Copycat Wendy's Chili Recipe (2024)

By Robin Gagnon | Updated on

Articles may contain compensated links

An easy to makeWendy's Chili recipe copycatthat you can make right at home. My mom is a big fan of the chili at Wendy's, so it was sort of a must to find a good knock-off version of the recipe.

Table of Contents show

Copycat Wendy's Chili Recipe (1)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Wendy's Chili Recipe - Copycat version

Love Wendy's Chili, but want a nice big pot of this chili at home? Today, I have a Copycat version of the Wendy's Chili Recipe for you. Now you can make the restaurant favorite right in your own home. What could be more perfect for Game day or a special treat after a grueling afternoon of clearing snow. As a nice bonus canned beans make this an dump easy recipe to toss together, that only needs to simmer a few hours before you are enjoying. The only hands on work really involved in making this chili recipe is browning the ground beef and chopping a few vegetables.

I'm sure you will still visit Wendy's for an occasional cup of their's, but this is a great recipe when you what a full pot of chili.

Copycat Wendy's Chili Recipe (2)

I am not guaranteeing the Wendy's chili ingredients are exactly the same. My main goal here is not an identical clone of what's in Wendy's chili, rather the flavor and texture of their chili.While the recipe is geared toward the stove top it is easily adapted to make in a slow cooker. I hope you like my copycat recipe!

Can this Chili be Frozen?

Yes, this chili can absolutely be frozen to reheat and serve later.

More Copycat Recipes

A few more of your restaurant favorites to make at home.

  • Olive Garden Breadsticks
  • Chick-Fil-a Chicken Salad
  • Starbucks Banana Bread
  • Panera Bread Tomato Soup
  • Choco Tacos recipe
  • Chick-Fil-A Sauce Recipe
  • Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Recipe

Copycat Wendy's Chili Recipe (3)

Copycat Wendy's Chili Recipe

Wendy’s Chili recipe copycat that is easy to prepare at home..

4.88 from 24 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chili recipe, copycat recipes, Wendy's chili

Servings: 6

Calories: 435kcal

Author: Mom Foodie Contributor

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Ground Beef
  • ½ Yellow Onion Medium, diced
  • 1 Celery Stalk diced
  • ¼ Cup Poblano or Hatch Chilies roasted, skin removed and diced
  • 15 oz Tomato Sauce
  • 15 oz Tomatoes Can Diced
  • 15 oz Kidney Beans canned, drained not rinsed
  • 15 oz Pinto Beans canned, drained not rinsed
  • 2 teaspoon Cumin
  • 2 Tbsp. Chili Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • Water

Instructions

  • In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat brown the Ground Beef, drain and reserve 1 Tbsp. of drippings in the pot.

  • Add the Onion, Celery and Chilies to the pot and cook over medium heat until the Onions start to turn translucent.

  • Add the Beef. Tomato sauce, Diced Tomatoes, Kidney and Pinto beans, Cumin, Chili Powder, Black Pepper, Salt and 1 Cup water. Bring to a simmer, cover and let cook 2 ½ - 3 hours. Add water as necessary to maintain desired consistency.

  • Serve hot.

Notes

While I do suggest using the chili spices as listed, if you don't have some of them using a mild chili seasoning will still produce good results.

To make the chili in a crock pot brown the meat first, then cook on the low setting for allotted time.

Nutrition

Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 536mg | Potassium: 1340mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2395IU | Vitamin C: 17.7mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 7.2mg

Copycat Wendy's Chili Recipe (4)

Related Posts

« Asian Lemon-Honey Glazed Walnut Shrimp Recipe

Roasted Carrot Hummus Recipe »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. LaVonne says

    I love a hot bowl of chili on a cold winter day. Thank you for this recipe!

    Reply

  2. Carlee C says

    Wendy's Chili is SO GOOD! I especially love it topped with sour cream, and chedder cheese.

    Reply

  3. valmg @ From Val's Kitchen says

    We're big chili fans here. Before I started making chili at home we went to Wendy's for theirs sometimes on cold days.

    Reply

  4. katrina g says

    this looks amazing. I love wendy's chili. We had one in town but they closed a few months ago. I will be trying this soon.

    Reply

  5. Tonya says

    Thanks the fam loved it and chili recipe was easy.

