a spicy kick.
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.
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 Wendy’s 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.
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How to Store
- Store: Allow the chili to cool completely, then transfer it to an sealed container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
- Reheat: It’s best to reheat chili 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. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating on the stove top.
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 level) for 2 hours stirring occasionally.
- Add in the butter and stir until fully melted and incorporated.
- Serve.
Nutrition
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This is by far the best chili recipe ever! My entire household loves it! Thank you for posting. (just a heads up – I put 1/2 cup beef broth instead of 1 cup and put it in my crock pot) Delish!
Hi,
Why is it that you use tomato sauce and not tomato juice as this is what it says is in the ingredients of the real Wendy’s chili?
Because I’m not adding any unnatural products and after the side by side tasting I did, it was the closest match. I hope you enjoy it!
This chili is very good! I followed the recipe exactly as written and it definitely tastes like Wendy’s! I paired it with my jalepeno cornbread and it was so delicious! Thank you, Dinner, Then Dessert!
You’re welcome!
1/4 cup chili powder is way to much
Ill try it again and let uou know then
No, it’s not way too much. It’s on point.
I agree! I put even more than that in a different chill that people crave.
I have to say, I am not a huge fan of chili. My partner, however, LIVES for it. Especially during football season l. I’ve tried multiple recipes but this is THE WINNER. He’s as happy as a pig in sh*t right now. Thank you!
Only thing I added was diced a garlic clove.
This chili is really good. I agree it doesn’t really taste like Wendy’s, however I added 1 Tbsp sugar and substituted beef broth for the water and it’s much closer! I think it needs more green peppers to match Wendy’s. I’m going to try that next time. Yes, next time. I love this recipe!
I’m a big Wendy’s chili fan. Now I won’t have to go to Wendy’s to get my chili fix. It was so easy to prepare – just dump the cans in and chop up a few vegatables. It was hard to wait the two hours to simmer. Delicious! Thank you
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I just made this chili today. I loooooove Wendy’s chili and this tastes so much like it. I’ll definitly be making it again. One thing I did was but the tomatoes with peppers in them and still added the jalapeño. It made it more spicy than I was hoping for but it is still delicious!
The recipe is super easier and makes a lot of chili.
This recipe is amazing! I made it for a chili potluck at work and it was the first to go. I love Wendy’s chili but to me this doesn’t take anything like it. Nevertheless, this is a wonderful recipe. I have a pot simmering as I type. This will continue to be my go to chili an at home chili recipe. Thank you for sharing!!
Do you take the lid off when cooking in crock pot
Yes 🙂
Hi Sabrina! I made the chili in my crockpot tonight. Great flavor.. you are spot on. However mine was a tad bit watery. I left the lid on the crockpot. Should I have taken it off for the full 4 hours? Think it will get thicker as leftovers? Thanks!
If it was too watery, you may have had the heat too low. Next time, try and increase the temperature just a bit and that should help evaporate some of the water. The lid should stay off the entire time. Hope this helps! Glad you enjoyed it.
I love this site, the recipes are always great and easy to follow
Thank you so much!
Ewwwww so nasty I didn’t like it this is soooo fake fake fake does not even taste the same !!!!!!! !!! …….. JK it was amazing
Ok, you almost had me going there! Hahaha!
So glad you loved it!
My husband made an odd request for chili recently.. he said he’d like to have some like Wendy’s. So I just made this chili (omitted the celery) and OMG! It is soo delicious! I made a pan of sweet yellow cornbread and my,my, my… Yum-my.
Thank you for sharing
This is gonna be a family favorite
You’re welcome, Avis!
Made this and it was delicious! Thanks for the recipe!!
Absolutely exceptional. Cut the recipe in half(just two of us), and turned out great!
Thanks for the 5 stars, Dee!
Where do you find 29 oz cans of pinto beans and 29 oz cans of kidney beans??????
My cans are 15 ozs and 15.5 ozs.
Go ahead and use all of the can to make it easier. It’s chili, so that extra bit isn’t going to make much of a difference. 🙂
I love to cook which inspired my oldest son to become a chef. I totally love this recipe for chili. Not only is it tasty but so easy to put together compared to the one I have been making for umpteen years. Thank you so much for sharing. Much better than the one from Wendy’s.
I love that you passed on your love for cooking to your son.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I made this chili for the first time today. My husband loved it! He said “That is darn good chili”. Will definitely make this again.
