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
Servings: 12
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
Notes
Recipe Notes:
- Break up the ground beef well as it cooks so the chili has that fine, Wendy’s-style texture.
- Chop the stewed tomatoes a bit before adding, it helps the chili feel thicker and more like the original.
- Add the vinegar at the end, it keeps the flavor bright and prevents it from tasting flat.
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