    Reply

  6. frank bailey says

    Making a pot of the chili right now. It must be very close to the Wendy's chili recipe. Tastes graet.

    Reply

  7. IFortuna says

    This is my favorite chili. Thanks for the recipe. : )

    Reply

  8. andipanda says

    I don't understand. Beef browned, beans canned and still, I must cook all together for 2.5-3 hours?

    Reply

    • Robin Gagnon says

      Simmering melds the flavors. You can certainly eat the chili sooner, but simmering makes it better.

      Reply

  9. Wendy says

    I do not understand either; I do cook the canned beans in my Dutch oven casserole 2-3 hours, they will fall apart because they are already cooked

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Copycat Wendy's Chili Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the ingredients of Wendy's chili? ›

Chili Concentrate: Chili Sauce (Water, Tomato Juice, Tomatoes, Calcium Chloride, Seasoning (Sugar, Salt, Corn Starch, Dried Chilies, Spices, Flavor Enhancer [Dextrose, Salt, Yeast Extract, Silicon Dioxide, Modified Corn Starch], Citric Acid, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Xanthan gum), Beans (Pink Beans, Red ...

What makes Wendy's chili taste so good? ›

Wendy's chili is made with a blend of beef and spices that create its unique flavor. The beef is slow-cooked and blended with a mix of chili spices, including chili pepper, cumin, garlic, and onion.

What company makes Wendy's chili? ›

Wendy's Chili with Beans Brings Restaurant Quality Taste to the Comfort of Your Home. Conagra Brands, Inc.

Does Wendy's sell their chili in a can? ›

We Should. We Could. We Canned.

Enjoy the classic taste of Wendy's® famous chili from the comfort of your own home.

What does Wendy's use as fillers in their meat? ›

Our signature square hamburger patties have no fillers or additives because we know the beef is what matters when it comes to making the best hamburger in the game.

Why do you put vinegar in chili? ›

With only about 1 tablespoon per pot added toward the end of the cooking process, the vinegar will make the flavors more vibrant without overwhelming the dish with its biting tang. Through just a splash, everything becomes a little brighter, and the chili's flavors are more balanced.

Is Wendy's chili made fresh everyday? ›

Made fresh every day

We prep from scratch every day—slicing our tomatoes by hand, preparing our house-made chili and cooking our bacon to ensure quality and freshness in every order.

Is Wendy's chili made with leftover hamburgers? ›

Yes, the meat in Wendys chili is made leftover from unsed burgers that are past the hold hold time. The chili meat is good for seven days after, usually is used within the next day.

What is the secret to amazing chili? ›

Elevate your chili recipe by adding an extra layer of flavor. Cocoa powder, bacon, cinnamon, ground coffee and tomato paste will all add a rich sweet & salty flavors that are sure to surprise and delight.

What is the sand in Wendy's chili? ›

Wendy's Chili: Sand

One key ingredient to Wendy's chili is an anti-caking agent called silicon dioxide. Street name: sand or glass powder.

How unhealthy is Wendy's chilli? ›

According to the Wendy's website, a large chili contains 1,270 milligrams of sodium. This is approximately 55 percent of the recommended daily sodium allowance for adults, which is under 2,300 milligrams. Furthermore, the chili has 15 grams of total fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, and 31 grams of total carbs.

Does Wendy's use real beef in their chili? ›

Dave Thomas didn't go into the restaurant business dying to have chili on the menu, it just sort of happened. We all know that Wendy's prides itself on using fresh, never frozen beef — the company uses that point against McDonald's and Burger King in ads again and again.

What is chili magic? ›

Where there's chipotle smoke, there's chili fire. Bush's® Chili Magic® Campfire Style brings tender pintos together with smoky chipotle and green bell peppers for quick, unforgettable chili any night of the week.​

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Amb. Frankie Simonis

Last Updated:

Views: 5762

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (76 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Amb. Frankie Simonis

Birthday: 1998-02-19

Address: 64841 Delmar Isle, North Wiley, OR 74073

Phone: +17844167847676

Job: Forward IT Agent

Hobby: LARPing, Kitesurfing, Sewing, Digital arts, Sand art, Gardening, Dance

Introduction: My name is Amb. Frankie Simonis, I am a hilarious, enchanting, energetic, cooperative, innocent, cute, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.