Not a fan of heavy cumin flavour so I only used a teaspoon, otherwise followed the recipe to a T and it was perfect! Thanks so much 🙂
So glad you were able to customize it to your liking. 🙂
My brother loves it as much as Wendy’s! Yay!
I’d call that a winner!! Yay!!
I made this recipe exactly as instructed. No changes. Results are in from the family. Drum roll please ????
My sister said it is even BETTER than Wendy’s! Boom!? Bro-in-law said delicious and not too hot… just right. Other bro said he wants to take the left overs home! Needless to say, this recipe was a big hit in our house. Thanks for sharing this recipe. ? Wish I could post a pic but I can’t see where this site allows it.
You just made my day!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know what a hit it was with your family, Terry! You can always post your pics on Instagram and tag #dinnerthendessert 🙂
This looks like the recipe to try for sure. the only question i have is, does you have to use a slow cooker for this recipe? the reason i asked is because my girlfriend is an impatient eater and i like to have dinner done by the time she gets home. i wonder if i can use a pot but slowly cook it over time.
This recipe is written in the recipe card as a stove top version. I think you’re a wonderful boyfriend to have this ready for her.
So good! Just like Wendy’s and my kids loved it!!
How many people will this recipe feed
This recipe yields 12 (1 cup) servings.
I have tried several chili recipes over the years and my husband has never liked any of them. A few weeks ago he said he likes Wendy’s chili so I tried this. I used a little less chili poweder and he loved it. (So did I). Next time we may add another jalapeño because we both like heat but it was great the way it was. It is easy too!
Thanks Sabrina!
So glad you both enjoyed it!
Is this a spicy chili recipe?
It has a bit of a kick but you can adjust the spices to your liking though it won’t be a true copycat anymore. Enjoy!
This chili is extremely good!! It tastes very similar to Wendy’s chili but the first time I made it i found it’s too thick & “tomatoey” & not a thinner broth like Wendy’s is. So I did tweak a few things & now it tastes EXACTLY like it! So here’s my changes: If you don’t like jalepenos like me or don’t have one, I used 2tsp of banana peppers, minced fine, as well as added 2T of the juice to the browning hamburger when I added the onion & celery. Another tip is after I’ve scooped off the extra off the hamburger, I add my all my seasonings now so it can work into the burger & give it a good flavor on its own instead of tasting like boiled meat in soup. Then I add my tomatoes (that I’ve diced even smaller) & let it cook the tomatoes down slightly (I don’t like big chunks of tomatoes but love the flavor). I usually remove a 1/2 c or right here & eat it! It’s so good, i use this exact recipe up till here’s for taco meatballs sometimes) I add 2tsp of paprika also. Next I add the beans, I drained, so I didn’t need to use as much salt. I added 2T of sugar to counter the acid of the tomatoes. I diced my gr pepper fine also as we don’t like big chunks. The last big change was instead of just. 1 cup of water, which leaves it too
thick thick, I added 6cups of water w/2tsp of beef base so it’s like adding beef stock/broth. You can’t taste it but it adds a really good deep flavor.. THen i brought it to a boil & reduced it to med-loan for a simmer corn 2hrs. NOW it tastes exactly like Wendy’s!!
So glad you were able to customize it to your liking! Thanks for all the suggestions.
Sabrina I must say you are a better person than me. I absolutely love your recipes, but I don’t understand how one can give your recipe 5 stars when that person created a totally different recipe. I will never understand that if the person recreating a recipe doesn’t submit it to a place like all recipes rather that posting on a blog.
I have to say after rereading my comment, it sounds like I completely reworked it! Lol but I didn’t, truly! Just adapted it to our tastes & thought maybe others might have the same likes. I dislike it when someone totally redoes another’s recipe on their page ..it’s rude so please forgive me if it seems like I did that!! Take care & happy cooking!! I follow your recipes/posts so can’t wait for more good ones!! ?
No worries! I know that everyone has different tastes and I think at times it is helpful to know how others have tweaked the recipe.
I like your suggestions and will adjust this recipe after I’ve made it according to original recipe. Sometimes tomato sauces need that little bit of sugar to balance out the acidity. I also like paprika in my chili. Last time I made a copy cat recipe for Wendy’s Chili I didn’t like the beans added with the juices. It made it taste thick and pasty. So this time I will drain them but not rinse them. Hoping this all turns out well for my “Chili Night” party I have planned in a few days.
