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Craving Wendy’s chili recipe? The kids love this chili, so we knew we had to recreate that signature flavor at home – and it tastes just like the real thing!
We love to whip up batches in the fall/winter, from our White Chicken Chili Recipe to Classic Chili recipe, and now this fast food copycat.
Whether you prefer it topped with cheese and served with Sweet Cornbread or nestled in a Bread Bowl, this chili is a versatile and satisfying main dish, perfect for chilly nights.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Pantry staples. This chili uses mostly canned and pre-chopped ingredients you’ll likely have on hand, making it a budget-friendly and convenient meal.
- Flavor customization. Since you’re the chef at home, you can tailor chili recipes to your exact taste preferences.
- Easy. Whether cooking on the stovetop, or in the crock pot, this chili comes together in a single pot, minimizing cleanup.
Wendy’s Chili Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds ground beef – drain excess oil. You can also use ground chicken or ground turkey. If you happen to have leftover hamburger patties, this is the dish to make. After all, in an effort to reduce food waste, Wendy’s developed this recipe using leftover cooked burgers.
- 2 stalks celery chopped, optional
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 3 (14-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes chop them up a little more
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies such as RO*TEL
- 1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup water – you can also use beef or vegetable broth
- 2 (1.25-ounce) packages chili seasoning such as McCormick® Mild Chili Seasoning Mix – see FAQs for a recipe
- 1 (14-ounce) can kidney beans undrained
- 1 (14-ounce) can pinto beans undrained
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar or more to taste
- optional spice – For spicier chili, Add in chopped jalapenos, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or hot sauce
How to Make Wendys Chili
- BEEF. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook 2 pounds ground beef until no longer pink.
- VEGGIES. Stir in 2 stalks chopped celery and 1 chopped green bell pepper into ground beef for 4-5 minutes.
- COMBINE. Pour in 3 cans chopped stewed tomatoes, 1 can diced tomato with green chiles, 1 can tomato sauce, and 1 cup water. Break apart large chunks of stewed tomatoes. Stir in 2 packages chili seasoning.
- Mix 1 can kidney beans and 1 can pinto beans into chili, season with salt and black pepper, and bring to a boil.
- SIMMER. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Mix 1 tablespoon vinegar into chili.
Slow Cooker Directions
- Brown the beef as directed in steps 1 and 2. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Scrape the browned beef into the crockpot and add the ingredients listed in steps 3 and 4.
- Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Let it simmer low and slow. The magic happens in that hour on the stove. It gives the flavors time to meld together and makes the chili taste just like Wendy’s.
- Don’t skip the vinegar. It may seem small, but that splash of vinegar at the end brightens everything up and balances all the rich tomato and beef flavors.
- Customize the heat. Use mild chili seasoning for classic flavor or add a spicier mix (or extra jalapeños!) if your family likes more kick.
Wendy’s Copycat Chili
This copycat Wendy’s chili recipe is hearty, flavorful, and tastes just like the restaurant version—made right at home with simple, delicious ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 stalks celery, chopped, optional
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 (14-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, chop them up a little more
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, such as RO*TEL
- 1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup water
- 2 (1.25-ounce) packages chili seasoning, such as McCormick® Mild Chili Seasoning Mix
- 1 (14-ounce) can kidney beans, undrained
- 1 (14-ounce) can pinto beans, undrained
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar, or more to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook meat until no longer pink.
- Stir celery and green bell pepper into ground beef for 4-5 minutes.
- Pour in chopped stewed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with green chiles, tomato sauce, and water. Break apart large chunks of stewed tomatoes. Stir in chili seasoning.
- Mix kidney beans and pinto beans into chili, season with salt and black pepper, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Mix vinegar into chili.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 343kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 437mg, Potassium: 868mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 490IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 89mg, Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
How to store?
Fridge. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days until you are ready to heat and serve.
Freezer. Store cooled chiliin an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Complete The Meal
Side Dishes
Cornbread Recipe
35 mins
Bread Bowl Recipe
2 hrs 5 mins
Perfect Baked Potato
1 hr 15 mins
Arugula Salad
10 mins
Desserts
More Chili Recipes
Collections
This recipe was originally published January 2022.
Second time making it, and it’s always tasty on a cold day.
This time I made to have all of the ingredients in your recipe.
It’s a keeper.
Oh I’m so glad to hear you loved the chili! Thanks for giving it a try!
Definitely add a chopped onion! Won’t make chili without it. I already made a post but forgot to mention I added chopped onion.
I made this yesterday and had high expectations since I really want chili that is close to Wendy’s. Despite using French’s Chili-O instead of McCormick, it came out just as I had hoped. I didn’t use celery and didn’t have stewed tomatoes (because I forgot to add them to the shopping list) but I added half of a small can of diced, chili peppers which didn’t really affect the outcome. This recipe comes closer than any others I’ve tried and I feel it’s a keeper. Thank you.