Copycat Wendy's Chili Recipe

An easy to make Wendy's Chili recipe copycat that you can make right at home. Wendy’s chili is a thick and rich comfort food, especially popular during colder months, made with ground beef, beans, and tomatoes simmered in a savory sauce. 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. This homemade version is a copycat chili recipe designed to taste like the original Wendy’s chili.

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 theirs, but this is a great recipe when you want a pot full of homemade Wendy's chili.

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 Wendy’s copycat chili; this homemade version of the fast food chain classic brings all the flavors of the original to your kitchen!

Chili Beans

While the ground beef, veggies and seasonings are of course important to a tasty chili, selecting the right beans is important as well. Here both classic chili beans; red kidney beans and pinto beans are both used.

Wendy’s chili is often served with favorite toppings like shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced onions, and crackers, and this homemade Wendy’s chili can be customized with your favorite toppings too. A good bowl of chili makes a satisfying main course, especially when served with classic sides like a baked potato, cornbread, or saltine crackers. My Jalapeño Cornbread Recipe goes great with this chili!

Storing the Chili

Store leftover chili in an airtight container after it cools. The chili will last in the fridge for 3-4 days. For longer storage the chili can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Leftover chili tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together. It is perfect for making my Cheesy Chili Hash Brown Casserole Recipe. You can also use leftover chili to make chili mac, serve it over baked potatoes, or as a topping for hot dogs to make chili dogs. Why not spread that great chili taste to other dishes?!

Tip: Leftover chili can be portioned into individual servings for easy meal prep or reheating.

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

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

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 55 minutes minutes

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.

For most accurate results make the chili with ground beef, but ground turkey or ground chicken can be swapped in if you prefer. That is one of the many benefits of making it at home.

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