Okay I never ever comment on anything really but this recipe is SOOOOO good that I needed to leave a comment 🙂
I had tried two other chili recipes before finding this one and they were okay.
But this- this recipe, I’ve made it 3 times already and it is just so delicious and comforting.
This just made my day! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know, Les! It really means a lot.
Made this for supper last night..and it was a huge hit! The only thing I forgot to do was add the butter at the end.
What did we miss by forgetting to add it?
This will be our new go to Chili Recipe
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! The butter helps mellow flavors and gives it the best texture.
Delicious!!
Thanks, Ciara!
How can I make this in the instant pot?
I haven’t tested using one so I’m not comfortable giving a recommendation. You might be able to find a recipe online with similar ingredients and use that as a guide. If you decide to try, I’d love to know what worked for you. Thanks!
Hi! It says it makes 12 servings, do you happen to know how much each serving size is?
I’d say about 1 cup.
How would you go about making accommodations to the recipe if the beans were omitted? That would reduce the amount of liquid so do I add more tomato sauce or water, and how much?
Omitting the beans wouldn’t make it a Wendy’s copycat so I would recommend following a different chili recipe. Sorry.
Bingo! 5/5 for taste, 5/5 for simplicity, 5/5 for authenticity. This recipe is a keeper….thank you so much!
Yay!! So glad you enjoyed it!
My daughter loves Wendy’s chili, so I thought I would give this a try. It is SO much better than the one that I have made in the past. If you want it to taste like Wendy’s, though, I would suggest leaving out the jalapeno. It gives way too much heat to this – Wendy’s doesn’t have any kick/burn to it, and this was so hot I barely could eat it.
De-seed the jalapeno and it won’t be hot and still have the great jalapeno taste.
Sabrina, can I cook this is slow cooker?
Of course! There are slow cooker instructions in the post above 🙂 Enjoy!!
Can you please tell me what brand of chili powder you use? Thank you.
This is my favorite to use http://amzn.to/2EuyW9r
1/4 cup of chili powder? Is that right? It seems like a lot.
It may seem like a lot but after a side-by-side taste comparison, that’s the correct amount to get the right flavor. Enjoy!
Just made this for supper. I made it in the crock pot and just added half he chilli powder and 3/4 the cumin. It was delicious.i didn’t spice it as much because I have picky 3 year old. I just added till it was flavorful but not too much. My son still wouldn’t eat it. My husband he really liked it.
Just missing the garlic powder!
I did a side by side taste test and thought it was spot on but if you’d like to add garlic powder, definitely go for it! Enjoy!!
If you want garlic powder, then by all means add some. You’re making the chili. Make it the way you like it. A recipe is a guideline for you to have a place to start. NOBODY has ever said that Wendy’s is the expert on chili. Personally, I drain the beans and add Beef broth, then simmer to reduce the liquid. (Tomato Paste will thicken the chili when added at the end.)
Can this be made in a crock pot? If so how long and on high or low?
Absolutely! 4 hours on high, 8 hours on low. I’ll add it to the post!
Great Chili but would like to see the size of the crock pot it fits in. LOL Had to use a large roasting pan and 2 burners of the stove. lol
I used a 6 qt slow cooker. So glad you enjoyed it!
Just made this, wow love it. My husband said it is better than Wendy’s. Thanks
Thanks Marlene!
You bring the chili and I’ll bring the cornbread!
You got it!
I love when you can make your favorite recipes at home!
Definitely!
Love Wendy’s chili — I need to make this!!
Comfort food at its best. Perfect for the weather ahead.
Definitely!
I love a good copycat recipe!
It’s always fun doing them too! Enjoy!!
My Mom is an avid Wendy’s Chili lover, so I’ll have to make this for her!!
Awesome, you’ll have to let me know what she thinks!
This looks exactly like Wendy’s chili. Can’t wait to try this. I am really loving the fact that this only calls for 1 Tbsp of butter for the entire recipe.
This looks like the real deal!
Thanks!
This looks sooo yummy! I have always liked Wendy’s chili, and I haven’t had any chili for a while now. I’ll have to make some, and test it our on the hubby. ? Thanks for sharing your recipe! Pinned!
Thanks for the pin! Enjoy!!
Loved it. Except for not draining the beans. Which means you’re leaving the ingredient that causes gas.. I have cooked many chili recipes, , as a firehouse cook. That’s how I know.