Copycat Wendy’s Chili Recipe

Looking for a Wendy’s Chili recipe? Nothing beats a warm bowl of chili on a cold day and ever since I was a little girl, I have loved Wendy’s Chili. My grandmother loved it too and it was kind of our little treat to sneak off to Wendy’s for Chili and fries. 

If you have ever had Wendy’s Chili, then you know how delicious is it. I love the taste, but I always prefer homemade, so I have perfected this Wendy’s chili recipe copycat that is both delicious and EASY to make.

This would be the perfect chili for a tailgate party or family gathering as it is very affordable to make, and serves a lot of people!

How to make Wendy’s Copycat Chili ­Recipe

Have you ever wondered what makes Wendy’s chili so delicious?

We’ve played around with this copycat recipe and I think we’ve come pretty close to perfection here.

Here’s the ingredient list for what you’ll need to make this delicious chili:

2 lb. of brown ground beef, drained (you can also use ground turkey)
2 28 oz. cans of diced tomatoes (stewed tomatoes also work) 
1 16 oz. can of kidney beans, drained
1 15 oz. can of pinto beans, drained
1⁄4 Cup celery, diced
1⁄4 Cup green bell pepper, diced
3 tbs. chili powder (chili seasoning to taste)
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. black pepper
1⁄2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 Cup of water

Favorite Chili Toppings / optional ingredient list
Onion to sprinkle on top (optional)
Grated cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
Chopped green chiles (optional) / green pepper

Directions ­for making this copycat Wendy’s Chili Recipe

Brown the 2 lb. of ground beef on the stove top. Drain the fat and then rinse with warm water to drain more of the fat. (I usually try to start with a very lean ground beef in the first place)

Add all ingredients to a large pot. (brown ground beef, chili beans, and everything else from the ingredients list)

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 2­-3 hours on low. This is also a great recipe for the crock pot!

Before I serve this chili, I like to add a dollop of sour cream and add grated cheese and chopped red onions. So yummy!  Enjoy!

If you are an Instant Pot fan, I’ve also shared my Instant Pot Chili recipe, it’s a good one!

And don’t worry, it’s an EASY chili recipe as well because I’m all about the easy, especially when it comes to comfort foods like homemade chili! 

This copycat version of Wendy’s famous chili recipe really is the perfect chili recipe and works wonderfully for game day and is also great as a left over the next day!

There are so many different ways to make this recipe and as you make it more in your own kitchen, you can play around with things like adding fresh tomatoes (we like to do this in the summer months when our garden is performing) or serving with a side of tortilla chips. The first time you make this copycat Wendy’s chili, you’ll get a feel for the variations that your family might like.

We love to serve this chili over a hot baked potato (I’m an Idaho girl!) and find that it always works wonderfully as a side dish for sandwiches at lunchtime. And, if you want to really serve this copycat Wendy’s chili like they do in the restaurant, you might consider baking some homemade french fries to serve with the finished product! What a great way to truly create a meaty chili meal that any fast food fan of Wendy will love!

It really is the perfect copycat recipe!

Print the Recipe

Copycat Recipe! Wendy's Chili Recipe

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If you have ever had Wendy’s Chili, then you know how delicious is it. I love the taste, but I always prefer homemade, so I have perfected this copycat Wendy’s chili recipe that is both delicious and EASY to make.

Ingredients

• 2 lb. of ground beef, browned and drained
• 2 28 oz. cans of diced tomatoes
• 1 16 oz. can of kidney beans, drained
• 1 15 oz. can of pinto beans, drained
• 1⁄4 C. celery, diced
• 1⁄4 C. bell pepper, diced
• 3 tbs. chili powder
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1⁄2 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 C. water
• Toppings:
• Onion to sprinkle on top (optional)
• Grated cheese to sprinkle on top (optional)
• Sour cream (optional)

Instructions

Brown the 2 lb. of ground beef. Drain the fat and then rinse with warm water to drain more of the fat.

Add all ingredients to a large pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 2­-3 hours on low. This is also a great recipe for the crockpot!

Notes

Before I serve this chili, I like to add a dollop of sour cream and add grated cheese and chopped red onions.

Here are a few chili and soup bowls that are on my wish list right now:

Keri Lyn

The creative and frugal mind behind She Saved for over 12 years now, Keri Lyn shares her adventures in parenting along with her love for family travel, country living and brand marketing. A self-proclaimed “brand loyalist”, Keri Lyn is known for her strong and enthusiastic voice when it comes to the products and brands that she loves. Passionate about family and the challenge of raising good humans (through the teen years, no less!) Keri Lyn has also served as a brand ambassador to many brands including her time as a Hilton Mom Voyage travel writer and currently an O Mag Insider for O, The Oprah Magazine and the 2019 recipient the O-verall Contribution O-ward.